Adobe Captivate: A Real Topper

by Kevin Siegel, COTP, CTT

If you need to show an object on several slides, you have a few options. First, you can copy and paste the desired objects onto each slide. The problem with this technique is potential updates down the road. If you need to move all of the objects to a different part of the slide, you will have to move the objects one at a time (not exactly efficient, especially if there are several slides containing the object).   Alternatively, you can place objects on a Captivate Master Slide. Once the Master Slide has been applied to any number of Filmstrip slides, the objects on the Master Slide will appear behind Filmstrip slide objects.   To demonstrate the awesome power of Adobe Captivate's master slides, I present you the square and the star shown in the image below (both shapes were created using Captivate's Shapes tool and positioned on a Filmstrip slide).

I wanted the star to appear on every slide in the project. To begin, I cut the star to my Clipboard (right-click > Cut) and then accessed the Master Slide by clicking Master slide view on the Properties Inspector.

I then pasted the star onto the Master Slide. (In the image below, notice how the star is now on the larger Main Master Slide and the Content Master Slide.)

I returned to the Filmstrip slides by clicking Exit Master.

And check it out... all of my Filmstrip slides now have a star shape.

On the Filmstrip slide containing my original square, I moved the square so that it overlapped the star. By default, Filmstrip slide objects are positioned in front of Master Slide objects. In the image below, you can see that the star, which is on the Master Slide, is positioned behind the square. And because I cannot select or move Master Slide objects while on a Filmstrip slide, I cannot simply send the square behind the star, or bring the star in front of the square. If I'm required to have the star appear in front of the square, it seems that I have run into a Master Slide limitation... I mean feature.

Oh you're such a clever reader... you're thinking there has to be an easy way around this problem... and there is. On the Properties Inspector, enable Master Slide Object On Top and, on the slide, the star is instantly moved in front of the slide object (the square).

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Kevin Siegel, CTT, COTP, is the founder and president of IconLogic. Following a career in Public Affairs with the US Coast Guard and in private industry, Kevin has spent decades as a technical communicator, classroom and online trainer, public speaker, and has written hundreds of computer training books for adult learners. He has been recognized by Adobe as one of the top trainers world-wide.