Windows 95/98 PowerPoint 97/2000: Introduction

What is PowerPoint?

PowerPoint is a tool you can use to communicate your ideas through visual aids that appear professionally designed yet are easy to produce. With PowerPoint, you can create a variety of media, including black and white overheads, color overheads, 35-mm slides and on-screen electronic slide shows. All these components integrated into one file make up a PowerPoint Presentation.

Starting PowerPoint

To launch PowerPoint, click the Start button on the Windows 95 or 98 taskbar, select Programs, Microsoft Office (if you have Office 2000 you may be able to select the icon for PowerPoint directly) and then click Microsoft PowerPoint. You might also find the PowerPoint icon on your MS Office Toolbar. If you get the Tip of the Day dialog box, read the hint and click OK. The PowerPoint startup dialog box appears. To begin working with PowerPoint, you will need either to open an existing presentation or create a new presentation using one of three available options.

Creating a New Presentation

Whether your presentation will be in the form of an electronic slide show, 35 mm slides, overheads or just paper print-outs, the process of creating a PowerPoint presentation is basically the same. You can start with a template,a blank presentation, or a design template. To get to these basic forms, there are three options.

AutoContent Wizard

The AutoContent Wizard is a series of dialog boxes that gets you started with creating a new presentation using a template. You'll start by answering questions about your presentation and end up with the ready-made slides. To activate this on-line guide from the PowerPoint startup dialog box, select AutoContentWizard and click OK. If PowerPoint is already running, select New from the File menu. On the NewPresentation dialog box, click the Presentations tab, click the icon for AutoContent Wizard and click OK. To bypass the wizard, click instead the icon for the template you want and you'll get the slides directly.

Blank Presentation

The blank presentation template is a design template that uses the default formatting and design. It is useful if you want to decide on another design template after working on the presentation content or if you want to create your own custom formatting and design from scratch.

To create a new presentation based on the blank presentation template, select Blank Presentation from the PowerPoint startup dialog box and click OK. With PowerPoint already running, you can (1) select New from the File menu, click the General tab on the New Presentation dialog box, click the Blank Presentation icon and click OK or (2) click the New button on the Standard toolbar. The New Slide dialog box appears.

Design Template

This is advised for first-time and new PowerPoint users (don't listen to PowerPoint's suggestion for the AutoContent Wizard). After a few presentations on your own, you more than likely will always choose this option so as to have complete control over your presentation. A design template is a presentation that does not contain any slides but includes formatting and design. It is useful for giving your presentations a professional and consistent appearance. You can start to make a presentation by selecting a design template or you can apply a design template to an existing presentation without changing its contents.

Once you have chosen the 'template' option, you have 5 more options in a New Presentation dialog box.

Note: In PowerPoint 2000 there are only 3 more options at this stage of the New Presentation dialog box. Those are General, Presentations, and Design Templates. In terms of web pages and presentations, PowerPoint 2000 has included a number of new and exciting features. Please refer to the document Putting Your Presentation on the Web for PowerPoint 2000 to learn more about those new features.

It is hoped that by the end of our class (or the end of this document), you will feel most comfortable choosing the second option, "Presentation Designs," and getting down to business.

Creating Slides

When you create a new presentation using a template (including the Blank Presentation template), you start with the first slide and then continue to build the presentation by inserting new slides.

Inserting New Slides

To add a new slide after the current slide in Slide View (or the Normal View in PowerPoint 2000): This brings up the New Slide dialog box.
AutoLayouts

On the New Slide dialog box PowerPoint gives you a set of available slide layouts, called AutoLayouts, to choose from. An AutoLayout contains placeholders for titles, text and objects such as clip art, graphs or tables that you may want to put on a slide. You are not limited only by these options. As you will see later in this handout, anything can be added to any slide. To create a slide, click an AutoLayout icon that matches the layout of the slide you want to make; the name of the selected AutoLayout appears in the lower right side of the dialog box. Then click OK and the new slide appears on the screen.
Note: In PowerPoint 2000 the "Slide View" from older Powerpoint applications is incorporated with the "Notes Pages" view and a streamlined "Outline View", where you can reorder slides and add formatted text directly. Here's what the new "Normal View" looks like:

Adding Text to Slides

Using Text Placeholders

You can insert text on slides by selecting an AutoLayout with text placeholders. Text placeholders are formatted for titles or bulleted lists. The text formatting, which includes the font, alignment and bullets, depends on the design template you selected.

