Impress - Open Office 3.30

Hi People

Last time we started work on the title slide for our slideshow.  So load it up (or create it as per the last post)

 It looks pretty basic at the moment so look at the picture below and we will work to producing this.

Firstly, choose another background, which is easily and quickly done, by looking to the right side column, under 'Tasks \ Master Pages'.  Look at the 'Available for Use' section (if you only see the grey bar with a '+' then left click on the '+' to expand the section - note the '+' turns to a '-').  Now click on the background you want to use.

Now lets add a picture, to do this, we will be using the 3 shape icon on the bottom toolbar (see picture below)

The bottom toolbar - below the main slide window

Here you can see the 3 shape icon (second from the left)

Click on the 3 shape icon and locate a suitable picture (perhaps one you have created or one from the internet - free of charge and royalties images only).  Select the image and then click the 'Open' button and wait a few seconds.  

The picture will arrive but not in the position you want to place it, see  the picture below

The picture was deliver in the centre of the slide, note the green  'handles' for re-sizing the picture

Place the mouse cursor in the picture and it will change to a cross with arrow tips.  Hold down the left mouse button and now you can move the picture to wherever you want to put it on the slide.  Use the green handles to resize the picture.  Play with this and get use to it as these handles appear on most containers to allow re-sizing.

Use the corner handles to reduce both height and width together, the mid line handles just re-size the sides, top or bottom (depending on which handle you use - use top for top etc). 

 To use the handles place the mouse cursor on the handle of choice (the cursor changes to a black outlined, white double headed arrow), and HOLD down the left mouse button, now move the mouse to resize the picture and let go of the button when you have got the width, height or width & height you want.

I have added a balloon callout to this slide

Ok from the picture above you can see I have added a balloon callout

 Callout from the bottom toolbar (4th icon in from the left)

Click on the black arrow tip to the right of the balloon (callout) icon and select (by left clicking on the shape you want).  The mouse cursor will now turn to a black cross when on the slide.  Position the cursor where you would like to put the callout  and HOLD down the left mouse button. Now move the mouse (while holding down the left mouse button) and the callout will form under the cursor as you move.  Note the callout has the green handles for resizing and a yellow handle which directs the length and direction of the callout source.

Click inside the callout and add the text you want to display.

Play with this and we will look at slide two and transitions next time

Thank You for stopping by Prometheus1618

Using Impress

Hi People

In the last post, we looked at the basics of starting an Impress presentation.  You may remember that, the Impress module of OpenOffice.org is the equivalent of Microsoft's PowerPoint.

In this post we will be creating a slideshow.  I am going to make this slideshow, purely for tutorial purposes.

The slideshow will be about computers and their parts and will be using pictures from various sources, just for illustration purposes.

The background is from an OpenOffice.org extension package called 'Modern-Templates.oxt' and is available here.

There are a few others contained in the extension for Impress.  To use it, just double left click the file and (assuming you have OpenOffice.org installed) it will install itself and show you a list of all the extensions you  have installed in OpenOffice.org.  To view the templates, you need to open Impress and look at the new templates individually.

OK open impress and go with the setttings as described in the last post.

The Presentation Screen with a single slide.  Note the Slide List on the left of the main work area and the Tasks area on
the right of the main work area

From the above picture of the presentation work area, you can see the menu and toolbars at the tops, the Slide list on the left, main work area,  and the Tasks area.  Below the Slides and Main area are the tool selection bar.

Note also the 5 tabs above the main area window (Normal, Outline, Notes, Handout and Slide Sorter)

Currently the Tasks area is showing the Layouts section.  Left click on the the other options

• Master Pages
• Table Design
• Custom Animation
• Slide Transition

The tool selection bar has a selection of options for creating your individual slides from scratch (or adding a little to existing slide layouts), for example various lines, shapes, connectors, symbols etc. and the ability to arrange them on the slide, by rotation, alignment etc.

Save your basic slideshow presentation as slidetest and we will continue in the next post

OK That's enough for now and we'll delve deeper next time

Thank You for stopping by

Prometheus1618

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