Month: May 2013

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Adobe Captivate: Hide Main Master Slide Objects

by Kevin Siegel Follow us on Twitter View our profile on LinkedIn View our videos on YouTube

Last week I wrote about Captivate's Main Master Slide and Content Master Slides. I demonstrated how adding an object to a Main Master Slide instantly adds that object to all of the Content Master Slides and the Filmstrip slides. I went on to say that once you added an object to a Main Master Slide, you were stuck with that object on all other slides… and short of deleting the object from the Main Master Slide, there was nothing you could do about it.

Of course, my "all or nothing" comment prompted several emails from "Skills & Drills" readers that took me to task. Many of you pointed out, quite correctly, that it is actually very simple to remove an remove Main Master Slide object from Content Master Slides.

Nope… you are all wrong and it's not possible!

Okay, okay… when it comes to using the Main Master Slide, Captivate isn't as draconian as I wrote. (Never say never, right?) In fact, electing to hide objects on the Main Master Slide is very easy. Using the Master Slides panel (Window > Master Slides), select a Content Master Slide and, on the Properties panel, General group, deselect Show Main Master Slide Objects.

Show/Hide Master Slide Objects

Any objects that you've added to the Main Master Slide will instantly be removed from the selected Content Master Slide.

But wait… what if you've merged an object into the background of the Main Master Slide? (You can right-click any object and choose Merge with the Background.) Once you merge an object, the object will instantly become part of the slide's background. In that case, there will not be an object on the Main Master Slide to hide. Wouldn't the Content Master and Filmstrip slides now have no choice but to fully obey the Main Master Slide? Actually, no. In the case of a merged background object, simply select a Content Master Slide and, once again on the Properties panel, General group, deselect Use Master Slide Background (shown in the image above). The merged background object will instantly be hidden from view.

Note: If you'd like to see the process of hiding master slide objects (and merging slide objects with the slide background), check out this video demonstration on our YouTube channel.

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Looking to learn Captivate quickly? IconLogic offers multiple live, online Adobe Captivate 6 classes each month including Introduction to Adobe Captivate and Advanced Adobe Captivate.

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Writing & Grammar: Name that Mouse Move!

by Jennie Ruby View our profile on LinkedIn

In training documents, help menu text and documentation we often find ourselves trying to describe common computer user actions. However, some of the terminology has changed over time, as new software and hardware features have been developed. Our challenge this week is about describing mouse behaviors. In a later article, I will discuss mobile device behaviors. So here is your challenge. Be careful! Times have changed on some of these!

How do you describe these mouse actions?

  1. Press and release the left mouse button
  2. Press and release the right mouse button
  3. Roll the wheel on top of the mouse
  4. Quickly press and release the mouse button twice
  5. Quickly press and release the mouse button three times
  6. Hold the mouse button down and move it from one point to another
  7. Put the mouse pointer over an item but do not click
  8. Drag the mouse across text so that the text background changes color and you can then format or delete that text
  9. Use the highlighter tool to color the background of text
  10. Hold down the shift button and click the left mouse button 

Please send your answers directly to me.

Results to Hierarchical List Format

We received many correctly categorized versions of this list, formatted at least 5 different ways. Here is one of my favorites, from Geri A. Moran, who must work with a lot of government regulations or proposals, because this numbering system is heavily redolent of legal document numbering. Perhaps it is the plan for a courtroom building's garden?

1. Shrubs

1.1. Azaleas

1.1.1. White azaleas

1.1.2. Pink azaleas

1.1.3. Red azaleas

1.2. Boxwoods

1.3. Hydrangeas

2. Flowers

2.1. Tulips

2.1.1. Double Early

2.1.2. Single Early

2.1.3. Single Late

2.1.4. Double Late

2.1.5. Darwin

2.1.6. Triumph

2.2. Roses

2.2.1. Tea

2.2.2. Floribunda

2.2.3. Climbing

2.2.4. Damask

Other favorites included this style, from Ann M. Whitfield, for its classic clarity: 

I.  Shrubs

A. Azaleas
1. White azaleas
2. Pink azaleas
3. Red azaleas
B. Boxwoods
C. Hydrangeas
 
An interesting version to me was one submitted by Matt Smith, which illustrates a business-style list. Many government agencies and print publishers have discontinued using the solo closing parentheses like this, for reasons unknown to me, but it still works and looks very clear:

1) Shrubs

a) Azaleas

i)  White azaleas

ii) Pink azaleas

iii) Red azaleas

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Looking for help with your writing technique? Jennie teaches two writing classes: Writing Effective eLearning Voiceover Scripts and eLearning: Writing Effective Scripts.

Already a writing wiz? Join Jennie to learn how to create effective quizzes and surveys.

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eLearning: Thousands and Thousands of Free Images

by AJ Walther Follow us on Twitter View our profile on LinkedIn

There is no limit to the number of images you can find on the Internet. There are severe limits, however, on the number of images that you can download and use in whatever capacity you see fit. But, good news: the pool of images that can be freely downloaded and used just became a bit less limited. The Los Angeles Community Museum of Art started an experiment two years ago in which they made 2,000 high resolution images of artwork that they deemed to be public works available for download without copyright restrictions. Since then, they have made ten times that many images available, offering 20,000 high resolution images. All they want to know is: "What are you going to do with them?"

To find the free images:

  1. Head on over to the Collections website.
  2. Type a keyword into the Search the Collection field and press [enter].
  3. To the right of the search field, select Show only results with unrestricted images.
    LACMA Search feature  

My search for cat turned up 105 unrestricted image results. 

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Looking to improve the look of your PowerPoint presentations (and avoid the dreaded "death by PowerPoint" phenomena)? Check out AJ's Optimizing PowerPoint Design for eLearning & Presentations class this week. (It's not too late to register.)