Themes and Templates

[ckip]

We are attempting to build some new tempaltes using PPT 2007. Didn't have
any problems with earlier versions but can't seem to get a few things to work
reliably with the new version and hoped someone might have some insights.

We have built the template to begin with as a normal presentation. Have set
up the graphics and such on the slide masters, etc. For the colors, we used
the "Create New Theme Colors..." and programed in all the colors. This we
saved as "Our Company Colors". On the machine we built it on it shows up
under custom colors. When we send it to another user on a different machine
and go under "Design-->Colors" for instance it is not listed there.

For the charts, we built the look of the chart we wanted and then selected
"Save as Template. Same thing -- seems to be unavailable to other users.

Is there a way get this all to work the same on other users machines other
than the main machine it was built on. In previous versions the colors just
stayed put with the presentation. Also, you were able to program a lot of
custom colors for charts by going under "tools-->options-->color" Al of
those could be set to various shades manually. Now we seem to be unable to
use more that the few colors set up in the theme -- and not able to adjust
the gradients that automatically appear.

Thanks for any hints.

 

[Echo S]

When you create new theme colors, you must name the theme colors something
other than what the original name is. (You can't name your custom color set
the same name as the existing theme color sets.) But that color set should
travel with the theme.

Now, you can typically only have one custom color set per theme. Maybe
that's the problem? Otherwise, you have to manually specify other custom
color sets in the theme's XML -- you can't specify multiple custom color
sets when creating a theme in the PPT interface.

You can send the color set files to users if you want them to have them
available. Look in
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Document Theme\Theme
Colors for the XML files. Send to users and instruct them to put the XML
files in that same folder. Then they'll show up on the theme colors list.

Same for chart templates. Chart templates do *not* travel with themes. (I
know, I know, don't shoot the messenger.) You can send those *.CRTX files to
users and instruct them to save them in
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Charts.

Some things to note. Chart templates do *not* respond to themes. So whatever
colors those charts are when you save the template is what they are, period.
(I know, I know, don't shoot the messenger again.)

stayed put with the presentation. Also, you were able to program a lot of
custom colors for charts by going under "tools-->options-->color" Al of
those could be set to various shades manually.

You didn't go into a lot of detail here, so you may already know this. But
if not, it's important information. In previous versions, you could change
the colors for existing charts in Tools | Options | Color in MS Graph,
***but this palette resets to its default colors whenever you insert a new
chart.*** The modified palette is only available on the chart you created to
modify the palette on -- or on copies of that chart. This is why I usually
create sample charts for users and send those slides to them to use to copy
and change the data to create new charts.

So, in a similar manner, if the 2007 chart gallery styles don't do what you
need, it would benefit your users if you would create a template or PPT file
for them with sample charts, and they can use those to copy and change the
data. Those kinds of chart samples will have "themeable" colors if you want,
or they can have specific colors if you choose colors that aren't part of
the theme color set.

Adjusting gradients is a thing. Here's info that might help:
http://www.echosvoice.com/gradients.htm

But if you need to adjust these, then your users aren't going to have an
easy time of it, and that's why I suggest that you just create some slides
with sample charts and send them to the users.

 

[ckip]

Thanks for the great info. So for the color sets, is it possible to change
the default color sets? For instance when I go under "Design-->Colors:
First is listed "This Presentation" and then "Default Design 1, 2, 3, etc."
which is kinda weird since those color sets are not used in that
presentation. Then our color set is listed under "Custom" Then the third
section is "Built In" and I have figured out how to delete all those (like
Apex, Aspect, Civic, etc.) but don't seem to be able to get rid of the
"Default" ones. We would like to ahve it so everything is specifically
braded so users only have the choice of using approved braded styles and
colors -- don't know if that is probably a pipe dream...

When you create new theme colors, you must name the theme colors something
other than what the original name is. (You can't name your custom color set
the same name as the existing theme color sets.) But that color set should
travel with the theme.

Now, you can typically only have one custom color set per theme. Maybe
that's the problem? Otherwise, you have to manually specify other custom
color sets in the theme's XML -- you can't specify multiple custom color
sets when creating a theme in the PPT interface.

You can send the color set files to users if you want them to have them
available. Look in
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Document Theme\Theme
Colors for the XML files. Send to users and instruct them to put the XML
files in that same folder. Then they'll show up on the theme colors list.

Same for chart templates. Chart templates do *not* travel with themes. (I
know, I know, don't shoot the messenger.) You can send those *.CRTX files to
users and instruct them to save them in
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Charts.

Some things to note. Chart templates do *not* respond to themes. So whatever
colors those charts are when you save the template is what they are, period.
(I know, I know, don't shoot the messenger again.)

stayed put with the presentation. Also, you were able to program a lot of
custom colors for charts by going under "tools-->options-->color" Al of
those could be set to various shades manually.

You didn't go into a lot of detail here, so you may already know this. But
if not, it's important information. In previous versions, you could change
the colors for existing charts in Tools | Options | Color in MS Graph,
***but this palette resets to its default colors whenever you insert a new
chart.*** The modified palette is only available on the chart you created to
modify the palette on -- or on copies of that chart. This is why I usually
create sample charts for users and send those slides to them to use to copy
and change the data to create new charts.

So, in a similar manner, if the 2007 chart gallery styles don't do what you
need, it would benefit your users if you would create a template or PPT file
for them with sample charts, and they can use those to copy and change the
data. Those kinds of chart samples will have "themeable" colors if you want,
or they can have specific colors if you choose colors that aren't part of
the theme color set.