To add text to a slide in Slide View, simply click on a text placeholder (In PowerPoint 2000's Normal View you can simply type in your text next to the numbered slide icon on the left hand screen). The directions on the placeholder will disappear, leaving an empty text box with a flashing insertion point. Begin typing. Text automatically wraps as you reach the right border of the placeholder. When you're done, click anywhere else on the slide. To edit text, move the mouse pointer over the text (note that it becomes an I-beam), click and edit.

When making a bulleted list, you automatically create the next bulleted item every time you press Enter. To create sublevels, click the Demote (Indent more) button on the Formatting toolbar. To move up a level, click Promote (Indent less). In PowerPoint 2000 you can demote and promote in the left hand window by using your mouse. Simply click and hold at the left border of the text and drag your mouse to the left (to promote) or to the right (to demote). Your bulleted list can have up to five levels.

Using the Text Tool

You can use the Text Tool on the Drawing toolbar to add text outside of text placeholders. In Slide View, click the Text Tool and move the mouse pointer to the point on the slide where you want to insert text. Click to make a label/caption or drag to make a text box that will wrap the words. Then begin typing and, when you're done, click anywhere else on the slide.

Adding Slide Objects

You can incorporate elements, such as graphics and even sound and video, into your slides in one of two ways: You create embedded objects using another application while you are working in PowerPoint. (This requires that you have the application installed on your machine.) The object's application menu and toolbars appear on the screen and may temporarily replace the PowerPoint menu and toolbars. When you're finished, click anywhere else on the slide to return to PowerPoint.

To edit embedded objects you created, double-click on the object. Again, the object's application menu and toolbars appear. Make the changes and, when you're done, click anywhere else on the slide.

Tables

To insert a Microsoft Word table on a slide: and specify the number of rows and columns you want. If you click on the Insert Microsoft Word Table button on the Standard toolbar, drag on the cells to select the number of rows and columns.

The table appears along with Word's application menu and toolbars. Type the table contents and, when you're finished, click anywhere else on the slide. To edit the table, double-click on it and edit the table using Word tools and menus.

Clip Art

You can put graphic images from Microsoft ClipArt Gallery on your slides. To add clip art to a slide:

ClipArt Gallery opens. You can limit your search by choosing a category. Select the picture you want and click Insert. ClipArt Gallery closes and the image you selected appears on the slide.

If you want to change the clip art on a slide, double-click on it and ClipArt Gallery opens. Select a different picture and click Insert.

Pictures

You can put scanned images or art created from other programs on your PowerPoint slides. Select Picture from the Insert menu, choose From Scanner and use the MS Office photo editor after opening the file from your computer.

WordArt Object

You can add text with special effects in your slides using Microsoft WordArt. There are at least three ways to put word art in your PowerPoint presentation: You can select Insert/Picture/Word Art from the menu, choose Object from the Insert menu, or double-click on an Object placeholder. In the Insert Object dialog box, select Create New and choose the latest version of Microsoft WordArt from the Object Type list. The WordArt dialog box and menus appear. Type the text and click on Update Display. Choose the special effects you want from the WordArt toolbar. When you're done, click anywhere else on the slide.

Working in Different Views

You can switch between five views of your presentation, each view gives you a different way of looking at and working with your presentation. To toggle between views, choose the desired view format from the View menu or click the appropriate button to the left of the horizontal scrollbar (shown here to the left). From left to right, the views are Slide View, OutlineView, Slide Sorter View, NotesPages View and Slide Show View.
Note: Remember that PowerPoint 2000 offers just three different views, yet all the functionality of the PowerPoint 97 views remains. "Slide View", "Outline View", and "Notes Pages View" are collapsed into one.

Slide View

In Slide View (the main screen of PowerPoint 2000's "Normal View"), you can add graphics to your slides as well as type, edit and format text. PowerPoint displays the Formatting and Drawing toolbars in addition to the Standard toolbar. The presentation appears on the screen one slide at a time. The left side of the Status bar displays the page number of the current slide. To move to other slides, drag the elevator on the vertical scrollbar or click the Previous Slide or NextSlide button below the scrollbar.

