4 Replies Latest reply: Sep 23, 2009 10:00 AM by jod-zeee RSS

    Importing PowerPoint notes and/or changing PPT backgrounds

    jod-zeee Community Member

      I would like to import just the notes from a PowerPoint slideshow. I did the initial storyboard in PowerPoint and am now designing/formatting in Captivate 4 and need the notes but not necessarily the slides.

       

      I tried importing all PPT slides into Captivate, then I thought I could simply remove/change the resulting background (I thought it turned it into a background). But I cannot seem to change it. So I tried removing everything except the notes in PPT first, then importing that. Now my background says "Animation" with the page size and "(X:0; Y:0)."

       

      I searched this forum and found something that says Captivate 4 imports the slides as animations, not backgrounds, but I'm not really understanding what that means. Am I unable to change the resulting animation/background to something else and keep the notes intact?

       

      Any other ideas how to accomplish this other than copy/pasting the notes manually?

       

      Thank you,

      Jo

        • 1. Re: Importing PowerPoint notes and/or changing PPT backgrounds
          jod-zeee Community Member

          Does anyone have any ideas/tips for importing notes only from PowerPoint into Captivate?

           

          Thank you,

          Jo

          • 2. Re: Importing PowerPoint notes and/or changing PPT backgrounds
            Lilybiri CommunityMVP

            Hello, as far as I'm aware this is not possible. Powerpoint slides, imported into Captivate, are indeed animations (keeping any animation setting in ppt), no normal backgrounds. Notes are imported as slide notes. But you cannot edit the slide as you would with a normal background. Have a look at the Library: the whole presentation is present as one object, and if you do not have any other slides than imported or embedded Powerpoint slides, you will not have any background.

             

            I looked a little bit for a workaround, but sorry, cannot find anything for the moment. For you, I hope somebody else will have a luminous idea.

             

            Lilybiri

            • 3. Re: Importing PowerPoint notes and/or changing PPT backgrounds
              travelinrad Community Member

              Hi Jo,

               

              Can you be more specific in describing what it is you wish to replace the original ppt slide content with, what you're calling the background?

               

              Lilybiri is correct in that the entire ppt, as an animation, sort of trumps the background.  However, you can simply "cover" that background with whatever image or screen capture you desire.  Then add your objects (text captions, buttons, whatever) and you're all set.  Or, if objects are already present, simply use the time line to drag the new "background" image below any existing objects and set its properties to display for rest of slide.  Just don't attempt to merge into background or your image will disappear.

               

              Hope this helps,

               

              randy

              • 4. Re: Importing PowerPoint notes and/or changing PPT backgrounds
                jod-zeee Community Member

                Thank you both for clearing that up. I was assuming that the PPT slides would become individual Captivate slides with backgrounds or animations that could be changed. It's too bad the slide notes aren't easier to manipulate!

                 

                Jo