Anyone who has attempted to import PowerPoint slides can appreciate how frustrating it is when the slides, which look great in PowerPoint, look fuzzy in Captivate.
The problem isn’t with either program. There’s a good chance that you resized the PowerPoint presentation when you imported it into Captivate.
You have three choices when you import PowerPoint projects: resize smaller, resize larger or do nothing (keep the PowerPoint presentation at its original size).
If you resize smaller, the project backgrounds should look good in Captivate. But how small should you resize the project? You’ve probably noticed that when you select a specific size, the original size of the PowerPoint presentation may not proportionally match the new size you want in Captivate. If you don’t resize things proportionally, you could end up with a blurry look–which you probably don’t want.
If you resize larger, the PowerPoint presentation will almost certainly look blurry in Captivate. Again, that’s something you don’t want.
So how do you import a PowerPoint presentation, where the measurement system is inches, into a Captivate project, where the measurement system is pixels? Read on…
Let’s assume that your Captivate projects are all set up at 640 x 480 pixels and you’ve been asked to import a PowerPoint presentation that was set up at 8 x 10 inches. There is no way to Captivate can effectively resize or convert the 8 x 10 inch PowerPoint document down to 640 x 480 pixels–the sizes are not proportional.
The trick is to get the PowerPoint presentation resized to 640 x 480 before you import it into Captivate. However, PowerPoint’s Page Setup is in inches, not in pixels. How are you going to make the conversion? In your head? A fancy conversion table? I don’t think so. Try this instead.
- Open the Captivate project you’ll be importing the PowerPoint presentation into
- Right-click any slide and choose Copy Background
- Switch to PowerPoint and create a new presentation
- Choose Edit > Paste to paste the Captivate background into the PowerPoint presentation as an image
- Right-click the Image and choose Format Picture
- On the Size tab, make a note of the Height and Width of the picture (write the numbers down now)
- Click Cancel and close the PowerPoint presentation
- Open the PowerPoint presentation you intend to import into Captivate
- Choose File > Page Setup
- Change the Width and Height to match the size of the picture (you did write those numbers down, didn’t you?)
- Click OK
- Go through your PowerPoint presentation. You may need to adjust some of the text if the new size is dramatically different from the original size
- Save and close the presentation
- Back in Captivate, if no projects are open, choose File > Import and open your PowerPoint presentation.
You’ll notice that the Width and Height (in the picture below, 640 x 480) are perfect.
If you’re importing the PowerPoint presentation into an existing Captivate project, choose File > Import/Export > Import Microsoft PowerPoint Slides
After the import process, you’ll notice that the resulting slides aren’t blurry at all. In fact, they should look most excellent.
Want to learn more about Captivate? Click here.
Yes, Captivate can import Powerpoint easily into it’s projects.
But I have 2 questions:
1: How to reserve call-outs in PPT to be still call-outs in CP? Now CP will merge all call-outs and the PPT slide into a single image.
2: How to export CP into PPT? Coz I need to control the navigate of each frame manually by mouse clicking.
Yes, Captivate can import Powerpoint easily into it’s projects.
But I have 2 questions:
1: How to reserve call-outs in PPT to be still call-outs in CP? Now CP will merge all call-outs and the PPT slide into a single image.
2: How to export CP into PPT? Coz I need to control the navigate of each frame manually by mouse clicking.
Yes, Captivate can import Powerpoint easily into it’s projects.
But I have 2 questions:
1: How to reserve call-outs in PPT to be still call-outs in CP? Now CP will merge all call-outs and the PPT slide into a single image.
2: How to export CP into PPT? Coz I need to control the navigate of each frame manually by mouse clicking.
Anyone here can answer my question above?
Anyone here can answer my question above?
Anyone here can answer my question above?
Have you had any problems importing PPT files? For certain files, I get an error that it “Could not open PPT file”. The same file works fine with the old Captivate on the same exact PC. Any ideas?
Have you had any problems importing PPT files? For certain files, I get an error that it “Could not open PPT file”. The same file works fine with the old Captivate on the same exact PC. Any ideas?
Have you had any problems importing PPT files? For certain files, I get an error that it “Could not open PPT file”. The same file works fine with the old Captivate on the same exact PC. Any ideas?
