Two Quick PowerPoint Tips
~~Kathryn Jacobs, PowerPointAnswers

Tip 1: OLE Links vs. Servers

OLE links and OLE servers are a common cause of confusion for PowerPoint users. Both are ways to get information into your presentation that is developed elsewhere, but they cause drastically different results to your presentation.

OLE Links

You should use OLE links to link to the output of another program. If you wanted to include an existing Word file, but still wanted to be able to edit that file in Word, you would use an OLE link to get the file. To do this, you would use the Insert->Object menu option and select "From File". Then, you would be able to browse to the file on your hard drive and link to it.

There is a potential problem with linking to a file. Since PowerPoint uses absolute addresses when linking files, distribution of the presentation gets a little tricky. If you are going to share the presentation, you should be sure to place the file to be linked in the same folder as your presentation and then link to it.

OLE Servers

OLE servers should be used when you need to create a file during your presentation from another application. In this case, you are imbedding a whole copy of another application (or at least the information needed to set it up) into your presentation. If the other application is an Office application (such as Word), the overhead isn't that much. However, if the application is not an Office application, you will be adding a lot to your file size. You won't have the problems related to finding the file that you do when you link, but your presentation is much more likely to bloat and corrupt.

A real life example

This issue was brought to my attention via a presentation that was bloated and corrupted for no known reason. One of the people working on the presentation asked me to help diagnosis what was going on. When we looked at the "Properties" for the presentation, we noticed that there were entries for both types of OLE objects. In this user's case, instead of insert clip art from the Gallery, the actual Gallery had been imbedded multiple times. When the gallery objects were removed and replaced with the clip art desired, the presentation size shrunk back to expected size.

I am not suggesting never use OLE Servers. There are very logical places for them, especially if your presentation is designed to train users on a specific application. I am suggesting that you decide ahead of time whether you need the application or the file and work from there.

Tip 2: Sounds

The other issue that has been on the boards lately is adding sounds to your presentation. There are a few basic rules to keep in mind when using sounds in PowerPoint:

• All sound files are linked unless they are WAV files
• WAV files are only imbedded up to the size defined on the Tools->Option window
• The default maximum size for imbedding WAV files is 10,000K
• The actual maximum size for imbedding WAV files is 50,000K
• You cannot fade, edit, or merge sounds natively in PowerPoint
• If you are using sound files other than WAVs, put them in your presentation directory, then insert them

All is not lost on the sound front. Chirag Dalal has developed an addin to allow you to change the volume of your sounds while your presentation is running. Check out the Volume Control add-in at his site. (By the way, Chirag is one of the new Microsoft MVP's for PowerPoint. )

Join me at PPTLive!

Looking to get some great PowerPoint training and information at a very reasonable price? Join me at the first PPTLive in Tucson, AZ from October 12 to October 15, 2003 at the Radisson. This reasonably priced conference will provide exactly the answers you are looking for!

Who is putting the conference on?

PPTLive is being organized by R Altman Digital Productions. While this is the first PowerPoint conference they have done, they are not new to the conference business. The Altman crew has been putting on CorelWorld every year since 1989. Assisting with the design and presentation of PPTLive are some of the biggest names in the PowerPoint on-line community:

• Rick Altman
• Cliff Atkinson
• Geetesh Bajaj
• Bill Blinn
• Sonia Coleman
• April Dalke
• Kathryn Jacobs
• Glen Miller
• Brian Riley
• Steve Rindsberg

How is the conference structured?

PPTLive is not just for the computer or PowerPoint guru. It starts Sunday with pre-conference sessions on basic topics. These sessions are introductions to PowerPoint, digital photography, animation, and images. Each of these sessions costs US$95.

During the remainder of the conference, information will be presented in sessions divided into three tracks: The Tool Shed, The Studio, and The Corner Pub. What kind of information will be presented in each of these tracks? Let's check out what the PPTLive site has to say:

• The Tool Shed: Tips, tricks, techniques, and strategies to help you better understand PowerPoint and become more proficient and effective with it.
• The Studio: The softer side of presenting: Incorporating photos, using graphics, employing tasteful effects, perfecting your message.
• The Corner Pub: Less formal presentations: Lots of Q&A sessions, round-table discussions, and workshops on specialized topics.

The formal sessions presented during the conference will be done presentation style to groups of participants. Have no fear: There is still a large hands-on segment to the conference. Each day from 9:30 a.m. to the end of the conference day, there is a full staff of experts standing by in the Help Center ready to answer any question you have. There will be computers available for your use and personnel ready to attack your problems and help you figure out solutions.

What can I learn about?

Conference sessions cover a wide variety of PowerPoint related topics. The majority of the sessions are designed to help you improve what you do in PowerPoint, how things look when you do them, and how to wow your viewers. There will be sessions on graphics, automation of presentations, building and using macros, existing PowerPoint tools, expert tips, templates, PowerPoint 2003, and presentation makeovers. If that isn't enough, there will be roundtables on finding help, Section 508 (accessibility of presentations), and PowerPoint gotchas.

Is the conference all work?

In addition to the work and learning, PPTLive participants will have plenty of time for fun and games. For example, there is a trivia contest Tuesday after the sessions which is guaranteed to get your funny bone acting up. If that isn't enough fun, that same evening PowerPointAnswers will be hosting a cookout with food provided by the folks at OutdoorCook.com. (Yeah, you read that right, yours truly has been convinced to cook a meal for those participants who RSVP. Food should be great, company even better!)

Add to this the Prize Train which will make regular stops throughout the conference, free lunches on Monday and Tuesday, and an opening reception Sunday night, and you come up with one great conference plan!

So.. What's it cost?

The conference itself costs US$750 for those who register before July 1st, US$795 for those who register after that. Hotel rooms at facility are available for US$124 while rooms are available. You will need to provide your own dinner Sunday and Monday nights, as well as lunch on Wednesday. All other breakfasts and lunches are included.

Hope to see you all there!...

back to contents

Kathryn Jacobs, Microsoft MVP, PowerPoint and OneNote
Get PowerPoint answers at http://www.powerpointanswers.com

Get OneNote answers at http://www.onenoteanswers.com/

Cook anything outdoors with http://www.outdoorcook.com

Kathy is a trainer, writer, Girl Scout, parent, and whatever else there is time for.

I believe life is meant to be lived. But, if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived.