Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a graphics program that allows you to create professional slide presentations. The UWC is currently running PowerPoint 2000, which can open files created in any previous version and many of those created by competing programs. PowerPoint furnishes you with many interesting design templates that you can use as backgrounds for your slides, as well as several clipart images to enhance your presentation. You can either create an onscreen slide show, or print out the individual slides to use as handouts for your presentation.

PowerPoint Commands

PowerPoint Menu

When you open up PowerPoint 2000, the top of the screen will typically show the main menu with toolbar icons similar to the view shown in Figure 4.7. Although the toolbars do provide quick shortcuts to select main menu commands, the full complement of PowerPoint functions appears only in the main menu drop-down lists.

Figure 4.7 Typical PowerPoint Menu View with Standard & Formatting Toolbars

PowerPoint Toolbars

PowerPoint toolbars allow you to perform standard operations quickly by simply clicking on an icon. PowerPoint 2000 contains many different toolbars with functions ranging from font formatting to picture insertion and table creation.

To change this view, simply click on the View command in the main menu and select the toolbar(s) you wish to see from the drop-down list. To add a new icon to a toolbar, right-click anywhere along the toolbar area and select Customize. You can select menu commands from a list and drag them using your mouse to the area along the tool bar where you would like the new icon(s) to appear.

Pictures of the toolbar icons appear next to the explanations for their functions in the sections that follow. For a quick reference guide to commonly used toolbar icons, see the

Microsoft PowerPoint Buttons & Definitions Table 4.10 at the end of this section.

Opening an Existing Presentation

When you first open PowerPoint 2000, a screen will display that asks whether you wish to create a new presentation or open an existing presentation. The content and design wizards are also available when you open the program to help you create a presentation tailored to your needs. Figure 4.8 shows the choices necessary to open an existing presentation; you will learn how to create a new content format or design style in the next section.

Figure 4.8 PowerPoint 2000 Open Presentation Dialog Box

To open an existing presentation,

1. Select the Open an existing presentation radio button.

Select the presentation you wish to open from the scrollable list.

Click the OK button.

To save the file after making changes, simply click File, then Save from the main menu. PowerPoint files have a .ppt extension.

Creating a New Presentation

You may create a new presentation when you first open PowerPoint, or you may select File and New from the main menu at any time. In either case, you will be able to choose from the AutoContent Wizard, the Design Template, or a Blank Presentation.

Creating Blank Presentations

To create a new presentation without using any design templates or content auto-formats, select Blank presentation, then click OK. PowerPoint will now present a blank slide with a slide type selector window as shown in Figure 4.9.

Figure 4.9 PowerPoint New Slide Selection Window

To create a new slide:

1. Select the appropriate layout for your presentation from the Choose an AutoLayout
scrollable window.

Click OK.

Place text, lists, charts, pictures, and other elements to the correct portion of the formatted slide.

To add another slide, click New Slide from the Insert menu.

Be sure to save your new presentation using the Save As command from the File menu.

Applying Design Templates to Your Presentation

Whether you choose Design Template from the Create New Presentation dialog box or File New from the PowerPoint main menu, you will be able to view a window that shows a preview of the design templates available for your slide presentation. Figure 4.10 shows an example of the design template Lock and Key.

Figure 4.10 PowerPoint Design Template Selection Window (new presentation)

To apply a design to your existing presentation:

1. With your presentation already open, select Apply Design from the Common Tasks menu.

Scroll through the list of design presentations listed on the left in the Apply Design window.

Click on different designs and a preview of that design appears in the preview screen.

Select the design you want for your presentation and click the Apply button.

This design will be now applied to all of your slides. Once you have finished creating your slides, you may scroll through your presentation by using the Page Up and Page Down keys on your keyboard. You can rearrange the order of your slides by selecting Slide Sorter from the View menu, or you can view the full screen presentation by selecting Slide Show.

Inserting a Slide

If you need to add a slide somewhere between the first and last slide:

1. Click on New Slide on the Common Tasks menu.

Select the layout for the new slide.

Type the title and text for the new slide.

Click on View in the main menu.

Select Slide Sorter.

The slide you just created is displayed as the last slide.

Moving a Slide

Moving slides is easy in Slide Sorter view:

1. Left-click on the slide you want to move.

Hold the mouse button down and drag the slide to its new location.

Deleting a Slide

Slides are easiest to delete when you are in Normal view:

1. In the Outline portion of the screen, select the number of the slide you wish to delete.

2. Select Edit on the main menu.

Select Delete Slide.

You can also delete a slide in the Slide Sorter view by selecting it, and hitting the Delete key on your keyboard.

Working with Your Presentation

You can now either print your presentation, or conduct an on-screen presentation of your slide show. A Normal view of a completed presentation is shown in Figure 4.11. Note that PowerPoint 2000 allows you to create a presentation based on an outline, as well as to add notes attached to each slide to help you through your slide show. Each outline level is expandable and based on individual slides, and the notes are printable.

Figure 4.11 Normal View of a Completed PowerPoint Slide Show Presentation

Saving a PowerPoint Presentation

You can save your file by choosing Save from the File menu. A dialog box will open entitled Save. Choose the appropriate location to save your presentation, such as a diskette, and type the name of the file in the File name dialog box. Click the Save button. Once you have named your presentation, you can save it over and over again by simply clicking on the Save icon in the toolbar.

Printing a Presentation

To print your presentation, simply click on the Print icon.

To print only selected slides:

1. Click on File.

Select Print.

Click on Current slide to print only the slide you are currently in, OR

Click on Slides and type in the page numbers you want to print (e.g., 3-5).

Click OK.

In the Print window, you can also select the number of copies you wish to print.

Presenting a Slide Show

You can conduct a demonstration of a slide show on your computer screen. Simply click on Slide Show in the main menu, and select View Show. Each slide, beginning with the first, displays and occupies the full area of your screen. Use the Page Up and Page Down keys on your keyboard to move back and forth through your presentation. When you hit the Page Down key at the end of the slide show, your screen will automatically return to the file view.