I am having trouble branching (jump to slide)from an imported PowerPoint slide to a Captivate slide – the PowerPoint slide just keeps repeating upon clicking the click box or button (I have tried both). Any suggestions?
I am having trouble branching (jump to slide)from an imported PowerPoint slide to a Captivate slide – the PowerPoint slide just keeps repeating upon clicking the click box or button (I have tried both). Any suggestions?
I am having trouble branching (jump to slide)from an imported PowerPoint slide to a Captivate slide – the PowerPoint slide just keeps repeating upon clicking the click box or button (I have tried both). Any suggestions?
My Captivate simply hangs when I try to import a PowerPoint presentation. What is up with that?
My Captivate simply hangs when I try to import a PowerPoint presentation. What is up with that?
My Captivate simply hangs when I try to import a PowerPoint presentation. What is up with that?
I am having trouble with a PowerPoint presentation I loaded into Captivate. When I add audio and try to preview the presentation, the slide goes away before the audio is complete. I have checked in properties “rest of slide” and even put in that th slide should stay up for a long period lke 166 seconds. However, when I preview and try to publish, the audio keeps going but the slide disappears. Any suggestions on this frustrating problem?
I am having trouble with a PowerPoint presentation I loaded into Captivate. When I add audio and try to preview the presentation, the slide goes away before the audio is complete. I have checked in properties “rest of slide” and even put in that th slide should stay up for a long period lke 166 seconds. However, when I preview and try to publish, the audio keeps going but the slide disappears. Any suggestions on this frustrating problem?
I am having trouble with a PowerPoint presentation I loaded into Captivate. When I add audio and try to preview the presentation, the slide goes away before the audio is complete. I have checked in properties “rest of slide” and even put in that th slide should stay up for a long period lke 166 seconds. However, when I preview and try to publish, the audio keeps going but the slide disappears. Any suggestions on this frustrating problem?
Hi Karen,
Try adding a button to the slide (with a go to next slide action). See if that takes care of the problem for you.
Kevin
Hi Karen,
Try adding a button to the slide (with a go to next slide action). See if that takes care of the problem for you.
Kevin
Hi Karen,
Try adding a button to the slide (with a go to next slide action). See if that takes care of the problem for you.
Kevin
How does one continue/pick up the numbering from one Text Caption to another?
How does one continue/pick up the numbering from one Text Caption to another?
How does one continue/pick up the numbering from one Text Caption to another?
If I publish in Flash and zip it, can they view the results in browser even if they do not have Captivate on their machine.
If I publish in Flash and zip it, can they view the results in browser even if they do not have Captivate on their machine.
If I publish in Flash and zip it, can they view the results in browser even if they do not have Captivate on their machine.
I have the Flash Player installed, but when I preview a project with MS IE, a long message displays about Flash and I have to cancel it. How do I fix that?
I have the Flash Player installed, but when I preview a project with MS IE, a long message displays about Flash and I have to cancel it. How do I fix that?
I have the Flash Player installed, but when I preview a project with MS IE, a long message displays about Flash and I have to cancel it. How do I fix that?
Captivate 3. No effects in New Text Animation dialog box. No OK button. Folder has files needed.
Captivate 3. No effects in New Text Animation dialog box. No OK button. Folder has files needed.
Captivate 3. No effects in New Text Animation dialog box. No OK button. Folder has files needed.
is it possible to convert a captivate file into powerpoint slides?
is it possible to convert a captivate file into powerpoint slides?
is it possible to convert a captivate file into powerpoint slides?
Great question. While you can import a PowerPoint presentation into Captivate, it’s a one-way street I’m afraid.
The only publish or export formats supported by Captivate are SWF, AVI (if you own version 4), EXE or Word.
Great question. While you can import a PowerPoint presentation into Captivate, it’s a one-way street I’m afraid.
The only publish or export formats supported by Captivate are SWF, AVI (if you own version 4), EXE or Word.
Great question. While you can import a PowerPoint presentation into Captivate, it’s a one-way street I’m afraid.
The only publish or export formats supported by Captivate are SWF, AVI (if you own version 4), EXE or Word.