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General discussion

Problems with Powerpoint Outline

Jun 18, 2009 2:29AM PDT

I'm running some surtitles for an opera using powerpoint and I'd like to print an outline view so that I can tell where I am during the performance.

Unfortunately, not all of the text I've put into the slides appears on the outline view. From what I can glean from the internet, PP outlines only display "the main text of a slide".

What is this and how do I convert the slides so that the text appears in the outline? I'm hoping for an answer that doesn't involve retyping 150 German-language surtitles.

I'm doing the all this work on a MacBook running Office 2007.

Discussion is locked

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Re: Powerpoint
Jun 18, 2009 3:50AM PDT

Can you explain the difference between "the main text" and (probably) other texts?

Kees

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"Main Text"
Jun 18, 2009 4:44AM PDT

As far as I know, what appears in the outline is the text that is typed into the text boxes that come with the layout. The text I'm trying to get to appear in the outline is text in further text boxes I created or copy-and-pasted from other slides.

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PowerPoint Outline Problem
Jul 15, 2009 11:26PM PDT

Perhaps you've already figured this out since your question is a month old. I'm a PC user but it's most likely the same... PowerPt will only show in the outline the text that has been typed into one of the template text boxes. Meaning, if you create your own text box on a slide, the text within it will not appear in the outline. Hope this helps.

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What happens if you make the ...
Jul 16, 2009 4:16AM PDT

Powerpoint created textbox bigger, so it fills the whole slide?

Kees

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possible workaround
Feb 13, 2012 4:51AM PST

1. Open your PPT in normal view (where is shows slide thumbnails on the left and active slide in main window).

2. Click on 'Outline' tab (just above the thumbnails) and click next to the tiny slide icon as if you are preparing to type in your outline note. Copy ALL the text you want to appear in your outline and paste it into that location.

3. Go over to the main slide and you will find a huge text box with everything you pasted. Drag the entire textbox just below your slide (totally OFF the slide) and park it there (forever). If you need other text to appear on your finished slide, then create a new text box and place it where you like.

4. Repeat the process for each slide, then save it all.

5. Check it out and see if that will work for you.

John.

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possible workaround
Jan 28, 2015 1:59AM PST

Starting from johnbridgester's workaround, I clicked on the problem slide, added a new slide, and copied and pasted the text into the new slide/ppt-provided template.

Time-consuming but better for me than printing out slides 4 to a page, etc.

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Printing in PowerPoint
Feb 19, 2012 8:22AM PST

Here may be a better solution for you.

Set up a print routine where you are printing four slides per page - landscape on landscape.
You should see it on a micro view before you print it out.

The text should be large enough for you to read.

ALSO, have you considered Timing your slides?

OR putting alternate empty slides and when you go to empty you blank the projector, although that can present its own problems as well. You could put a shield up in front of the projector if it is a table top item also.