Gigantic bug in Powerpoint 2004: Grouping text blocks

[Scott Rose]

Hello there,

I have just discovered a GIGANTIC bug in PowerPoint 2004 that was
DEFINITELY not there in the previous PowerPoint version. Does anybody
know of a workaround for this, or else I am going to be forced to
delete all of my slides and start all over again.

I have created dozens of slides with multiple text blocks (bullets)
that transition onto the screen, one-at-a-time. Your typical bulleted
list of items, where each item "flys onto the screen" one at a time,
based on my mouse click.

I control the ordering of these bullet points from within the "Slide
Show->Custom Animation..." menu choice.

I have been doing this for years, and it has always worked just fine.

HOWEVER, here is the gigantic bug that I just discovered: If you GROUP
two items together on the slide -- for example, if I take two of the
text blocks and GROUP THEM together -- you can NO LONGER edit their
properties in "Custom Animation". That item no longer shows up on the
right hand side of that dialog box... you can't even set what ORDER it
appears in the custom animation list.

Even WORSE is that the grouped item now AUTOMATICALLY APPEARS ON SCREEN
AS SOON AS YOU ADVANCE TO THAT SLIDE!

And EVEN WORSE STILL is that if you UNGROUP the items, they still
retain these buggy properties! The individual text blocks show up on
the slide as soon as you advance to it, and you can NOT set a custom
animation for the text blocks!

This is absolutely horrible, and is making our life a living hell. Is
it really too much to ask for Microsoft to put out ONE quality product
in their entire history as a company?

Can anybody please help?

Thank you.

 

[Chris]

Hi Scott-

Here is what happened when I tried to replicate the situation you described
in your message:

(1) I created two text boxes. One with the content "Text Box One", the
other with content "Text Box Two"
(2) When Custom Animation is chosen, both of these text boxes appear on the
left side of the box, under "Select to Animate".
(3) I selected on each text box in numerical order and added a "Fly In"
effect. Both effects were triggered by mouse click.
(4) I tested this in presentation mode. Everything is good.
(5) Next, I grouped the two text boxes together.
(6) Here is where you will notice the difference. Because I grouped the two
text boxes together, the custom animations associated with each individual
text box are lost. The reason is this: There is now a NEW item that can be
animated. It's called "Group 2", and it appears on the *left* side of the
Custom Animation dialog box, under "Select to Animate"

Now, it is my understanding that this is normal behavior. Because the items
are grouped together, they are no longer considered separate items. Even if
you have identical animation effects associated with the text boxes before
grouping them, those group animations go with the individual item, not the
new group that was created. As you discovered, the newly grouped item will
automatically appear when you advance to the slide because there is no
animation effect associated with that group. This situation, however, can
be rectified as follows:

(7) I selected "Group 2" and was able to apply a "Fly In" effect
successfully in presentation mode.
(8) I then ungrouped "Group 2." Two independent text boxes appear once
again in Custom Animation.

Again, because the item are now ungrouped, the animation for the grouped
item disappears. New animations must be associated with the individual text
boxes.

(9) Finally, I selected each of the newly-ungrouped text boxes and was able
to apply the "Fly In" effects as in step 3, above.

Scott, did I accurately capture the steps you described in your message? If
so, I hope that your frustration can be alleviated by looking for a new
"Group" item to animate when you group two or more items together.

Let me know if this works.

Peace and blessings,
Chris

 

[Scott Rose]

Ahhh, thank you Chris. I was doing it wrong. I really appreciate you
spelling it out for me step-by-step. My apologies for bashing Microsoft
this time!!

(Of course, I must say that I'm so thrilled that we finally have
Keynote, which is sooo much more intuitive than PowerPoint).

Thank you, Chris!!

Sincerely,
Scott

 

[TAJ Simmons]

Scott,

(Of course, I must say that I'm so thrilled that we finally have
Keynote, which is sooo much more intuitive than PowerPoint).

How come you are using powerpoint then?

Cheers
TAJ

 

[Chris]

You're welcome! Best of luck with your presentation.

Chris