Resource/Misc

When Troubleshooting, What is Your Combination?

When PowerPoint does something unexpected and unexplained, the desire to toss the computer out the window increases (a lot!). But there are lots of online resources to find solutions (here at ThePowerPointBlog, forums, and searching google or bing).

But now there are more variables with multiple OS’s, version of PPT, etc. So what is your combination?
– Windows XP – 32 bit, PPT 2007
– Windows Vista – 64 bit, PPT 2003
– Windows 7 – 64 bit, PPT 2010 64
– Etc.

Finding files in Windows 7 can be different than XP. Add-ins that work in Windows 7 32-bit may not work in Windows 7 64-bit. And the list goes on.

As a best practice, I recommend at a minimum listing:
1. What Operating System (OS)
2. If your OS is 32-bit or 64-bit
3. What version of PowerPoint (or what versions if you have multiple installed on same computer)
4. If PowerPoint 2010, is it 32-bit or 64-bit

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T11:24:49-07:00June 25th, 2010|Resource/Misc, Tutorial|

The Magic of the Background Removal Tool

With Office 2010 now in full release this is one of those great new features that is difficult to explain, but a great asset to the new features of PowerPoint 2010 and several other Office applications. Back in the November Top 15 PPT 2010 features I listed the new Background Removal tool as #11. Tucker Hatfield is the Microsoft Program Manager I was quoting when I said it worked with “magic coding” – his words, not mine.

Around the same time, Tucker had a detailed post on the Microsoft Office 2010 Engineering blog (I know we all read it daily) about the Background Removal Tool. It is worth revisiting to grasp what this tool is capable of. The next few posts here will be examples and tips of my use of the Background Removal Tool.

View Tucker’s full post on the Microsoft Blog here.

Tucker also did a follow post on MS Engineering Blog here that went into more detail and a pretty cool example of the Background Removal tool in action.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T11:26:01-07:00June 19th, 2010|Resource/Misc, Software/Add-Ins|

Office 2010 Available – In 5 Versions

Office 2010 is officially available to all, and I highly recommend upgrading. Microsoft has released Office 2010 in 6 versions/bundles. The good news is PowerPoint is in all versions!

Pricing ranges from $150 to $680. Microsoft has a free upgrade from Office 2007 promotion going and I have seen deals as low as $60 using the promo!

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T11:27:06-07:00June 15th, 2010|Resource/Misc|

Move Your Custom QAT To Any PPT 2010 Machine

In PPT 2007 the QAT (Quick Access Toolbar) was the only customization option for the ribbon. In PPT 2010 the ability to customize the ribbons has been added, but the QAT is still the best resource for having always needed tools always available.

Here is my QAT, which I detailed in this post.

PPT 2010 adds a new feature to the QAT setup. Here is the QAT dialog in the Options area.

In the lower right is a new Import/Export option.

If you have customized your QAT, use the Export option to save a data file with all of your customization options. This can be used to setup your QAT on another computer or if something happens to your current computer you can quickly get your familiar work enviroment back.

If you have a QAT data file, click ‘Import Customization File’ and go find the data file.

You will see a warning dialog that existing toolbar setup will be overwritten – say ‘Yes’ to install the new QAT.

Now the QAT column will show all of the tools/buttons added (compare to first dialog image above that showed default 4 tools).

Last, if you would like to setup your QAT with the tools I have, my QAT toolbar data file can be downloaded here (850K).

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T11:35:30-07:00May 18th, 2010|Resource/Misc, Tutorial|

Office 2010 Officially Launched (to large corporate clients)

Last week Microsoft officially rolled out Office 2010 (and SharePoint 2010) is in big staged event. Don’t get to excited, it is the official launch/release to large corporate clients not the general public. Next month in June it will be available to everyone. I have been running Office 2010 for several months (one of the perks of being a Microsoft MVP) and HIGHLY recomend new verion over any previous version – it is really that good.

There is a good article at BetaNews about the launch event. Microsoft as a whole has changed a lot of its development focus and marketing strategies. Earlier this year at the MVP Summit hosted at Microsoft in Redmond, WA they had several MVPs (ie. not employees) demo Office 2010 and give their real-world use opinion of it (which was refreshing from scripted marketing speak by a spokesperson). It obviously was well received as Microsoft did the same thing at the official launch, letting real clients explain their reasons for moving to Office 2010.

(Office MVP Beth Melton on stage at the 2010 MVP Summit talking about PPT 2010)

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T11:35:56-07:00May 16th, 2010|Resource/Misc|

Defending PPT – Easy When This is the Sample Slide

Recent headlines quote Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who heads U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, criticizing PowerPoint presentations for creating “the illusion of understanding and the illusion of control. Some problems in the world are not bullet-izable.” When I looked a bit further I found this is the slide being referenced as not providing clear information.

hmmm…… I think action should be taken – and it has nothing to do with PowerPoint as an application, but against the company that decided this was worthy of being included in a presentation.

The offending “slide” was sourced from MSNBC. And I am confident it was not created in PPT, but by another application and imported as a graphic. Last, here is a really good webpage with a lot of people’s comments in defense of PPT. Among my favorites are:

This tool is highly misused and abused by presenters, secretaries and supposed PowerPoint ‘experts.’

It’s not the tool on the computer, it’s the tool AT the computer

I think a good strategy is to drop old PowerPoint slides from military briefings behind enemy lines. This should really confuse them…”

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T11:38:31-07:00April 30th, 2010|Resource/Misc|

Facebook and Office Files with Docs.com

Well it has happened. The first application I have seen that takes advantage of the new Microsoft Office 2010 Web Apps launched Wednesday. Docs.com lets you upload Office docs (PowerPoint, Word, Excel) either on your computer or using the MS Web Apps and then share them with your Facebook friends.

It was easy to start using. I opened Facebook and logged in. Then opened a new tab and went to docs.com and was automatically setup with the Facebook connector. It is a beta, so get on the waiting list.

And if you have not seen the MS Web Apps in action, just click on any of the available docs and it will open in the MS Web App. Here is one of the PowerPoint decks viewed in the MS Web App on Docs.com

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T11:46:19-07:00April 23rd, 2010|Resource/Misc|

Roll Call on Microsoft Office 2010 Blogs

If you are viewing this post, you may have some of these other blogs already bookmarked. Here is a list (aka ‘Roll Call’) of blogs by Microsoft teams:
Microsoft Access 2010 Team Blog
Microsoft Excel 2010 Team Blog
Microsoft Office 2010 Engineering
PowerPivot Team Blog
Microsoft Outlook 2010 Team blog
Microsoft PowerPoint Team Blog
Microsoft Word 2010 Team Blog
Office Web Apps
Microsoft Project Team Blog
Microsoft Publisher 2010 Team Blog
Microsoft SharePoint Team Blog
SharePoint Workspace Team Blog
SharePoint Designer Team Blog
SharePoint for End Users Blog
PerformancePoint Services
Microsoft Visio 2010 Team Blog
Microsoft InfoPath Team Blog
OneNote
The Office Blog

By |2016-08-16T11:49:44-07:00April 13th, 2010|Resource/Misc|
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