LEARNING MICROSOFT POWERPOINT 2000
Copyright CIT, 1999-2000. All rights reserved.

Chapter 3. Adding Objects/1.

About Objects
Whenever you insert text, a shape, a graphic, a chart etc, to a slide, PowerPoint refers to it as an object. For example the title you just inserted is an object. You are able to change an object in most ways you can think of. For example you can:

• move it
• delete it
• rotate it
• flip it
• fill it with colour
• add text or graphics to it
• change its line colour
• lengthen or widen it

Inserting a Shape Object
You are now going to insert a 'explosion' shape which you will fill with colour and add text to.

Step 3.1 Click on the 'auto shapes' button in the drawing toolbar.

Figure 2.9.

If you leave the mouse cursor resting over the Autoshapes button, a full menu of options will appear after a few seconds. At first, PowerPoint will only display a limited number of options, but if you wait a little longer, it realises that you want additional options and so displays the full menu.

An Auto Shapes menu now displays a range of shapes you can choose from.

Figure 2.10.

Step 3.2 Select the 'Stars and Banners' option

Figure 2.11.

Step 3.3 Click on an explosion button (there are 2 available, either will do)

Step 3.4 Position the pointer (now a 'crosshair' or + shape) where you want the top left corner of the shape to be - somewhere to the right of the text.

Figure 2.12.

Step 3.5 Click and drag the mouse across to set the width, and down to set the length. You will see the shape outline appear as you do this. Release the mouse button when the shape is the approximate size you want.

Figure 2.13.

Your slide will now look similar to that in figure 3.1. Your shape may be a different size, colour or in a different place - it doesn't matter at this stage.

Figure 3.1.