Themes in Ppt 2007

[Lozzaw]

Hi,

I am getting a bit confused with the differences between themes and
templates in PowerPoint 2007. If I use the standard themes this changes the
layout of slides, the backgrounds, colours, fonts and effects. Essentially,
everything that used to be a part of a template. If I apply my company
template to a presentation by using the Browse for Theme (!) command on the
Design tab, I also change the backgrounds, colours, fonts and effects.

So, is a theme the same as template? If not, what are the differences?

Thanks

 

[Echo S]

I had the same question, Lozzaw, so it's not just you.

Think of a theme as a kind of "uber-template." It holds a set of theme
fonts, theme colors, and theme effects. And, if I have this correctly, a
theme can also hold a Word template, a PPT template, and an Excel template
(and maybe an Access template, if there is such a thing). So, while you
can't apply a POTX to a Word file, you can apply a THMX to a Word file...and
to a PowerPoint file, and to an Excel file.

This enables a set of fonts (heading and body), colors, and effects to be
available throughout Office as you build files -- and that helps you to
maintain a more consistent look throughout your Office documents, if, of
course, they're based on the same theme.

Does that help explain it?

 

[Lozzaw]

Hi Echo,

I love your description of them as being 'uber-templates'! I've called them
a few things, but never that.

Right, I like your thinking. The same theme can be used across Word
documents/templates and PowerPoint presentations/templates to create a
consistent look. However, the theme does NOT include images/logos.

Have I got this scenario right then. I am responsible for designing my
company templates and now choose to use themes to get this consistent look.
But the company has had a rebranding and updated the colours, fonts and logo.
To update the colours and fonts I need to update the theme and make that
available to all. But to update the logo I need to update the templates and
make them available to all. Is that right?

Hang on, this is a bit like a cascading style sheet, is it not?

I had the same question, Lozzaw, so it's not just you.

Think of a theme as a kind of "uber-template." It holds a set of theme
fonts, theme colors, and theme effects. And, if I have this correctly, a
theme can also hold a Word template, a PPT template, and an Excel template
(and maybe an Access template, if there is such a thing). So, while you
can't apply a POTX to a Word file, you can apply a THMX to a Word file...and
to a PowerPoint file, and to an Excel file.

This enables a set of fonts (heading and body), colors, and effects to be
available throughout Office as you build files -- and that helps you to
maintain a more consistent look throughout your Office documents, if, of
course, they're based on the same theme.

Does that help explain it?

--
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/

Hi,

I am getting a bit confused with the differences between themes and
templates in PowerPoint 2007. If I use the standard themes this changes
the
layout of slides, the backgrounds, colours, fonts and effects.
Essentially,
everything that used to be a part of a template. If I apply my company
template to a presentation by using the Browse for Theme (!) command on
the
Design tab, I also change the backgrounds, colours, fonts and effects.

So, is a theme the same as template? If not, what are the differences?

Thanks

 

[Echo S]

Hi Echo,

I love your description of them as being 'uber-templates'! I've called
them
a few things, but never that.
LOL!

Right, I like your thinking. The same theme can be used across Word
documents/templates and PowerPoint presentations/templates to create a
consistent look. However, the theme does NOT include images/logos.

Have I got this scenario right then. I am responsible for designing my
company templates and now choose to use themes to get this consistent
look.
But the company has had a rebranding and updated the colours, fonts and
logo.
To update the colours and fonts I need to update the theme and make that
available to all. But to update the logo I need to update the templates
and
make them available to all. Is that right?

That's a good question. I believe you are correct. Let me play a little,
though -- I think you may still be able to include the logos in a theme, but
I don't know that it will be a straightforward process.

Hang on, this is a bit like a cascading style sheet, is it not?

Yeah, that would be a good description.