NUE 2003-2004

Participants

Curriculum Materials Support

Adding Rich Content to PowerPoint

Images: JPGs, GIFs, Animated GIFs
Flash: Shockwave Flash Object
Executables: Flash Player
Movies: PPT Compatible Formats (AVI)
QuickTime: Hyperlinking
Other: Switch from PPT to Windows Applications

Return to Participant Support Page

Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT) uses ActiveX Controls to playback other rich content media within a presentation.

Fragile Link Alert: The media included in or launched by PPT must be retained with the PPT file. URLs or paths to these media files may change if the presentation is moved to a different computer. Make sure full PowerPoint (not just the viewer) is installed so that the paths can be edited and tested before the presentation. Sometimes PPT will create a robust link that doesn't need to be updated, but don't count on it.

Testing: Always test playback of rich media on the computer that you are going to use for the presentation. If you plan to use a different computer, then add alternative formats for each media clip as fallbacks.

***** Images *****

Insert a picture into PPT. Pictures can be used as "buttons" to launch other media.

1. Insert > Picture > From File... SHOW ME
2. Select the image.

Animated GIFs play automatically during the presentation.

***** Flash *****

Add a Shockwave Flash Control to a Slide (SWF animations)

1. View > Toolbars > Control Toolbox SHOW ME
2. In the Control Toolbox, click More Controls. SHOW ME
3. Scroll down and choose Shockwave Flash Object. SHOW ME
4. Your cursor will turn to crosshairs. Draw the control on your slide: click and drag a box to the approximate size you want. SHOW ME
5. The Shockwave Flash Object ActiveX control now appears on the slide. SHOW ME

Note: If Shockwave Flash Object doesn't appear in the Control Toolbox, then install Flash plug-in to your computer. Test Flash playback within Internet Explorer by opening your SWF file with the browser.

Connect to the Shockwave Flash Animation File

1. Place the SWF in the folder that has the PPT presentation.
2. Right-click the inserted Shockwave Flash control and choose Properties. SHOW ME
3. The Properties dialog box will appear. SHOW ME
4. Click the Movie property. In the right-side Value column, type in the URL (path) to the SWF file. Example: C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\PPT\animation.swf
5. Type in the correct Height and Width dimensions in pixels to get the size and proportions right. The animation can be resized by grabbing and dragging the handles.
6. Make sure Playing is set to True.
7. The SWF file must stay with the PPT file. If the presentation is moved to another computer, the URL to the SWF should be updated.

Return to Top

***** Executables *****

Flash animation can be packaged into stand-alone Flash players, or executables (EXE).

• Double-click EXE to launch the Flash player in its own window.
• Windows operating system is required.
• Flash plug-in is not required.

Create a button which will launch Flash player when clicked. Start with a JPG (or GIF) screen captured image of the animation, or any image you want for a button.

1. Place the EXE in the folder that has the PPT presentation.
2. Insert the JPG image into a slide. This will become a clickable button.
3. Right-click the JPG and choose Action Settings... from the menu. SHOW ME
4. In the Mouse Click tab choose Run Program. SHOW ME
5. Browse to the EXE file.
6. The player is launched in its own window when the button is clicked during the presentation.
7. The EXE file must stay with the PPT file. If the presentation is moved to another computer, the URL to the EXE should be updated.

Return to Top

***** Movies *****

Certain types of video clips (movies) can be inserted directly into PPT.

1. Insert > Movies and Sounds > Movie from File SHOW ME
2. Compatible formats, such as AVI, will be shown for selection.
3. After selecting the movie, you will prompted as to whether the movie should play automatically or after clicking.

Return to Top

***** QuickTime *****

QuickTime video is not directly compatible with PPT. It can be launched as a hyperlink.

Test first by double-clicking the MOV file to make sure that QuickTime can be launched in the computer. If not, then install QuickTime player from the Apple website.

Create a button which will launch QuickTime player when clicked. Start with a JPG (or GIF) screen captured image of the video, or any image you want for a button. You can also hyperlink text.

1. Place the MOV in the folder that has the PPT presentation.
2. Insert the JPG image into a slide. This will become a clickable hyperlinked button.
3. Right-click the JPG image. Choose Hyperlink. SHOW ME
4. Browse for: File SHOW ME
5. Files of type: All Files (*.*) SHOW ME
6. Select the MOV file.
7. Clicking the button during the presentation will launch QuickTime in its own window.
8. The MOV file must stay with the PPT file. If the presentation is moved to another computer, the URL to the MOV should be updated.

Once the image or text is hyperlinked, then right-clicking on it again will display a new set of menu options appropriate for an existing hyperlink.

Return to Top

***** Other *****

Play any open Windows application by bringing it into the foreground during a PPT presentation.

1. Open the application or document that you will want to show during the presentation. Example: double-click a Flash stand-alone player executable before the presentation begins.
2. Open PPT and go into presentation mode.
3. Advance the presentation until you get to the point where you want to show the other application.
4. Press and hold the ALT key.
5. While holding the ALT key, press the TAB key once. The Windows taskbar will be displayed.
6. While holding the ALT key, press the TAB key to cycle through the open application icons.
7. Release the ALT key to select the icon.
8. The other application will appear in the foreground without interfering with the PPT display.
9. A Flash player window can be played fullscreen using this method.

Return to Top