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An alternative workflow for creating presentations


ukfraser

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For the last 10 years, i have been using an alternative workflow for preparing presentations using MSWord and thought i would share it for those who like to experiment.

 

Basically I do not like the way PowerPoint handles pasting in large amounts of text.

 

When copying and pasting something like Isaiah 36: 1- 22 or angels from the realms of glory into a slide, it goes small and you have to mess around getting it onto multiple slides to display at a suitable font size (or else make multiple copy and pastes).

 

First i needed to create a new template and having the normal style set to 36 point and additional styles based on it.

I have also modified the small toolbar to include page break(and other shortcuts i repeatedly use).

 

I copy all text and images from my accordance tools (and others) into a word file and can then quickly format it easily using the 8 basic styles i have created.

Inserting images, either behind, in line or tight (again set in preferences for most but easily modified).

 

I break up the text where i want using page breaks (a single click).

 

When finished, i save to pdf.

When opening in reader, under view, there is an option to view full screen and this is similar to the slide view in pp and able to be changed using a presentation zapper such as a kensington.

 

I also copy the pdf to my iPad, in forScore i can create a set list with all my pdfs in order for the service (including music scores and liturgy for when i am leading).

 

Disadvantage is that you cant have animated slides, eg words being built up letter by letter ( what a loss!!!!!)

And using images behind the text on multiple slides is a bit more of a pain.

Easy worship doesnt like pdfs. ;o(

 

The advantage is that you can quickly format the slides and the formatting is consistent and its easy to copy and paste large blocks of text.

I can easily change the text colour to the relevant seasonal colour because of styles.

Its also great where not using complex presentation software such as easy worship.

Edited by ukfraser
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Thanks for sharing your workflow!

 

Here's mine, though I use Keynote. 

 

I create a text block on a slide in the style and size I want. I can then copy text in Accordance and paste directly to that text box using Paste and Match style  (Opt-Cmd-Shift-V). At this point, I've pretty well figured out how much text I can put on a slide. Since it is a text box (not a PDF), I can apply any build style I want to it, including typewriter (Apple's  letter-by-letter build).

 

If I am using an image, I make sure the text box is on top. If I need more slides (because the text is too long for one slide), I just duplicate the slide, select the text on the duplicate and replace it (Opt-Cmd-Shift-V) with the rest of the passage.

 

Now, this method will not work with forScore, but it does keep my slides nice and consistent.

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