Making a non-linear slide show

Everyone has sat through the blah-blah-blah of a PowerPoint slide show Everyone has sat through the blah-blah-blah of a PowerPoint slide show. Slide 1 – click – slide 2, etc. The purpose of a non-linear show is to allow the user to choose what path to take based on information needed. This example I have created will guide you in using the tools most often used for this type of slide show. And notice that though you could click to go from the title slide to this slide, once you get to the table of contents, you cannot “click through” the slide show. I have disabled that option. Which is what you should do for your slide show.

Table of Contents Click on the button to take you to information on that tool. Action Buttons Action Settings Hyperlinks

Action Buttons Action buttons are used to allow the user to move to a particular slide. Just as you clicked on the button on the previous slide to take you here. To insert an action button, 2003 - click on Slide Show on the menu and choose Action Buttons. 2007 – Insert – Shapes – Action Buttons. From the fly out, pick a button that meets you needs. Once the button is chosen, you will notice that your mouse arrow has changed to a plus sign (+). Click and drag your mouse diagonally to draw in the button. Don’t worry about the size – you can resize it when you are done. Once drawn, a window will popup allowing you to choose where this button will take the user. From the Hyperlink to dropdown menu, choose Slide. A list of your slides will be shown, so pick the slide to which you want to link. The button below has been linked to the table of contents. Click the button to return to the table of contents.

Action Settings Action settings work similarly to action buttons. They allow for the user to go to a particular slide also. But you have greater flexibility in choosing what to use for the link. You saw how many action button choices you had – not many. With action settings, you can use text, graphics, or symbols to link to a slide. Once you have inserted the graphic or symbol you want to use, right click on it and choose Action Settings. From here just follow the same directions you did with using action buttons. For 2007, right click on the graphic or shape and choose Hyperlink. To the left, find Place in This Document and choose the slide to which you wish to link. Click the arrow to return to the table of contents.

Hyperlinks Using hyperlinks in a slide show gives the user the opportunity to go to a website, open a file, or even link to another slide show by clicking on text, a graphic, symbol, etc. First type in the text or insert the graphic. Now go to the website you to which you want to link. Right click in the Address box at the top. With the text highlighted, choose Copy. Now go back to your slide show and highlight your text, graphic, or shape you are using. Right click and choose Hyperlink. Click in the Type the file or Web page name box (2007, click in Address box). While holding down the control key (Ctrl) press “V”. This will paste the URL into the box. Now click OK. The link will only work when viewing the show. Tutorial on Non-Linear Slide Shows Click the arrow to return to the table of contents.