Adjusting gradients is a thing. Here's info that might help:
http://www.echosvoice.com/gradients.htm

But if you need to adjust these, then your users aren't going to have an
easy time of it, and that's why I suggest that you just create some slides
with sample charts and send them to the users.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/

We are attempting to build some new tempaltes using PPT 2007. Didn't have
any problems with earlier versions but can't seem to get a few things to
work
reliably with the new version and hoped someone might have some insights.

We have built the template to begin with as a normal presentation. Have
set
up the graphics and such on the slide masters, etc. For the colors, we
used
the "Create New Theme Colors..." and programed in all the colors. This we
saved as "Our Company Colors". On the machine we built it on it shows up
under custom colors. When we send it to another user on a different
machine
and go under "Design-->Colors" for instance it is not listed there.

For the charts, we built the look of the chart we wanted and then selected
"Save as Template. Same thing -- seems to be unavailable to other users.

Is there a way get this all to work the same on other users machines other
than the main machine it was built on. In previous versions the colors
just
stayed put with the presentation. Also, you were able to program a lot of
custom colors for charts by going under "tools-->options-->color" Al of
those could be set to various shades manually. Now we seem to be unable
to
use more that the few colors set up in the theme -- and not able to adjust
the gradients that automatically appear.

Thanks for any hints.

 

[Echo S]

Those "default design 1" (2, 3, etc.) color sets are leftovers from PPT 2003
and prior. Deleting any extra color schemes in PPT 2003 before opening the
file in 2007 will help. But you have to have one color scheme in 2003, so
I'm not sure that you can get rid of all of them in the color list -- I can
get it down to 1 here, but I still have that Default Design 1 always. You
might have to edit the theme/template XML to get rid of that.

Hmmmm....

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/

Thanks for the great info. So for the color sets, is it possible to
change
the default color sets? For instance when I go under "Design-->Colors:
First is listed "This Presentation" and then "Default Design 1, 2, 3,
etc."
which is kinda weird since those color sets are not used in that
presentation. Then our color set is listed under "Custom" Then the third
section is "Built In" and I have figured out how to delete all those (like
Apex, Aspect, Civic, etc.) but don't seem to be able to get rid of the
"Default" ones. We would like to ahve it so everything is specifically
braded so users only have the choice of using approved braded styles and
colors -- don't know if that is probably a pipe dream...

When you create new theme colors, you must name the theme colors
something
other than what the original name is. (You can't name your custom color
set
the same name as the existing theme color sets.) But that color set
should
travel with the theme.

Now, you can typically only have one custom color set per theme. Maybe
that's the problem? Otherwise, you have to manually specify other custom
color sets in the theme's XML -- you can't specify multiple custom color
sets when creating a theme in the PPT interface.

You can send the color set files to users if you want them to have them
available. Look in
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Document
Theme\Theme
Colors for the XML files. Send to users and instruct them to put the XML
files in that same folder. Then they'll show up on the theme colors list.

Same for chart templates. Chart templates do *not* travel with themes. (I
know, I know, don't shoot the messenger.) You can send those *.CRTX files
to
users and instruct them to save them in
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Charts.

Some things to note. Chart templates do *not* respond to themes. So
whatever
colors those charts are when you save the template is what they are,
period.
(I know, I know, don't shoot the messenger again.)

stayed put with the presentation. Also, you were able to program a lot
of
custom colors for charts by going under "tools-->options-->color" Al
of
those could be set to various shades manually.

You didn't go into a lot of detail here, so you may already know this.
But
if not, it's important information. In previous versions, you could
change
the colors for existing charts in Tools | Options | Color in MS Graph,
***but this palette resets to its default colors whenever you insert a
new
chart.*** The modified palette is only available on the chart you created
to
modify the palette on -- or on copies of that chart. This is why I
usually
create sample charts for users and send those slides to them to use to
copy
and change the data to create new charts.

So, in a similar manner, if the 2007 chart gallery styles don't do what
you
need, it would benefit your users if you would create a template or PPT
file
for them with sample charts, and they can use those to copy and change
the
data. Those kinds of chart samples will have "themeable" colors if you
want,
or they can have specific colors if you choose colors that aren't part of
the theme color set.

Adjusting gradients is a thing. Here's info that might help:
http://www.echosvoice.com/gradients.htm

But if you need to adjust these, then your users aren't going to have an
easy time of it, and that's why I suggest that you just create some
slides
with sample charts and send them to the users.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/

We are attempting to build some new tempaltes using PPT 2007. Didn't
have
any problems with earlier versions but can't seem to get a few things
to
work
reliably with the new version and hoped someone might have some
insights.

We have built the template to begin with as a normal presentation.
Have
set
up the graphics and such on the slide masters, etc. For the colors, we
used
the "Create New Theme Colors..." and programed in all the colors. This
we
saved as "Our Company Colors". On the machine we built it on it shows
up
under custom colors. When we send it to another user on a different
machine
and go under "Design-->Colors" for instance it is not listed there.

For the charts, we built the look of the chart we wanted and then
selected
"Save as Template. Same thing -- seems to be unavailable to other
users.

Is there a way get this all to work the same on other users machines
other
than the main machine it was built on. In previous versions the colors
just
stayed put with the presentation. Also, you were able to program a lot
of
custom colors for charts by going under "tools-->options-->color" Al
of
those could be set to various shades manually. Now we seem to be
unable
to
use more that the few colors set up in the theme -- and not able to
adjust
the gradients that automatically appear.

Thanks for any hints.