Contents

A

Action

Actor Options

Actor Placeholders

Actors

Adding a Background to All Slides

Adding a Sound to a Slide

Adding Codes to Headers and Footers

Adding Slides to a Presentation

Adding Sound Across Multiple Slides

Adding Text Blocks

Adjusting the Sound Timeline

Aligning Objects

Animated Movies

Animated Text Transitions

Animating Charts

Applying a Template to an Existing Presentation

Arrowheads

Assigning Interaction

Astound as an OLE Client

B

Backgrounds in Astound Draw

Backgrounds in Astound Image

Backgrounds

Best Size for Tables

Bottom Tool Palette

Breaking a Link

Button Text Attributes

Buttons

C

Cell Sizes

Cels

Centering Objects

Changing Format Levels

Chart Attributes

Chart Axes Options

Chart Colors

Chart Formats

Chart Types

Charting Options

Charts

Choosing a Chart Type

Clearing the Screen of Pen Notations

Closing the Speaker Notes Window

Collapsed Slides

Collapsing All Text Below a Certain Format Level

Collapsing Text Below a Point

Collapsing the Entire Presentation to Slide Titles Only

Color Enhancement

Color Mixer

Color Schemes

Color Spectrum

Coloring Buttons

Coloring Lines and Object Borders

Coloring Text

Command Line Options

Commands

Common Questions

Concepts

Converting Objects to Bitmaps

Copying Objects

Copying Text

Creating a Datasheet

Creating a Slide

Creating a Path

Creating an Outline

Creating Chart Formats

Creating Master Slides

Creating Slides with a Master using the New Slide Pop-Up Menu

Creating Slides with a Master using the Slide Menu

Creating Tables from a Datasheet

Creating Templates

Cropping Objects

Custom Slide Dimension

Customizing the Slide Sorter Display

D

Datasheet

Defining a CD Clip

Defining a Pictograph Object

Deleting a Link

Deselecting Objects

Dialog Boxes

Disabling the Notation Pens during Playback

Display Preferences

Displaying Seconds or Percentages in the Timeline

Distorting Shapes

Distributing Presentations on CD-ROM

Distributing Presentations

Distributing Timelines

Drawing a Shape

Drawing on a Slide during Presentation Playback

Drawing Palette

Drawing Tools

Duplicating Objects

Duration of a Timeline

E

Editing Datasheets and Replotting Charts

Editing Master Slides

Enhancing the Color of a Range of Slides

Entering Text in a Text Block

Entry or Exit Periods in the Timeline

Exporting a Self-Running Presentation

Exporting

Eyedropper

F

File Preferences

Fill Options

Filling Objects with a Pattern using the Fill Tool

Filling Objects with a Pattern using the Object Menu

Filling Objects with a Solid Color using the Fill Tool

Filling Objects with a Solid Color using the Object Menu

Filling Placeholders

Finding a Selection of Text

Fixing a Broken Link

Flipping Shapes

Flow Control

Format Levels

G

Grids

Grouped Objects and Timelines

Grouping Objects

H

Handout Masters

HeadStart Presentations

I

Importing Actors

Importing Pictures

Importing Sounds Directly to a Slide

Importing Text

Importing Video and Animated Movies

Importing

Individual Colors in a Color Scheme

Inserting Time in a Timeline

Interactive Responses

Interactive Trigger

Interactivity

L

Layering Objects

Legends

Line Attributes set in the Object Display Dialog Box

Line Characteristics in the Object Menu

Line Options

Line Weights of Object Borders and Lines

Linking Objects

Linking to a Master Object

Loading a Pictograph

Loading a User Dictionary

Loading and Placing Animated Actors

Loading and Placing Pictures

Loading and Placing Video and Animated Movies

Loading Chart Formats

Loading Sounds into Memory

Looping a Sound

M

Margins

Master Slides from Slides

Master Slides

MCI Commands

Menus

Modifier Keys

Modifying an Arrowhead

Movie Options

Moving Around the Datasheet

Moving Between Slides

Moving Between Views

Moving Lines of Text

Moving Markers

Moving Objects

Moving Text Blocks

Multi-Color Gradient Background

Multi-Color Gradient Fill

Multiple Chart Types for Combination Charts

Multiple Links

Multiple Slides

N

New Drawings used as Slide Pictures

New Presentations

Next Note Page

Normal Text

Notation Pens

Note Pages of Text

Nudging Objects

Number of Points in a Star

Number of Sides in a Polygon

Number Attributes on Charts

O

Object Path Animations

Object Transitions

OLE Links

OLE Objects

OLE: Object Linking and Embedding

Opening a Presentation

Opening Datasheets and Importing Spreadsheet Data

Opening the Speaker Notes Window

Optimizing Your Presentation

Options Available during Playback

Outline View Tool Bar

Outline View

Overlay Video on a Slide

P

Page Setup

Panel Colors

Pasting Objects

Pasting Text

Pattern Background

Pausing the Presentation with the Pop-Up Menu

Pausing the Presentation with the Spacebar

Pictographs

Picture Background

Picture Options

Pictures

Placeholders

Playback Control Panel

Playback Options

Playing a Self-Running Presentation

Playing a Sound Once on a Timeline

Playing Segmented Presentations

Playing Slides Out of Order

