Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with powerpoint

Can I get a Stuttah!??!?!

fogonlittlecatfeet — Sun, 05 May 2013 21:09:56 -0800

I need a certain soundbyte (a cheetah stutter-barking) to add to a powerpoint presentation but need hive help. We are creating a Jeopardy type game for zoo campers to play and we want to include a question that highlights the vocalization called a stutter-bark.

I am looking for a clear sound or video file of a cheetah "stutterbarking" in a format that can be easily added to a powerpoint presentation.

I am not very technical at all. (I can train animals and scoop poop like you wouldn't believe though!)

http://pictures-of-cats.org/Male-Cheetah-Stutter-Bark.html

the site above has an example but im not sure how to get it from the site to my presentation, and I feel like there are better, more dramatic sound bytes out there.

I realize this is kinda two questions in one, but can you help me hive mind?

Thank you

PowerPoint 2010, VBA to copy or create command buttons

atm — Sat, 04 May 2013 16:36:43 -0800

I need a macro to check each slide for the existence of several command buttons, and then copy/create them (along with the code behind them) on slides where they're not found. I've tried using the object browser to find the objects/methods to use but, not being very familiar with programming/coding, I haven't been able to figure out how to do it. I tried using a master slide but ran into problems (discussed here: http://www.utteraccess.com/forum/VBA-Import-Slides-Pl-t2002862.html&pid=2355756#entry2355756), but I really need this soon and I'd be happy to run this macro manually whenever I add/import slides. Thanks for your help.

Learning to use VBA

Proginoskes — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 21:31:13 -0800

I have read that John Walkenbach's books are the de-facto standard for learning to use VBA in Microsoft Excel. I'd like to know what books are recommended to learn to use vba in other Office products - primarily Access, but also Word and Powerpoint. I'm more interested in books than in websites.

Button to change the slide's section during slideshow, PowerPoint 2010

atm — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 12:48:46 -0800

I have a slideshow with 4 sections named "CurrentSection", "NextSection", "AfterNextSection", and "AfterAfterNextSection". The slideshow is viewed repeatedly but also irregularly (sometimes multiple times per week and sometimes weeks in-between). After each slide is viewed and discussed, I need to be able to assign the slide to a different section. (A slide's section determines how soon it will be viewed again, as explained below.) Here's what I'm trying to be able to do:

Begin the slideshow but show only slides that are in CurrentSection. (I think I know how to do this)

(This is where I need the help) I'd like to have three buttons on each slide so that, after a slide is viewed and discussed, one of the buttons can be pressed which will remove the slide from CurrentSection and put it into either NextSection, AfterNextSection, or AfterAfterNextSection, depending on which button is pressed.

When no more slides remain in CurrentSection I want to automatically
a.) end slideshow
b.) delete CurrentSection (will be empty at that point)
c.) rename NextSection to CurrentSection
d.) rename AfterNextSection to NextSection
e.) rename AfterAfterNextSection to AfterNextSection
f.) recreate AfterAfterNextSection (will be empty)

So then the slideshow is ready to restart when desired (once again showing only slides in CurrentSection)

Can anyone tell if this can be done or how to do it? Thanks.

Basic PowerPoint question re: speaker's notes

sardonyx — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 08:44:57 -0800

How does the speaker's notes function work in PowerPoint? I've got to give a presentation today and I have to use PowerPoint (2007 on Windows). The trick, I've never really used the software to give a presentation, so I want to make sure I know what I'm doing.

The laptop will be hooked up to a projector. I have speaker's notes added to the bottom of each slide.

I want to ensure the slides that are visible to the audience on the screen don't have my notes on them. What's the simplest, easiest way to do this?

How can I export MS Powerpoint to a Word document?

Jahaza — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 07:35:47 -0800

How can I export MS Powerpoint to a Word document? I've got a half-done presentation (slides and extensive notes) that needs to become a paper instead. How can I export the text (slides and notes) to word? I can do a whole bunch of cut and paste, but it seems like there might be a setting to do it buried somewhere.

