PowerPoint - Understanding the Basic Screen
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If you have used Microsoft Word or Excel this screen will probably look familiar to you. There are some things that are standard throughout Microsoft Office and Windows. This document gives a brief overview of the basic PowerPoint screen. To move to a lower portion of the page click on the link located to the left of this text. |
| The title bar is at the top of the screen and displays the application name and the filename of the presentation. When you first open PowerPoint the filename will be Presentation 1. After you save your presentation the title bar will amend itself to reflect the change. On the right of the title bar are minimize, maximize/restore button and the close button, respectively. |
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| Underneath the title bar is the menu bar. The menu Bar gives you access to various commands throughout PowerPoint. When you click on a menu a drop down list will appear showing you icons and keyboard shortcuts for various commands. | |
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| NOTE: Please note that the menu bars can change depending on the feature with which you are working. | |
| Just below the menu bar are the two standard toolbars; standard and formatting. |
| The Standard toolbar allows access to commands such as new, open, save, print, spell check, cut, copy, and paste. |
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| The Formatting toolbar allows access to commands such as font type, font size, bold, italics and alignment. Also of note on the formatting toolbar is the "New Slide" button. |
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| These two panes let you view your presentation in an outline format and as thumbnail (miniature) images. You can switch between the views by clicking on the tabs with out affecting your presentation. | |
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Outline
View-The outline view displays your presentation in an outline
format. You can move the slides or just the text in the slides
by dragging and dropping them. |
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| Slide View-The slide view displays your presentation as thumbnail images. You can move the slides to different positions by dragging and dropping them. If you have many slides you can scroll down to see them all. |
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| The presentation window is the area where slide layouts appear. |
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| The task pane appears on the right hand side of the screen. This pane allows you to access commands for a specific task without having to use the menus or toolbars. | |
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Task Pane-The task pane displays the appropriate pane for the feature that you are working with. To choose a different pane:
To close the pane:
To open the pane:
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| The notes pane can be used to create notes to accompany a presentation. You can either print these notes for yourself to use during the presentation or to hand out to the audience. | |
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| The drawing toolbar enables you to draw and/or insert various objects on the slides in a presentation. You can draw lines, shapes, arrows, circles, text boxes, insert clipart, pictures, and diagrams. |
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| The status bar displays which slide you are currently viewing, which design you are using for the presentation, and the spell check icon. |
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