Working with multiple elements on a PowerPoint Slide

[Neil Penn]

I am using PowerPoint 2003 and have a presentation I need to make amendments
to.

Some slides have as many as 15 separate elements, often with one element
appearing over the top of another.

I am sure on an earlier version of PowerPoint I was able to open a palette
containing a drop down list of elements for the current slide. By selecting
different lines in the list, each element on the slide would show itself and
allow me to work on it.

I can't see how to do this in PowerPoint 2003 - can someone help please?

 

[Sonia]

I think that you mean the task pane on the right. Go to Slide Show > Custom
Animations. If you don't see the animation list, go to View > Task Pane.

 

[Neil Penn]

This is nearly what I need! This is great because it lists all the Pictures
on my slide, but I still can't get to each item to work on it. If I double
click on one of the items in the list it just opens a dialog with the
effects options - wipe, fly-in, disappear etc. I need to bring the picture
to the top so I can change it.

I am still stuck moving all the pictures over to the left so I can get to
the one I am working on, then moving them all back again, and this is really
difficult to keep lining everything up again with so many pictures.

If you can just help me bring each picture to the top and then put it back
where it was I will have what I need.

Thanks

 

[Sonia]

What I do is to assign a meaningful name for each object as I add them, animate
them and bury them with something else. Add an object, right click it, select
format autoshape or picture, click the Web tab and type in something like "green
rectangle" or "dog with cat" (without the quotes). Then assign the animationg
settings.

The key is using the Tab key on your keyboard. First, click somewhere off the
slide. Then press the tab key multiple times and one by one the objects on the
slide are selected. At the same time an object will be highlighted in the task
pane. If I think I have the green rectangle selected, even though I might not
be able to see it, I can right click it and go to Format Autoshape > Web and
verify that the web text says "green rectangle". In the Custom Animation task
pane I'll see an object highlighted and know that it associates with the green
rectangle, even though the name in the task pane is something meaningless like
"Rectangle 13".

Another method is to find them based on animation sequence. I usually know
which object animates first, which is last, and and the sequence of the others
in between. So, the first tab that highlights an animated object on the slide
also highlights the object in the task pane. If I'm looking for the 5th
animated object and the selected one highlighted is first in the task pane, I
know I don't have the object I want and I continue to tab until I see the 5th
object in the task pane highlighted..

I hope that makes sense. I don't bother to move any of the objects for the very
reason you mentioned.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Try the free PPT2HTML demo at http://ppt2html.pptools.com

It includes a new Accessibility Assistant that (among other things) gives you a
LOT of control over layering and visibility in PPT

This is nearly what I need! This is great because it lists all the Pictures
on my slide, but I still can't get to each item to work on it. If I double
click on one of the items in the list it just opens a dialog with the
effects options - wipe, fly-in, disappear etc. I need to bring the picture
to the top so I can change it.

I am still stuck moving all the pictures over to the left so I can get to
the one I am working on, then moving them all back again, and this is really
difficult to keep lining everything up again with so many pictures.

If you can just help me bring each picture to the top and then put it back
where it was I will have what I need.

Thanks

--
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================
Apologies for the delayed response.
Just back from PowerPoint Live 2004
Had a great time, learned a lot
================================================

 

[John Langhans [MSFT]]

[CRITICAL UPDATE - Anyone using Office 2003 should install the Critical
Update or Service Pack 1 for Office 2003 as soon as possible. From
PowerPoint, choose "Help -> Check for Updates".]

[TOP ISSUE - Are you having difficulty opening presentations in PowerPoint
that you just created (you can save, but not open)? -
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=329820]

Hello,

PowerPoint only has a limited user interface to facilitate working with
objects hidden behind other objects. One built-in tool to facilitate
selection of hidden objects is the Select Multiple Objects tool, which can
be added to any toolbar (it's not included by default) as follows:

1) Tools -> Customize
2) Select the "Commands" tab
3) Select "Drawing" from the Categories list
4) Drag "Select Multiple Objects" tool from Commands list to the tool bar
to which you want it added.

Now you can use this tool to select an object that is obscured by other
objects on the slide.

If it's important to you (or anyone else reading this message) that
PowerPoint (or Microsoft Office Drawing tools in general) to provide more
assistance in working with object(s) that are hidden by other objects
(without having to resort to VBA or add-ins), don't forget to send your
feedback (in YOUR OWN WORDS, please) to Microsoft by either:

PREFERRED METHOD:

A) If you are using Microsoft's web-based, online newsreader for Office
communities
(http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.p
ublic.powerpoint), check to see whether or not the suggestion has been
submitted before (Show -> Suggestions for Microsoft) and, if so, add your
vote to the suggestion submission. If the suggestion has not been submitted
before, click on the "New" drop-down menu and choose "Suggestion for
Microsoft" from directly within the newsreader web page.

OR, NEXT BEST METHOD:

B) If you are using another newsreader (such as Microsoft Outlook Express),
submit your suggestion using your web browser at the following address:
http://register.microsoft.com/mswish/suggestion.asp

It's VERY important that, for EACH wish, you describe in detail, WHY it is
important TO YOU that your product suggestion be implemented. A good wish
submssion includes WHAT scenario, work-flow, or end-result is blocked by
not having a specific feature, HOW MUCH time and effort ($$$) is spent
working around a specific limitation of the current product, etc. Remember
that Microsoft receives THOUSANDS of product suggestions every day and we
read each one but, in any given product development cycle, there are ONLY
sufficient resources to address the ones that are MOST IMPORTANT to our
customers so take the extra time to state your case as CLEARLY and
COMPLETELY as possible so that we can FEEL YOUR PAIN.

IMPORTANT: Each submission should be a single suggestion (not a list of
suggestions).

John Langhans
Microsoft Corporation
Supportability Program Manager
Microsoft Office PowerPoint for Windows
Microsoft Office Picture Manager for Windows

For FAQ's, highlights and top issues, visit the Microsoft PowerPoint
support center at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=ppt
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.