Outline View

Working in Outline View (the left side of PowerPoint 2000's "Normal View") is a good way to organize and develop the content of your presentation. To insert text, click where you want to add text and type. Bullet and their editing is very easy in this view. Creating sub-levels along with promoting and demoting text can be done here as well. You can also print a copy of your outline. In this view, you see only the title and body text of each slide. The Drawing toolbar closes and the Outlining toolbar opens. This works much like the Microsoft Word Outlining toolbar.

Slide Sorter View

In Slide Sorter View, you can efficiently perform tasks such as reordering slides and adding builds, transitions, and slide timings for electronic presentations. You cannot work on text and visual elements of individual slides in this view. PowerPoint displays miniature versions of each slide. In addition to the Standard toolbar, PowerPoint displays the Slide Sorter toolbar.

Notes Pages View

In Notes Pages View (the bottom section of PowerPoint 2000's "Normal View"), you can create pages that you can print and use as a guide during your presentation. Each page contains an image of the corresponding slide and a placeholder for your notes.

Slide Show View

You use Slide Show view to deliver your presentation as an on-screen electronic slide show or to look at each slide full-screen. Click the mouse button to advance to the next slide. If you've reached the last slide or press the Esc key on the keyboard, you return to the previous view.

Changing the Slide Layout

In Slide or Normal View, you can change the arrangement of objects on a slide, move and resize placeholders or replace the current layout with a different AutoLayout.

Moving and Resizing Objects

To move or resize an object, first click on the object to select it. Eight handles appear around the object. Click and drag a handle to change the size and/or shape of the object. Click and drag anywhere else on the object to move it.

To resize an object by an exact scale while maintaining its proportions, select the object and then choose Scale from the Draw menu. Enter the scale on the Scale dialog box and click on OK.

Moving and Resizing Placeholders

To move or resize a placeholder, select the placeholder and click on its dashed border. You will get a fuzzy outline around the border with eight resize handles. Click and drag a resize handle to change the size and/or shape of the placeholder. Click and drag anywhere else on the fuzzy outline to move it.

Changing the AutoLayout

To restore a slide's layout after you've made changes to it or to change the AutoLayout without deleting any text or object you've already put on it, select Slide Layout from the Format menu or click the Slide Layout button on the Status bar. Select the AutoLayout from the SlideLayout dialog box and click Reapply.

Making the Presentation You Need

Slide Setup

Unless you created the presentation using the AutoContent Wizard and specified otherwise, slides are by default set up for an on-screen show. To change this, select Page Setup from the File menu. On the Slide Setup dialog box, select the output you want from the Slides Sized for drop down list. You can also change slide orientation from landscape to portrait, and the physical size of your print outs.

Arranging the Template

To change the presentation's design template, select ApplyDesign from the Format menu or click the ApplyDesign Template button on the Standard toolbar. In the Apply Design Template dialog box, select the design template and click Apply. On a typical installation of PowerPoint, the design templates are in the Presentation Designs folder in C:\MSOffice\Templates of C:\Microsoft Office\Templates. You can also use your own design templates or even an existing PowerPoint presentation.

Black & White Slides

To display the presentation in black and white, select Blackand White from the View menu or click the B&W View button on the Standard toolbar. In Slide View, you'll see the current slide in black and white and a color slide miniature on a small Color View window. The B&W View button toggles between the black and white and color views. To hide the Color View window, select SlideMiniature from the View menu.

Deleting a Slide

To delete a slide in Slide View, select Delete Slide from the Edit menu. In Slide Sorter View, select a slide and hit the delete key from your keyboard.

Reordering Slides

To move a slide, select the slide in Slide Sorter View and click the Cut button on the Standard toolbar. This copies the slide to the Clipboard. Then click on the position where you want to insert the slide (note the flashing insertion point) and click the Paste button. You can also change the order of your slides in Slide Sorter View by clicking on a slide and dragging it to the position where you want it to appear.
Note: PowerPoint 2000 users can automatically reorder slides in the left hand window of their Normal View. Simply click on the slide icon, and while holding the mouse button down, drag it above where you would like it to go. Be careful with this option however! You can also move elements of text from one slide to another. If you only wish to move an entire slide, be sure you've clicked on the little slide icon. As long as you haven't saved your presentation recently, you can always "undo" something you regret (like mixing the text of one slide into that of another). Just click on "undo" from the Edit menu.

