If you are anything like me, you design PowerPoint presentations using guides. Guides help you place items (text, pictures, etc.) on each slide with much greater precision. They also help keep placement consistent from slide to slide within the presentation.
You want to design using guides in PowerPoint 2007? Here is what you have to do:
2. Click on Arrange
3. Hover over Align
4. Click on Grid Settings
5. Under Guide Settings,
click on Display drawing
6. Click OK. (See graphic).
Because I use Guides regularly when I design, I also selected "Set as Default". That way, I do not have to go through this elaborate exercise every time I want to create a new presentation.
Old-timer's rant alert: Before PowerPoint 2007, this used to be a one-step process (Ctrl+G). And if I forgot about the simple one-step Ctrl+G approach, I could always revert to the PowerPoint 2003 three-step Guide process of clicking on "View", and select "Grids and Guides..." then check"Display drawing guides onscreen".
Six+ hard-to-find steps to replace one simple one or three. That's not exactly a productivity boost.
Worse, if you want help with finding how to activate PowerPoint guides using the help button, here is a screenshot of what you get:
That's right. Pick from a grand total of 74 frustrating options -- most of which have little to do with activating PowerPoint Guides from within PowerPoint!
I eventually found out how to activate the guides by clicking on the first option titled Interactive: PowerPoint 2003 to PowerPoint 2007 command reference guide. This option assumed that I had previous knowledge of PowerPoint 2003 (I do) and a fast internet connection (I do). So, I got a little bit lucky there.
Still, it took about 20 seconds for a slow-to-load online presentation to come on screen and give me only partial instructions about where to find the command I needed. (I was able to piece together the full instructions myself. I hope sharing more complete instructions at this post can help someone else out!)
If you think upgrading to Office 2007 is going to make you instantly more productive, think again. Back in July 2006, I wrote that I do not mind falling into the "trough of despair" part of the learning curve if I feel confident that my long-term productivity will improve.
I have been working rather steadily with PowerPoint 2007 this week, building online presentations for clients. So far, my annoyances with the ribbon have been minor. I will hang in there -- and soon, I will quit sounding like an old cranky pants that cannot tolerate change!
Labels: PowerPoint Tricks
¶ 3/08/2007 11:48:00 AM