Conversion program for .pptm PowerPoint file into flash made for Macs?

reenka — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 13:11:39 -0800

I have a PowerPoint presentation with macros for sound, in a .pptm file with audio and animations for a class. My professor can't play it as is, so she wants me to convert it to a flash file format, which I thought I could do, but all the converter programs I've found need a PC, and I only have a Mac and so does my family. Naturally, my school's PCs don't allow installs, and I need to figure this out today. I have Adobe Flash, but it doesn't recognize the format, and I need to keep my audio/etc. any ideas for conversion or online viewing, etc? I have considered asking her to download a viewer, but it seems a bit much. Even if I could find a PC to use, I'm not sure which one of the programs work well enough, but I don't know where to find a PC that allows installs. Could just start over again, but that seems a bit much....

Powerpoint - stick to 4:3 or go widescreen?

vogel — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 03:19:55 -0800

How far along are we in moving from 4:3 to widescreen LCD projectors for (e.g.) PowerPoint presentations. Is my current 4:3 default still sensible? I work on PowerPoint shows for my academic boss who presents them all over the world. At the moment pretty much everything is still 4:3. We only have 4:3 projectors at work. We can't afford to maintain two versions of every talk so it would be a big jump to go wide-screen. Obviously wide-screen will take over sooner or later (er, won't it?) but it feels to me as if we are not there yet, and it will take a while. So I should leave the talks in 4:3 for the moment and start off new talks in this aspect ratio too - I think ...

If I send him off with a 4:3 and it is displayed on a wide-screen projector it will look fine. But if he shows up with a wide-screen talk and it's displayed on a 4:3 projector then it'll all be a bit smaller than we intend. It is not always possible to check the venue in advance and, as I say, even if it were we can really only run one version of the talk.

But am I right? Or is the pace of the takeover fast enough that I should be looking over my shoulder at wide-screen? Am I likely to have to jump that way this week, or in a year, or in three years? Are venues who re-equip all going to wide-screen now? What do others do? I would love to know what you think.

Thanks and best wishes

v.

Group Presentation Tips & Best Practices

djfreex — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:32:09 -0800

I am getting ready to present a proposal with my eight people team to executives. Anyone has any good tips delivering a presentation with a large group? Transitions, timing etc.?

How to always have the best looking PowerPoint?

locussst — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 17:25:03 -0800

How can my powerpoints always be the best looking in the class? Also how to easily create graphs for powerpoints? I'm doing a master's degree and some of the groups always have really professional looking presentation. I'm sure it is putting us at a disadvantage no matter what our content is.

Does anyone know of any good solutions where I can find very simple, free, and practical PPT templates that would make the presentation better? Also do you know of any resources online that would help me easily create graphs and charts that would look good on a powerpoint? I am looking to go beyond the basic stuff that comes with powerpoint. I'm using 2007. Prezi is not an option in most cases so I can't use that. Thanks.

Visualize 6 Pages in 1 Slide?

Apropos of Something — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 18:11:26 -0800

How do I visualize the content of six pages on one PowerPoint slide? Graphical palpability preferred. I'm giving my first academic conference talk in a month - it's on a lit review I wrote that includes a six page table, with detailed information about each of the articles reviewed. My advisor thinks I should briefly demonstrate in the presentation that the table exists - though, obviously, I can't talk through all its content. (Audience members will be able to pick up the full paper to read it).

I can't think of a good way to create a visual of these six pages. The visual should show enough detail to indicate that there are six pages, and that they're full of content, but doesn't need to be more detailed than that. How should I show this? Recommendations on both programs and techniques taken.

Mac Powerpoint Weirdness. Help!

kbanas — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:00:30 -0800

Weird snowflake Mac OS X font issue. I've already tried all the usual suspects - deleting duplicate fonts from Font Book, etc, etc. But this one has me stumped. So, I had a professor come down to my office yesterday and show me some slides in Powerpoint that looks like this.

The problem is the strange block characters that look like a sort of bizzarro W. This is supposed to be the tau symbol - you know, the kind of cursive t. I have no idea when or where these slides were created.

Anyway, this is 10.6.8, with Powerpoint 2011 (fully updated).

He also brought down a graduate student who has a MacBook Air with 10.7 with Powerpoint 2011 (fully updated), and the slides display properly - the tau symbol is the tau symbol.

Some interesting things -

A. if I take the presentation and ferry it over to my Windows machine, it displays fine. If I then save it on my Windows machine with the option to EMBED FONTS and ferry it back over to the Mac, it still shows up incorrectly.