Delivering an On-Screen Show

To deliver your presentation as an on-screen electronic slide show, open the presentation in PowerPoint, select SlideShow from the View menu. By choosing Setup Show from the Slide Show menu you can choose which slides you want to show during the presentation.

During the Presentation

To move to the next slide, click the mouse button or press N on the keyboard. To get a menu of available slide show commands, click the right mouse button or this icon that appears on the lower left side of the screen. You can deliver an on-screen show on a computer that doesn't have PowerPoint installed using the PowerPoint Viewer, freeware that you can distribute with your presentation. You can create disks that contain the presentation and PowerPoint Viewer. Select Pack and Go from the File menu and the Pack and Go Wizard guides you through the process.

Slide Timings

When delivering an electronic slide show, you have the option of manually advancing the slides or using slide timings. In Slide Sorter view, click the Rehearse Timings button on the Slide Sorter toolbar and rehearse the delivery of your presentation. The Rehearsal window that stays on the screen during the slide show keeps track of the time elapsed since a slide appeared on screen. At the end of the slide show, PowerPoint gives you the total time of the presentation and the option to record the slide timings. If you record the slide timings, they will appear in Slide Sorter View. To manually revise the timing set for a particular slide, select it in Slide Sorter View and click the Slide Transition button on the Slide Sorter toolbar. Then enter a number in the Advance Automatically after box. To use the slide timings during a slide show, choose Use Slide Timings on the Slide Show dialog box.

Transitions

Transitions are special audiovisual effects that occur when moving from slide to slide during an electronic presentation. To add a transition to a selected slide in Slide Sorter View, click the Slide Transition button on the Slide Sorter toolbar. From the Transition dialog box, you can choose the effect and speed of the transition and a sound to accompany the visual effect. A transition icon appears below the slide miniature of a slide with transition. You can preview the transition on the miniature by clicking on the icon. If you want the same transition on all your slides, choose Select All from the Edit menu and then add the transition.

Builds

You create a build slide if you want to show paragraphs on a bulleted list one at a time during a slide show. To build the body text of a selected slide, choose an option that appears when you select Preset Animation from the Slide Show menu. If you select an option other than Off, during a slide show the list will appear by first level paragraphs with every mouse click using the particular effect. For more options, use the drop down menu on the slide sorter toolbar labeled Text Preset Animation. On the Animation Settings dialog box, pick a build option, a visual and audio effect, and the text color after a build step. In Slide Sorter View, a build icon appears below the slide miniature of a slide with build but you cannot preview it. For more options, do the following:

Saving Your Presentation

To save your presentation, choose Save As from the File menu. In the File Save dialog box, type the name you wish to give your presentation in the Filename edit box, select the folder where you want it saved from the Save in drop down list, and click Save. If you're going to open the presentation in another computer and want to make sure that text displays properly, click the EmbedTrueType check box.

Opening a Presentation

To begin working with PowerPoint by opening an existing presentation, select Open an Existing Presentation from the PowerPoint startup dialog box and click OK. If PowerPoint is already running, choose Open from the File menu or click the Open button on the Standard toolbar. From the File Open dialog box, select the folder where the file is located in the Look in drop down list, select the file from the Name box, and click Open.

You can open several presentations at a time. To switch between open presentations, select the file name from the Window menu.

Printing

To print, choose Print from the File menu. In the Print dialog box, select from the PowerPoint drop down list the output you want (slides, handouts, notes pages or outline) and click OK. If you're printing a color presentation on a black and white printer, click the Black &White check box to print the Black and White View of the presentation. If your slides are sized differently from the paper you're printing on (for example, 35mm or on-screen), click the Scale to Fit Paper check box to make the slide image fill the page.

Getting Help

To access on-line help, select Microsoft PowerPoint Help Topics from the Help menu. You can type in a help request in our won words using the Answer Wizard as well. And don't be afraid of the paper clip, star, Einstein look-a-like, or whatever may pop up as your assistant. To access any of these options, click on the help button on the standard toolbar. It's picture is shown here to the left.