Text Shadow

[Guest]

For several years I have used the "Shadow" feature (standard on the PPT
toolbar) with my text to make it show up better on my backgrounds. Normally,
the shadow color depends on the color of the background (i.e., with a black
background, text is automatically given a white shadow; white background -
text is automatically given a black shadow) which is changeable through the
"Shadow Color" tool. Lately, the shadow color appears as grey and is not
changeable. How can I correct this issue so that my shadow returns to
"normal" and changeable?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

For several years I have used the "Shadow" feature (standard on the PPT
toolbar) with my text to make it show up better on my backgrounds. Normally,
the shadow color depends on the color of the background (i.e., with a black
background, text is automatically given a white shadow; white background -
text is automatically given a black shadow) which is changeable through the
"Shadow Color" tool. Lately, the shadow color appears as grey and is not
changeable. How can I correct this issue so that my shadow returns to
"normal" and changeable?

Have you tried using the more general shadow formatting tool on the Drawing
toolbar? It lets you set color, offset (horizontal and vertical) and several
other features for any type of shape, text included.

 

[Echo S]

Off the top of my head, I think this is the case:

The shadow that the "shadow color" in the color scheme controls is the
shadow you add via the tool on the drawing toolbar. It defaults to whatever
you've set in the color scheme, but you can change this color in the shadow
tool.

You can't control the shadow (either color or placement) in the *text
shadow* tool, which is on your standard or formatting toolbar. This color is
determined by your text color and background color and is usually white,
black or grey, but ISTR I did see another color once -- I had to really work
to get it, though!

 

[Guest]

Yes, as I mentioned, I use the Shadow Formatting Tool all the time. But,
normally, the "Shadow" feature, by itself, on the main toolbar handles the
text just fine. The one big difference in the two features is that the
toolbar Shadow feature does not allow you to move the shadow, whereas the
Shadow Formatting Tool does (and lets you choose the color). Now, neither of
these tools is functioning properly for me.

 

[Guest]

Although I use both the "Shadow" and the "Shadow Formatting" tools regularly,
I did try changing the color scheme of my presentation (just in case) and it
still had no effect. Thanks anyway.

Off the top of my head, I think this is the case:

The shadow that the "shadow color" in the color scheme controls is the
shadow you add via the tool on the drawing toolbar. It defaults to whatever
you've set in the color scheme, but you can change this color in the shadow
tool.

You can't control the shadow (either color or placement) in the *text
shadow* tool, which is on your standard or formatting toolbar. This color is
determined by your text color and background color and is usually white,
black or grey, but ISTR I did see another color once -- I had to really work
to get it, though!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/
PPTLive! Sept 17-20, 2006 http://www.pptlive.com

For several years I have used the "Shadow" feature (standard on the PPT
toolbar) with my text to make it show up better on my backgrounds.
Normally,
the shadow color depends on the color of the background (i.e., with a
black
background, text is automatically given a white shadow; white background -
text is automatically given a black shadow) which is changeable through
the
"Shadow Color" tool. Lately, the shadow color appears as grey and is not
changeable. How can I correct this issue so that my shadow returns to
"normal" and changeable?

 

[Guest]

If you've used the text shadow tool, it may not have much effect unless you
change to some bizarre background and text color combination.

For example, if you open a new blank ppt file and go to Slide Design-Color
Schemes in the taskbar and click on each color scheme in turn, you'll see
only black, white and grey shadows. Black text on white background defaults
to grey shadow. The black text on light green background gives a white
shadow. The yellow text on red background gives a black shadow. And so on. If
you edit the color scheme by clicking the link at the bottom of the task
pane, you can experiment with changing background and text colors to try to
get another text shadow color, but I just tried and wasn't able to cause a
different text shadow color to appear.

If you are using the shadow tool on the drawing toolbar, you can change the
default color by changing the slide's color scheme, or you can change the
color "on the fly" by selecting "shadow settings" and then "more colors" on
the shadow tool on the drawing toolbar. If it's not letting you change the
color here, I'm not sure why. Oh, unless you're trying to add a shadow to a
3D object. You can't have both.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/

Although I use both the "Shadow" and the "Shadow Formatting" tools regularly,
I did try changing the color scheme of my presentation (just in case) and it
still had no effect. Thanks anyway.

Off the top of my head, I think this is the case:

The shadow that the "shadow color" in the color scheme controls is the
shadow you add via the tool on the drawing toolbar. It defaults to whatever
you've set in the color scheme, but you can change this color in the shadow
tool.

You can't control the shadow (either color or placement) in the *text
shadow* tool, which is on your standard or formatting toolbar. This color is
determined by your text color and background color and is usually white,
black or grey, but ISTR I did see another color once -- I had to really work
to get it, though!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/
PPTLive! Sept 17-20, 2006 http://www.pptlive.com

For several years I have used the "Shadow" feature (standard on the PPT
toolbar) with my text to make it show up better on my backgrounds.
Normally,
the shadow color depends on the color of the background (i.e., with a
black
background, text is automatically given a white shadow; white background -
text is automatically given a black shadow) which is changeable through
the
"Shadow Color" tool. Lately, the shadow color appears as grey and is not
changeable. How can I correct this issue so that my shadow returns to
"normal" and changeable?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Does this happen with only certain presentations or all presentations?
What if you start from scratch with a new blank presentation?

Are both tools grayed out or are they enabled (but clicking them has no effect)?

 

[TAJ Simmons]

Baudhopper,

There are 2 shadow things on powerpoint

One is 'text shadow' for text only. It is either Black or White or Grey (the
color is determined by what the background color is set to)

The other shadow is on the drawing toolbar and you can set the color. This
shadow can be applied to any object in powerpoint, including text.

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

awesome - powerpoint backgrounds,
http://www.awesomebackgrounds.com
free powerpoint templates, tutorials, hints, tips and more...

 

[Guest]

Yes, this is happening on all new presentations that I create and on new text
I add to old ones. The toolbar Shadow command works, as noted, but always
presents as a light grey. The Shadow Format tool is greyed out. I'm at a
complete loss. The only thing I can think to do is to reinstall the program
- rather a radical move though.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I'm out of ideas for now; but rather than reinstall, try Help, Detect & Repair to see
if that does any good.

 

[Echo S]

Yes, this is happening on all new presentations that I create and on new
text
I add to old ones. The toolbar Shadow command works, as noted, but always
presents as a light grey. The Shadow Format tool is greyed out. I'm at a
complete loss. The only thing I can think to do is to reinstall the
program
- rather a radical move though.

The Shadow Format tool is greyed out.

Do you mean "Shadow Style" tool? If I hover over the shadow button on the
drawing toolbar, it says Shadow Style. (I'm sorry to be pedantic; I just
want to make sure we're all talking about the same thing.)

I wonder if there are any add-ins or anything like that which might disable
the shadow style tool. I've not heard of one, but that sure doesn't mean
much!