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Working with templates in PowerPoint 2007

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Jamie

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Mar 16, 2007, 10:46:15 AM3/16/07
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I am working with a PPT template that was created in 2003. In 2003, it only
had a couple images in the Slide Master. Now, when attempting to update it
in 2007, I am unable to select either picture in order to modify their
placement. It's as if they are now embedded in the background. I would like
to be able to select each picture and move them in the Slide Master view, so
that I don't have to re-create a template. Is there a way? (Also, when you
modify a template in 2007 and toggle been slide and slide master view, you
are no longer able to edit the picture file you just inserted in the Slide
Master view? What gives?)

Echo S

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Mar 16, 2007, 11:05:32 AM3/16/07
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PPT 2007 introduces custom slide layouts. These are a little different than
a slide master. The master is the big one at the top, and the individual
layouts are the smaller ones below it. They all inherit their settings from
the master.

So the upshot is that you need to move the pictures on the slide master, not
on the individual layouts. (You can still add multiple masters if you want,
but each has associated slide layouts, and so it could get pretty crazy
pretty fast. The masters and layouts are what you see on the dropdown
gallery when you use Home | New Slide.) But I'd probably just cut the images
from the master and paste it on the individual layouts I want the images on.
Then I can move them where I wish on each.

> (Also, when you
> modify a template in 2007 and toggle been slide and slide master view, you
> are no longer able to edit the picture file you just inserted in the Slide
> Master view? What gives?)

I'm not sure I understand what's going on here. Are you inserting the
picture on the master or on an individual layout?

Oh -- as an aside, you can create your own layouts, too. You're not limited
to the ones there. Just add one, then add placeholders as you wish. Type in
the placeholders to change the "click here" prompt text also...

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/


"Jamie" <Ja...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
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Dave Jenkins

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Apr 26, 2007, 11:08:01 AM4/26/07
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Hi Echo:

I'm a little late joining this thread, but your response answered a question
that's been nagging me (What's the difference between the "big" master at the
top and the connected "little" ones?) and triggered another:

You say that the individual layouts "... all inherit their settings from the
master." Which settings? Whatever they are, am I correct in assuming that
once the individual layout has been created, I am free to change anything on
it that I like, setting-wise? Or not?

Thanks.
--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

Echo S

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Apr 26, 2007, 4:56:08 PM4/26/07
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The individual layouts inherit things such as backgrounds and font colors
and sizes and such. You are able to change most things, and add placeholders
to the individual layouts, as desired, but background elements can't be
changed on the individual layouts.

For example, if you insert a logo onto the master slide, most of the
individual slide layouts will inherit that logo -- it will appear in the
same place on each of them. But let's say you want to have a blank slide
layout that doesn't have the logo. You won't be able to delete it from just
that blank individual layout. Instead, you would not insert the logo on the
master slide -- you'd insert it on an individual layout and then copy/paste
it into place on the other individual layouts that should have it.

Alternatively, you can create two masters, one with the logo and one
without. And so all the associated slide layouts would have a logo or not.

You can change the background color of individual layouts, though. And font
faces and colors and bullet styles and all that. Are you familiar with the
theme fonts? I think it's usually better to create and change theme fonts
than to apply font faces to the various placeholders in the masters and
layouts using direct formatting.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/

"Dave Jenkins" <david.f...@usa.net.(spam-ugh!)> wrote in message
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Steve Rindsberg

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Apr 26, 2007, 9:20:58 PM4/26/07
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In article <uOauSVE...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl>, Echo S wrote:
> The individual layouts inherit things such as backgrounds and font colors
> and sizes and such. You are able to change most things, and add placeholders
> to the individual layouts, as desired, but background elements can't be
> changed on the individual layouts.

Other than omitting all background elements on a given layout (and optionally
copying the ones you *do* want from the master to the specific layout).

Dave Jenkins

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Apr 27, 2007, 9:24:03 AM4/27/07
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Thanks - that's very helpful. It seems like most of the confusing/cumbersome
aspects of layouts and design in 2003 have been rectified, doesn't it?

Dave Jenkins

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Apr 27, 2007, 9:26:02 AM4/27/07
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What's a "background" element?
--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

Echo S

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Apr 27, 2007, 10:42:20 AM4/27/07
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Oh, that would be anything you inserted onto the background -- like the logo
in the example I gave. Or an autoshape you've drawn there. Or even a
textbox. Anything you put on the master slide, I'd say.

