Changing Font in Symbol Pallet

[pcharles]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

How do I get the symbol pallet to show symbols from other fonts that I have installed?

In Mac PPT version 2004 and in Windows PPT version 2007 a dialog box pops up and I can select the font I want from a menu. When I do it allows me to see all the characters in that font.

I use as special chemistry font for a lot of my classroom presentations and need access to that font through the symbol pallet. How do I do that?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[CyberTaz]

It appears this has something to do with Apple guidelines - Insert> Symbol
now elicits the Formatting Palette & the only glyphs in the palette are
those from the old Symbol font.

In order to get what you want - plus an extensively greater selection - use
the OS X Character Palette. Activate it through System Preferences>
International. See Mac Help for more info. It takes some getting used to but
it's a far more powerful tool

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[pcharles]

I figured I'd be stuck doing it that way, or via PopChar, but I really have to wonder why they really decided to make it so useless.

I could probably accept the "Apple guidelines" explanation for changing it if Microsoft had been consistent across the applications, but they continued to use the original symbols pallat in Word 2008 and in Office 2007.

Unexplained changes such as these are incredibly frustrating, and really take away from some of the minor improvements.

 

[CyberTaz]

I agree, but each app in the suite evolves at a different pace. Also, you
can't compare to the Win version since it's a different OS

If you use it that frequently why not add it as an AutoCorrect Item?

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[pcharles]

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, Powerpoint is not capable of formatted Autocorrect (and never has been), so you end up having to go back and apply the font manually anyway.

Neither Apple's character pallat, nor PopChar seem capable of putting formatted characters into Powerpoint either, so you have to put the character in and then select the font.

Fortunately, I found the character (an equilibrium symbol) in MT Extra, so it should translate, but it does not help with the problems created by removing the old symbol dialog. If they had just included a way to change the font in the new Pallat . . . . . .

 

[CyberTaz]

Hello again -

Please see the insertions below

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, Powerpoint is not capable of formatted Autocorrect (and never
has been), so you end up having to go back and apply the font manually anyway.

I don't know what you mean by "formatted" - bold, italic, etc. yes, but as
far as the actual glyphs there should be no [or very little] problem. It
depends mostly on whether the character you're inserting is available in the
font currently in use. If you consistently use full Unicode versions of
fonts this should seldom be a problem. OTOH if you insert some sort of
exotic radical into a line formatted with a 244-glyph TrueType font then
yes, you will have to reformat the character that includes that glyph.

Neither Apple's character pallat, nor PopChar seem capable of putting
formatted characters into Powerpoint either, so you have to put the character
in and then select the font.

As above, but if you want something that is from a special or symbol-based
font drag the character into the placeholder. It will come in "formatted".

Fortunately, I found the character (an equilibrium symbol) in MT Extra, so it
should translate, but it does not help with the problems created by removing
the old symbol dialog. If they had just included a way to change the font in
the new Pallat . . . . . .

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[pcharles]

I was referring to glyphs, specifically those you might find in MT Extra or Apple Symbols, and in science they are not particularly uncommon.

When you suggested dragging and dropping the font in I did so from Apple Symbols and it worked fine and even changed the font in Powerpoint (⇌), then from Arial Unicode (⇌)and it worked fine again, but from MT-Extra () I got a box that said "Private Use E000 Private Use F8FF" around the edge until I manually changed the font. In fact it seems to work with most fonts except MT-Extra, so now I feel silly for not trying a different font.

Well, thanks for sticking with me on this. I just need to make sure the font I choose is Windows compatible because most of our classroom machines are Mac Mini's running Windows!

Incidentally, if you have not used the autocorrect in Word, it is incredibly powerful. You can take something like H3PO4 and configure it so that the numbers are automatically subscripted. It will handle almost any formatting that word can handle, including pasting images. The autocorrect in Powerpoint, however, will do none of this. Like you said, if it is not part of the font you are working in Powerpoint autocorrect cannot handle it. This is a shame because for technical work, such as chemistry lectures, it would be really nice to have PowerPoint automate the kind of formatting that Word automates.

I am sure that with time I will learn to work around the quirks in this version of Office and just appreciate the features that are improved, but right now it is a huge productivity drain when I am trying to prepare for classes starting on Tuesday after Labor day.

Thanks again,

Paul

p.s. When do you think path animation will come to Mac Powerpoint?

 

[CyberTaz]

I think if you stay with the more complete & more contemporary Unicode fonts
you should be OK. Most I've looked at have Over/Under Harpoons & Over/Under
Arrows that face L/R as well as R/L. MT Extra is actually a TrueType
specialty font used almost exclusively with Equation Editor & MathType.

As for the AutoCorrect: Have you considered doing your copy in Word using
Outline/Heading Levels then generating slides with File> Send To>
PowerPoint? I don't know if it would be beneficial or not. You can also
insert the AC item in Word, then copy/paste to a slide &retain the
formatting.

As for Motion Paths I have no idea, but don't hesitate to use Help> Send
Feedback in order to help raise MS consciousness level on anything you'd
like to see added or improved. Popular demand does make a difference,
especially if you document your need well... Even better if you can explain
how it will help sell more product

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac