Follow the bouncing ball

[Jan Il]

Hi all - PPT 2002 XP, WinME

I was wondering if there is a feature in PPT that would simulate the
'bouncing ball' effect, similar to the old fashioned 'follow the bouncing
ball' sign-along thingie that they used to show on TV for the little ones to
follow and sing along when a song was playing on TV. I heard this feature
was at some point used in the old movie theaters for the intermission
entertainment.

I thought this might be something that might be useful for helping the
hearing impaired kids at the center to be able to associate a musical beat
to a song as it the words are displayed. Yes, there are some tapes for this
purpose available, but, they are mostly at least a decade or more old, and
none of the fun movie themes or current 'hot' songs are readily available.
Yeah, there are a lot of things available out there, but, the funds are not
available.

What I am using now is a ping-pong ball painted bright yellow with a smiley
face, with a hole in one end stuck on the end of a cue stick. I created
banners with the words of the songs on them, and I tape them across the top
of the bookshelves in the Entertainment area, and when I play the music on
my portable stereo player, I tap out the beat on the various words across
the banners as I ...ahm.....kinda...sorta...well...boogie a bit....ya
know.....just so the kids can kinda get a feel for the rhythm when the music
plays. One of their favorites is the Chicken Dance.....of all
things.....but, they also have other favorites

Anyway.....is there a way to somewhat simulate the 'Bouncing Ball' effect in
PPT XP? Not holding my breath in hopeful anticipation mind you, just asking
in hopes....as I have a cricket in my neck....and a hitch in my
get-along....<sigh>. I think it is time to send in the clowns.... ;-))

Jan

 

[Austin Myers]

In a round about way.

I did a presentation using the song Old MacDonald to, well, to see if it
could be done. By using motion paths to animate my "ball" and very careful
control of the timing sequence/duration I made a "fair" presentation that
*mostly* did as I wanted. (I hear the other MVPs laughing in the
background.) Problem of course is that PowerPoint and accurate timing
rarely meet in the same place.

Yes it can be done, but you need a very fast machine and a ton of patience
to work the timing out.

Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

 

[TAJ Simmons]

I've done the bouncing ball effect, but only 'live'.

It was done by changing the normal powerpoint cursor to something big and
round (like a ball) (from the control panel > mouse > pointer).
Then when the music is playing, the words are displayed on the screen (nice
and big)....and you literally follow the words with (the mouse pointer) your
bouncing ball.

But it always needs someone to be there.

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

awesome - powerpoint backgrounds,
free sample templates, tutorials, hints and tips etc
http://www.powerpointbackgrounds.com

 

[Steve Rindsberg, PPTMVP]

plays. One of their favorites is the Chicken Dance.....of all

things

Oktoberfest is coming up in Zinzinnati, and with it the World's Largest
Chicken Dance (as certified to have happened somewhere else by the Guiness
Book of Records people).

They sell Chicken Hats.

http://www.oktoberfest-zinzinnati.com/chickendance.asp

No pictures. Blast.

 

[B]

Have you considered doing the bouncing ball during show with a laser/light
pointer (under $20 now)? Or maybe using TAJ's idea of the modified mouse
cursor, but recording an AVI to keep timings and audio synced?

I had the idea of re-creating all the old sing-along slides/movies into an
updated library, but ran into the same bouncing ball problem. Only thing I
came up with was to make AVI's of them all. Was easier to keep renting the
pre-bounced films.

B

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Austin!

In a round about way.

I did a presentation using the song Old MacDonald to, well, to see if it
could be done. By using motion paths to animate my "ball" and very careful
control of the timing sequence/duration I made a "fair" presentation that
*mostly* did as I wanted. (I hear the other MVPs laughing in the
background.) Problem of course is that PowerPoint and accurate timing
rarely meet in the same place.

This sounds workable, especially for me at my level. There are two factors I
try very hard to keep in mind while working on this project; 1) my very
novice limitations and knowledge of the program, especially 2002 XP; 2)
that I am not only working with children, but, children who are hearing
impaired, some to a degree, some totally. I try to not only bring the
world to them, but, them to the world, so to speak, with the hope that
at some point, both will benefit.

Thus, in all things, I try very hard to try find ways to interact with them,
help them learn, and..yeah, just provide them with a little fun stuff. I
have found that music, in whatever form, is one of the hardest things for
them to understand and fully enjoy, without some form of visual stimulation.
It is not just a matter of me standing up there bobbing around like a total
idiot trying to get them to understand the rhythm of a song, at which they
have a good laugh, but, to somehow impart both the meaning of the
words and the joy in the music of the song. It is sometimes very difficult
to do (I just managed to get them to do 'Row-Row-Row Your Boat' in
round verse... YES!! ..ggggg..) But, to see a group of little tadpoles
sitting around, some in a totally silent world, clapping their hands in
time to the music, and trying to sing the words, with smiles the size
of a harvest moon, is a really great sight.

Yes it can be done, but you need a very fast machine and a ton of patience
to work the timing out.

I am not sure how fact the machine is, but, I try to be long on patience,
and I am determined, so, I will give this a try. I know that PPT's timing is
a little antsy, but, if I can find a way to be a bit clever, I might be able
to interject a bit if something here and there to adjust for this. A new
challenge...how fun!!!

Thank you very much for your time and help, Austin, I really do appreciate
it.

Jan

 

[Austin Myers]

Well, after that post all I can say is, how can I help?

Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

 

[Jan Il]

Hi TAJ!

I've done the bouncing ball effect, but only 'live'.

Yeah..I can see how that would make it easier. It would be kinda hard to
keep the rhythm, I think, if you weren't alive. ;-))

It was done by changing the normal powerpoint cursor to something big and
round (like a ball) (from the control panel > mouse > pointer).
Then when the music is playing, the words are displayed on the screen (nice
and big)....and you literally follow the words with (the mouse pointer) your
bouncing ball.

Ah ha! ..this is very interesting TAJ. I did not know you could do something
like this with the cursor. I mean, I knew there were some selections you
could use for the cursor shape, but, I did not know where to find them. Even
if I had to do the 'bouncing ball' with the mouse, it would sure give me a
break. After the 15th round of Row-Row-Row Your Boat in round-robin, I tend
to gat a bit Windied from bouncing the orange ball on the cue stick along
the words on the 10 ft banner, to say nothing of having to run back to the
start for each round of the song..and trying to keep up with the others
already going ... Whew!!

But it always needs someone to be there.

This is not a problem, I wouldn't want to miss a minute of it. ;-))

Thank you very much TAJ, I really appreciate your input, this sounds like it
will be great fun!

Jan

 

[Brian Reilly, MS MVP]

I did a presentation using the song Old MacDonald to, well, to see if it

could be done.

Austin,
I still have a copy of that on my hard drive. Wasn't all bad.
Jan, You could do this with some VBA and be somewhat more assured of
the timing. I can give you some sample code at the PPTLive conference
in Tuscon in October, but I'm going to let you do all the hard work
(g).

Brian Reilly, PowerPoint MVP

 

[Austin Myers]

Brian,

Thank you! If you have the copy handy can you send it to Jan as an example
of how to do it?

Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

 

[Jan Il]

Hi B!

Have you considered doing the bouncing ball during show with a laser/light
pointer (under $20 now)? Or maybe using TAJ's idea of the modified mouse
cursor, but recording an AVI to keep timings and audio synced?

I had the idea of re-creating all the old sing-along slides/movies into an
updated library, but ran into the same bouncing ball problem. Only thing I
came up with was to make AVI's of them all. Was easier to keep renting the
pre-bounced films.

No...I did not think of this aspect, as I have not yet had cause to use a
laser/light pointer, or AVI's. Fact is, I really don't know what AVI's are.
But, there is never a better time to learn than the present. ;-))

I have found that of all those who come to this ng..professional and general
user, bring a vast array of knowledge and experience to offer for so many
different needs. I credit this, in some part, not only to the expertise of
these users, but, to the overall versatility of the program...in that it can
meet so many different needs in various ways for the vast majority of users.
This, in opposition to programs that provide for only certain ways you can
do things..period...sorta like, if ya need to do it this way, fine..if not,
well, tough. To me, this limits, and totally curtails the creativity of the
user. That is why I don't go there. In spite of the fact that my
imagination may be sorta of off the wall, I have to stretch, and challenge
myself and the program, as much as I can...that is where the fun comes
in..<vbg>

Thank you B, I truly appreciate your additional input, and I will look into
the laser thingie. I am always anxious to learn new ideas and ways of
getting the job done. ;-))

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Hey Brian!

Austin,
I still have a copy of that on my hard drive. Wasn't all bad.
Jan, You could do this with some VBA and be somewhat more assured of
the timing. I can give you some sample code at the PPTLive conference
in Tuscon in October, but I'm going to let you do all the hard work
(g).

Thank you very much Brian..I would truly appreciate your help. Although, I
must tell you up front, I have no experience with VBA in PPT, only in
Access. And...no worry ..I am not adverse to doing my own homework, 'cause
the experiences in the process tend to serve you longer. ;-))

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Austin!

Well, after that post all I can say is, how can I help?

I am already looking into your process...in 2002 XP. I am creating the
words to a song on a slide, and while not exactly sure where to start with
the motion paths, I'm gonna work on this, and I may have a question or
two.....ok ok....maybe a gazillion or so.. ;-))

Thank you Austin...I really do appreciate your help. While it means a great
deal to me...it means so much more for the kids....<g>

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Brian, in reference to Austin's reply to you, if you do send the file,
please send it to
janilac at cox dot net. It can take larger attachments, and I can pick it up
from there.

Thank you,
Jan

 

[Echo S]

Hi Austin!

Heh. Felt that one coming a mile away!

I am already looking into your process...in 2002 XP. I am creating the
words to a song on a slide, and while not exactly sure where to start with
the motion paths, I'm gonna work on this, and I may have a question or
two.....ok ok....maybe a gazillion or so.. ;-))

Heh. Felt that one coming a mile away, too!

A couple of motion path tips for you, Jan...

1. You can use edit points to tweak the paths. When you add the motion
path, choose an existing one that's similar to what you'll want (maybe
"arc up" for the bouncing ball?). Then right-click the path and choose
edit points. You can drag those little black things around to shape the
path more to your liking. There's a Bezier Curves tutorial on my site
that may help you here.

2. Locked vs Unlocked. Unlocked means that if you move the ball, the
path will move with it. Locked means that, even if you move the ball
(say, to a different starting point), the path will stay in the same
place.

Echo

 

[Jan Il]

Hey Echo!

Heh. Felt that one coming a mile away!


Heh. Felt that one coming a mile away, too!

Scorpios....go fig'er...;-))

A couple of motion path tips for you, Jan...

1. You can use edit points to tweak the paths. When you add the motion
path, choose an existing one that's similar to what you'll want (maybe
"arc up" for the bouncing ball?). Then right-click the path and choose
edit points. You can drag those little black things around to shape the
path more to your liking. There's a Bezier Curves tutorial on my site
that may help you here.

'k..I'll play with the 'arc up' for the bouncing ball. But, I am not
familiar with the edit points or tweaking of the paths, but, I'll practice
that, and editing the black thingies around the shape to see about getting
it more into the trajectory of how I want it to go. I'll go to your site
and get the information on the Bezier Curves. I have not worked much with
these, but, what I have, I've found them to be a very versatile and utile
tool.

2. Locked vs Unlocked. Unlocked means that if you move the ball, the
path will move with it. Locked means that, even if you move the ball
(say, to a different starting point), the path will stay in the same
place.

??? I am afraid I am a bit lost here, I have never used this feature before.
I am not sure which I would need to use, but, I'll get after 'em and find
out. ;-))

I did not know that the motion path was something available in PPT.
Austin's mention of this was the first I ever knew about such a thing being
possible in PPT.

Sheesh, I feel like such a Guppy...

Thanks Echo...I will certainly follow up on your suggestions. I truly
appreciate your input, and help.

 

[Jan Il]

Hi Brian..in reference to Austin's reply to you, my Hotmail can only take
attachments up to 1 MB.
So, if you send Austin's file, just send it to janilac at cox dot net. It
can take bigger attachments, and I can pick it up from there.

Thank you.

Jan

 

[Jan Il]

I try to have enough beer in me by the time it starts that I can ahem
pretend to fall over and lie there helplessly giggling.

....yeah...that is the first thing the father of the bride, or the husband,
or the ex-wife, or father of the student, and the host of the party does....
so ...I just kinda follow along...sorta like... if the guest of honor or
immediate next of kin does it, hey..it can't be wrong...right??? I usually
do pretty good until the biker Moll with the steel-toed brogans steps on my
hands during the Beer Barrel Polka. It's kinda embarrassing though, when the
bride apologizes for stepping on me.

;-))

 

[Brian Reilly, MS MVP]

Jan,
I'll send a copy there in the next hour. It's coffee and NY Times time
right now (g)
Brian Reilly, PowerPoint MVP

 

[Jan Il]

Got it...thanks Brian. Hope all's well in the Big Apple