You'll notice that placeholders can only be added to the individual layouts,
not to the slide masters. I believe that's because the master slide really
is intended just to give you the canvas from which to create the indivdual
layouts -- and additional placeholders are really layout-specific.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/


"Dave Jenkins" <david.f...@usa.net.(spam-ugh!)> wrote in message

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Echo S

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Apr 27, 2007, 10:44:18 AM4/27/07
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I think so. I believe this (masters and individual layouts) is one of the
most powerful new features of PPT 2007 -- it's even better than most of the
eye candy stuff for me!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/


"Dave Jenkins" <david.f...@usa.net.(spam-ugh!)> wrote in message

news:B5AC4B58-9CD1-4A2E...@microsoft.com...

Echo S

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Apr 27, 2007, 10:46:21 AM4/27/07
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"Steve Rindsberg" <ab...@localhost.com> wrote in message
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Yeah, that would be another workaround in addition to the one I mentioned.
(Just pasting it here because it was buried in a paragraph of babble!) As
usual, there's more than one way to skin a cat in PPT! :-)

> that blank individual layout. Instead, you would not insert the logo on
> the
> master slide -- you'd insert it on an individual layout and then
> copy/paste
> it into place on the other individual layouts that should have it.

--

Steve Rindsberg

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Apr 27, 2007, 2:20:09 PM4/27/07
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In article <434979AD-2F8C-4210...@microsoft.com>, Dave Jenkins
wrote:

> What's a "background" element?
>

What Echo said. Or if you're a Learn By Example type like me:

Open a presentation

Click View on the main menu

Click Slide Master on the Presntation Views chunk of the ribbon

Now rightclick one of the layouts and choose Format Background from the popup
menu

On the Fill pane, put a check next to "Hide background graphics" and watch what
happens to the layout. Any graphics from the slide master disappear.

-----------------------------------------
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================


Steve Rindsberg

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Apr 27, 2007, 2:20:09 PM4/27/07
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> Yeah, that would be another workaround in addition to the one I mentioned.
> (Just pasting it here because it was buried in a paragraph of babble!) As
> usual, there's more than one way to skin a cat in PPT! :-)


HEY!!! Watch that!

- Mochi

Dave Jenkins

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Apr 27, 2007, 4:10:03 PM4/27/07
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"Echo S" wrote:

> Oh, that would be anything you inserted onto the background -- like the logo
> in the example I gave. Or an autoshape you've drawn there. Or even a
> textbox. Anything you put on the master slide, I'd say.

> You'll notice that placeholders can only be added to the individual layouts,
> not to the slide masters.

OK, now I'm confused again. I'm looking a PPT 2007 Master slide (the big
one at the top of the layouts), and it contains placeholders (at least,
according to Miss Piggy, who reports that its a Type 14 placeholder
(ppPlaceholderBody). I'm looking at another one that's type 14
(ppPlaceholderTitle) <How the heck can they both be type 14, but have
different identifiers, Steve? > Is not a textbox a placeholder?

Echo S

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Apr 27, 2007, 5:22:39 PM4/27/07
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Oh, you get a couple placeholders on the master for free, but you can't
*add* more placeholders to the master -- you can only add more to the
individual layouts.

Sorry, I didn't intend to confuse.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/


"Dave Jenkins" <david.f...@usa.net.(spam-ugh!)> wrote in message

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Steve Rindsberg

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Apr 27, 2007, 5:39:26 PM4/27/07
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> > Oh, that would be anything you inserted onto the background -- like the logo
> > in the example I gave. Or an autoshape you've drawn there. Or even a
> > textbox. Anything you put on the master slide, I'd say.
>
> > You'll notice that placeholders can only be added to the individual layouts,
> > not to the slide masters.
>
> OK, now I'm confused again.

No problem. We can help you maintain that. ;-)

> I'm looking a PPT 2007 Master slide (the big
> one at the top of the layouts), and it contains placeholders (at least,
> according to Miss Piggy, who reports that its a Type 14 placeholder
> (ppPlaceholderBody).

The placeholders on the master seem to set the defaults for the placeholders on
other layouts, but you can adjust each layout individually as well. Sound about
right Echo?

> I'm looking at another one that's type 14
> (ppPlaceholderTitle) <How the heck can they both be type 14, but have
> different identifiers, Steve? > Is not a textbox a placeholder?

Not necessarily.

A placeholder is a Type 14
A text box is a Type 17

A placeholder can be any of several placeholder types (have a look at
ppPlaceholderType in the Object Browser for a listing)

Echo S

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Apr 27, 2007, 6:02:03 PM4/27/07
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"Steve Rindsberg" <ab...@localhost.com> wrote in message
news:VA.000033e...@localhost.com...

>
> The placeholders on the master seem to set the defaults for the
> placeholders on
> other layouts, but you can adjust each layout individually as well. Sound
> about
> right Echo?

Yup, sure does.


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