B. If, on the problem Mac, I copy that goofy character and paste it into Microsoft Word, it shows up properly.

C. I have updated the machine in question to 10.7.5 (upgrade installation) and removed Office 2011 and reinstalled it and the issue persists.

D. I sent the presentation on to another user who has a Mac running 10.8 with Office 2011, and it's fine.

E. I sent the presentation on to another user who has Mac running 10.6.8 with Office 2011, and it's broken.

My Google-Fu is failing me. Any ideas?

I guess I could just find & replace with the whole presentation, but.. it's not just a presentation - it's a whole series of presentations - and honestly I'm not sure how feasible that is. I'd like to understand the root cause.

How to make PowerPoint presentations 508c compliant.

polywomp — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:09:44 -0800

Making PowerPoint presentations 508c compliant, specifically complicated charts? I have been given a project to research and implement 508c compliance on some powerpoint files. Using the built in checker I was able to eliminate errors, but we are trying specifically to adhere to this checklist (though we are not HHS).

The problem is that I did not create these powerpoints and there are a number of very complicated charts and graphics (like, flowcharts/organizational hierarchies). I am not sure I am getting this checklist since 1.7 asks if there are graphical elements including text, as a possible fail, yet section 2 deals with graphics.

Am I going to have to re-create all of these charts as text, or is alt-text explanations enough? If I do need to re-create everything, how do you make graphical flowcharts 508c compliant in a visually focused tool like powerpoint?

Need to finally become an Excel/Powerpoint ninja. But how?

foxy_hedgehog — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 13:39:10 -0800

I finally need to break down and school myself on Excel and Powerpoint. What's the best way to master them in the Bay Area? There are a million programs out there that offer courses in Excel and Powerpoint. I'm looking for any recommendations you might have that can help me narrow down the field, or suggestions for creative alternatives such as online courses or sites with tips. I'm in the East Bay but can travel to SF. Thanks!

List of Top Best Tips for the Making of Making a Point

humannaire — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 19:58:08 -0800

What's your favorite list of Powerpoint/Keynote/presentation do's and don'ts? Over the years I have seen plenty online lists about how to (and not to) give presentations, Powerpoint and othewise. Now I am looking to review some of them before making an important presentation in Houston this month.

I am looking for favorite Powerpoint, Keynote, and just general tips for giving presentation in the form of lists.

PS Just to let you know where I am coming from, I am a big fan of 15 Minutes Including Q & A by Joey Asher, and The Exceptional Presenter by Timothy Koegel.

Powerpoint tabs like they used to be

notned — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:31:01 -0800

Powerpoint Windows 7 -- I'd like the slide show to be a separate tab on the task bar the way that it used to be in xp.

PowerPoint communication failure...

Ollie — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:47:41 -0800

I have PowerPoint X for Mac. I'm trying to send a bunch of presentations to someone with a PC, and the photos aren't showing up because they're too big. She was able to open them on another Mac in her office, and instructed me to save them with a "pptx" extension. For some reason this isn't an option. Any ideas? That's about it. I did a bunch of PowerPoints for a freelance job and took them in on a jump drive. They'll open on her PC, and the text is there, but the pics don't show--they say something like "you need Quicktime and a decompressor" to see the photos.

Another person with a Mac in her office was able to open one, save it with a pptx extension, and email it to her. She instructed me to do that, but when I go to "save as," the pptx extension isn't an option.

Any ideas on how I can get these PPs to her? The person with the Mac is too busy to help.

How to get complementary colors in powerpoint?

Farce_First — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 17:36:56 -0800

Powerpoint Chart Colors Question: can someone tell me how to calculate the R/G/Y values for similar colors? Using Powerpoint 2007 on a Windows machine. I have a stacked bar chart that all needs to be the same color (blue for example). How do I select 4-5 shades of blue that are complementary yet distinct from each other? I am hoping there is some magic way to use the R/G/Y values to generate several different shades.

Note that ultimately I want to create 4-5 "standard" sets of colors: If you need to use red and blue, here are the 4-5 shades of blue to use and here are the 4-5 shades of red to use. These will become the standard for the (new) company I work for. Thoughts? Need clarification? I don't want to buy a template or a set of templates when all I need are 4-5 shades for a handful of colors.

Sharing good PowerPoint slides within a company

shotgunbooty — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 08:41:32 -0800

Please help me set up something like a shared shoebox for keeping useful PowerPoints slides, ideas for visual representations, graphics, etc. At work we spend a lot of time fussing with PowerPoint, especially putting together proposals and reports. A lot of the time we are duplicating efforts. We often discover that, after spending an hour on a slide, that someone else has created a similar slide for another deck and we would have saved ourselves a lot of time and effort if we didn't have to start from scratch.

My initial idea was to setup a dropbox folder. We also use Google apps (drive/docs) and Basecamp to share files. But the details are getting in the way here. One is, how to catalog the files? Tags? Categories? Descriptions? How to know what you're looking for in someone else's deck? How to motivate (incentivize?) people to regularly update the shoebox with useful slides and properly label/tag/categorize them?

All of these questions lead to one: Has anyone done this before? If you are doing it, how is your shoebox set up?

Looking for examples, workarounds, etc. Are there any out-of-box purpose-built solutions that I'm missing? While this is going to be a shared resource, if you have something you use just for yourself, I'd be interested in learning about it as well.

Thanks!

Powerpoint, but only for five minutes, for better or worse.

Toekneesan — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 15:08:35 -0800

Have you ever seen an Ignite presentation? What do you like and/or dislike about them? I've been asked to give one about bookstores. I'm going to talk about this bookstore model. Any advice?

Prezi and its possible relatives?

Iosephus — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:44:21 -0800

To Prezi or not to Prezi, and a general question about such things. Prezi meaning the online (mostly) editor for presentations with this zoomy, storyliney way of doing it. Have you used and does it work? I have this fear that all that animation is going to get people very lost very fast unless I turn very clever about presentations all of a sudden (not my strong point). If it worked well for you, is it worth paying up for the offline editor suscription? Are other similar tools around, or packages to add onto LaTex/Excel/whatever with the same ideas for presentation building? Personal anecdata from users of Prezi and Prezi-like things will be read with much interest, particularly those of you in educational settings.

Hoe to improve technical writing and presentation skills as an ESL student?

ADent — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:22:58 -0800

Can you recommend any free/low-cost but reliable online courses/videos/books on technical writing and/or creating decent power point presentations? Also, how do you achieve an academic standard of English when it's not your first language? My husband is an Engineering student, and is also a complete novice when it comes to technical writing and creating Power Point presentations. He wants to use his summer vacations to wildly improve his skills in both.

YouTube videos, online classes, anything that is trustworthy would do.

*Bonus: we are both non-native English speakers, so any resources on acquiring respectable, academia-worthy vocab and grammar skills would also be welcome.

Thanks!

Powerpoint's acting like Photoshop

chrisinseoul — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:56:24 -0800

Why does Powerpoint display the negative of a picture or otherwise mess up the colors? The question is hopefully short and simple: why does Powerpoint display the negative of a picture or otherwise mess up the colors? In some cases the pictures are an exact negative; in others they have an odd tint, as though one of the three primary colors is drained.

I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate with PowerPoint 2002, and the pictures in question display perfectly in Picasa, Paint, etc. I've tried the XP Compatibility mode (no effect), and am unsure what else to try.

Asking for help gave an error about the Microsoft Agent, and a hotfix was found and installed. Still no effect - I'm either missing something silly, or there's something odd going on...

What's the deal with pecha kucha?

digitalprimate — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:44:27 -0800

I'm curious about Pecha Kucha. Can one use it in business (not just in design-y businesses)? What are some stellar examples? What's the best software to use? Or is this just all for fun? The presentations I've found at Pecha Kucha's seemingly official home were less than inspiring. There was this FPP and this askme, but neither of them had legs. Googling it gives a very bad signal to noise ratio.

PowerPoint elegance for absolute beginners

escabeche — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 18:58:26 -0800

I have given hundreds of lectures to audiences of all sizes and compositions, but I have never given a PowerPoint lecture. Help a complete novice do a great job the first time. I've been invited to give a big public university lecture to a general (non-technical) audience. Great! I have plenty to say. But here's the thing. In my field (mathematics) we give talks by going up to the blackboard, writing on the blackboard, and talking. For this lecture, I'm expected to project slides on the screen while I talk. What are the absolutely basic presentation dos and donts for a non-technical lecture to a university audience on a scientific topic? (I am not committed to PowerPoint, so "you should be using application XXXX, you fool!" is also an OK answer.)