14 Replies Latest reply: Jan 20, 2013 10:00 PM by shawninvancouver RSS

    Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?

    shawninvancouver Community Member
    shawninvancouver Jan 20, 2013 6:40 PM

      Hello folks,

       

      I am trying to find the best way to embed an icon into a Smart Shape. I use icons to indicate the class of message displayed on the screen (see example).

       

      It appears that Captivate only provides a partial solution.

       

      I am using a background custom image, that way, I can still edit the message. The problem with using this method is that I cannot change the size of the text caption, otherwise the icon will change positions. Adobe could have made this option work, had they added a custom image placement setting that worked without needing to turn on the tile mode. e.g. place custom image in top left corner of caption. Will I need to send in another feature request? Or is there a better way to do this (without using the OLD text caption format)?

       

      icon_embedded_smart_shape.jpg

        • 1. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
          Captiv8r CommunityMVP
          Captiv8r Jan 20, 2013 6:51 PM (in response to shawninvancouver)

          Hi Shawn

           

          What about a trick I use with PowerPoint? Just create a really large image with the icon properly placed. I'm thinking that whatever would fall outside the visible area just wouldn't be seen? I've not tested this and am just sort of shooting from the hip here.

           

          Cheers... Rick

          • 2. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
            shawninvancouver Community Member
            shawninvancouver Jan 20, 2013 7:05 PM (in response to Captiv8r)

            Hello Rick,

             

            Thank you for your reply.

             

            Forgive me if I misunderstood but I think I am sort of already doing that. In order to get that icon precisely placed where it is now, I had to create a larger image (the icon is placed in the top-left corner of a 429x286 pixel white graphic).


            Like I said, this solution works as long as I do not change the size of this Smart Shape.

             

             

            I'm thinking that whatever would fall outside the visible area just wouldn't be seen? I've not tested this and am just sort of shooting from the hip here.

             


            Unless I misunderstood, unfortunately it doesn't work this way.

             

            Thank you

            • 3. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
              Captiv8r CommunityMVP
              Captiv8r Jan 20, 2013 7:32 PM (in response to shawninvancouver)

              My thought was that if you used the tile option along with an image that is large enough that tiling would really never happen, the image should stay put in the upper left corner, no? I'd try making the image slightly larger than the canvas of your project.

               

              Cheers... Rick

              • 4. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                Sreekanth_S Community Member
                Sreekanth_S Jan 20, 2013 8:14 PM (in response to shawninvancouver)

                My two cents...

                 

                Insert the icon in the smartshape and position it as per requirement. Instead of inserting a separate text caption, right-click the smartshape and select Add Text to add the text. To get the position of the text right, you can use Margins settings in the Format accordion. That way, even when you resize the smartshape, the size and position of text and icon won't change.

                • 5. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                  shawninvancouver Community Member
                  shawninvancouver Jan 20, 2013 8:37 PM (in response to Captiv8r)

                  Captiv8r wrote:

                   

                  My thought was that if you used the tile option along with an image that is large enough that tiling would really never happen, the image should stay put in the upper left corner, no? I'd try making the image slightly larger than the canvas of your project.

                   

                  Cheers... Rick

                  Indeed, I did misunderstand you. Excellent! That worked!

                   

                  It works, if I set the background image to 800x450 (maximum stage size before automatic reduction) and set tiled type to top-left. With those settings there is only minimal movement when I resize the Smart Shape.

                   

                  Thank you.

                  • 6. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                    shawninvancouver Community Member
                    shawninvancouver Jan 20, 2013 8:44 PM (in response to Sreekanth_S)

                    Sreekanth_S wrote:

                     

                    My two cents...

                     

                    Insert the icon in the smartshape and position it as per requirement. Instead of inserting a separate text caption, right-click the smartshape and select Add Text to add the text. To get the position of the text right, you can use Margins settings in the Format accordion. That way, even when you resize the smartshape, the size and position of text and icon won't change.

                     

                    Thanks for your reply Sreekanth_S,

                     

                    I am not sure I understand. How does one insert an icon into a Smart Shape? The only way I know how is to use the aforementioned method (i.e. adding as a background image or texture).

                    • 7. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                      Sreekanth_S Community Member
                      Sreekanth_S Jan 20, 2013 8:47 PM (in response to shawninvancouver)

                      You can insert it as an image. Go to Insert menu > Image and select the icon.

                      • 8. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                        RodWard CommunityMVP
                        RodWard Jan 20, 2013 9:23 PM (in response to Sreekanth_S)

                        I've been watching this thread and wondering why you could not just use the Captivate 6 object grouping feature to group the icon on top of the shape?

                         

                        Wouldn't that be easier to manage?

                        • 9. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                          Sreekanth_S Community Member
                          Sreekanth_S Jan 20, 2013 9:35 PM (in response to RodWard)

                          Resizing the group (which has the icon and the smart shape) will resize the icon as well. If I have understood the Shawn's requirement correctly, he doesn't want the icon to resize or re-position when he modifies the smart shape size.

                          • 10. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                            shawninvancouver Community Member
                            shawninvancouver Jan 20, 2013 9:49 PM (in response to RodWard)

                            RodWard wrote:

                             

                            I've been watching this thread and wondering why you could not just use the Captivate 6 object grouping feature to group the icon on top of the shape?

                             

                            Wouldn't that be easier to manage?

                            Like Sreekanth_S stated, unfortunately that won't work because grouping causes the icon to resize when the Smart Shape is resized. Wish that wasn't the case! I wish there was an option to turn off the resizing. :-(

                            • 11. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                              shawninvancouver Community Member
                              shawninvancouver Jan 20, 2013 9:49 PM (in response to Sreekanth_S)

                              Sreekanth_S wrote:

                               

                              Resizing the group (which has the icon and the smart shape) will resize the icon as well. If I have understood the Shawn's requirement correctly, he doesn't want the icon to resize or re-position when he modifies the smart shape size.

                              Correct.

                              • 12. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                                RodWard CommunityMVP
                                RodWard Jan 20, 2013 9:52 PM (in response to shawninvancouver)

                                So ungroup, resize the shape and then regroup again.  Should take all of a few seconds.

                                 

                                Isn't that better than mucking around with specially-created background shapes every time you want to place an icon on the shape?

                                • 13. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                                  shawninvancouver Community Member
                                  shawninvancouver Jan 20, 2013 9:52 PM (in response to Sreekanth_S)

                                  Sreekanth_S wrote:

                                   

                                  You can insert it as an image. Go to Insert menu > Image and select the icon.

                                   

                                  If I understood you correctly, the image (icon) is not going to be part of the Smart Shape? 

                                   

                                  The problem with that idea is that I must manage two components (the Smart Shape and the icon), I also cannot control the exact positioning and timing. I believe the tile idea (mine combined with Rick's fine tuning works best). Though, ultimately, it would be nice to implement Rod's suggestion (if only the icon didn't resize). I'll add this to my wishlist for v6.5.

                                  • 14. Re: Embedding icons into a Smart Shape?
                                    shawninvancouver Community Member
                                    shawninvancouver Jan 20, 2013 10:00 PM (in response to RodWard)

                                    RodWard wrote:

                                     

                                    So ungroup, resize the shape and then regroup again.  Should take all of a few seconds.

                                     

                                    Isn't that better than mucking around with specially-created background shapes every time you want to place an icon on the shape?

                                     

                                    Not at all, the background tile option needs to be done once (already done). With Rick's fine tuning of my approach, I have now created a library of reusable message w/icon boxes. I store all the common reusable objects on several non-published slides that a developer is able to grab and reuse as needed. There are no steps involved in resizing the Smart Shape now.

                                     

                                    Doing it using your several step approach will introduce potential positioning errors (during the ungroup/resize shape steps).

                                     

                                    This is part of a corporate template that must adhere to a standards framework and inconsistencies would be frowned upon.

                                     

                                    Thank you to EVERYONE... the participation in this thread (ON A SUNDAY NIGHT) is awesome! You folks are awesome!