Preparing Presentations for Playback

Previewing Sound

Previewing the Current Slide

Previewing the Entire Presentation

Previous Note Page

Printing 35mm Slides

Printing a Presentation

Printing Handouts and Thumbnails

Printing Speaker Notes

Purging Unused Resources

Q

Quitting a Presentation

R

Re-displaying Text

Recording Narration

Redefining Display Colors

Redirecting a Slide

Redirecting Playback Order

Removing a Chart Format

Removing a Color Scheme

Removing a Set of Slide Dimensions

Removing a Shadow

Removing a Sound from a Slide

Removing a Text Block

Removing a Texture

Removing Actors from Memory

Removing an Object

Removing Backgrounds

Removing Interactivity

Removing Markers

Removing Pictures from Memory

Removing Sounds from Memory

Removing Text Overrides

Removing Text

Removing the Master Slide from the Current Slide

Removing Time from a Timeline

Removing Video or Animated Movies from Memory

Renaming a Slide

Renaming a Sound

Reordering Slides

Replacing a Single Movie or Filling Movie Placeholders

Replacing a Single Picture or Filling Picture Placeholders

Selecting Colors Outside the Color Scheme

Replacing All Occurrences of a Picture

Replacing All Occurrences of a Video or Animated Movie

Replacing All Occurrences of an Actor

Replacing Text

Replacing Textures

Replotting Charts Automatically

Replotting Data

Resizing and Reshaping Objects

Resources

Reverting to a Saved Copy

Rotating an Actor

Rotating Cels within an Actor

Rotation Transition

Rulers

S

Saving a Master Slide

Saving a Pictograph Object

Saving a Presentation for Distribution

Saving a User Dictionary

Saving Files

Saving Preference Settings when Exiting

Scaling an Actor

Scaling each Cel within an Actor

Segment and Panel Attributes

Selecting Objects

Setting Up Slides

Shadow Tool

Shifting a Timeline

Shortcut Keys

Showing Object Paths on the Slide

Simple Gradient Background

Simple Gradient Fill

Single Transition Attributes

Slide Duration

Slide Editing

Slide Markers and Pauses

Slide Preview Options

Slide Sorter Tool Bar

Slide Sorter

Slide View

Snap Timelines to Other Actions

Snap to Grid Option

Solid Color Background

Sound Options

Sound Timelines

Speaker Notes

Spell Checking Selected Text

Storing Textures

Switching Color Schemes

Switching Master Slides

Switching Pens

Switching Templates

T

Tables

Tabs

Templates

Text Alignment

Text Attributes for Format Levels

Text Blocks in the Slide View

Text Blocks

Text Editing

Text Format Levels

Text Interpretations

Text Specifications for Charts

Text Transitions

Text within a Text Block

Texture Background

Texture Fill

Three Dimensional Charts

Timeline Markers

Timeline Tool Bar

Timeline Window

Timelines

Tool Bar

Tool Palette

Transitions Between Slides

Transitions

Troubleshooting

Types of Placeholders

U

Undo Command

Ungrouping Objects

Unlinking from a Master Object

Unlinking Master Slides

Updating a Manual Link

Updating Linked Objects

Using HeadStart Presentations

Using Tabs with Format Levels

Using the Player Application

V

Video

View Magnification

W

Windows Command Line Options


Dialog Boxes

Apply Changes To

Button Options

Change Link

Character Spacing

Chart Format Name

Chart Options

Color Mixer

Color Schemes

Color Spectrum

Column Width

Confirm Replacement

Continue Find

Convert Object to Bitmap

Create Master

Create New Slide

Datasheet Links

Define Arrowheads

Define Compact Disc Clip

Delete Datasheets

Display Preferences

Distribute Timelines

Eyedropper

File Preferences

Fill Pattern

Find and Replace Text

Find Text

Format Text Levels

Gradient Background

Gradient

HeadStart

Import Text File

Insert OLE Object

Insert Time

Line Spacing

Line Weight

Links

Load Chart Format

Load Pictograph

Load User Dictionary

MCI Script

Multi-Color Gradient

Name Pictograph

Number of Points

Number of Sides

Object Display

Object Information

Object Interaction

Object Path Animation

Object Storage

Object Transition

Open Actor

Open Datasheet

Open Master Slide

Open Movie

Open Object

Open Picture

Open Presentation

Open Slide

Open Sound

Optimize Slideshow

Page Setup

Paragraph Spacing

Paste Special

Pattern Background

Pictograph

Picture Background

Play Next

Printer Setup

Print

Print To File

Purge Unused Resources

Remap Color Schemes

Remove Overrides

Remove Time

Rename Sound

Replace Unavailable Fonts

Resize Object

Resources Not Found

Rotate Actor

Rotate Cels

Row and Column Layout

Row Height

Save Chart Format

Save Color Scheme

Save Datasheet

Save Object As

Save Pictograph

Save Presentation As

Save Slide As

Save Template As

Save User Dictionary

Select a Pictograph

Select Actor

Select Datasheet

Select Icon

Select MCI Object

Select Media File

Select Movie

Select Picture

Select Sound

Select Template

Set Notation Pens

Shadow Offset

Size Actor

Size Cels

Slide Dimensions

Slide Duration

Slide Magnification

Slide Marker

Slide Name

Slide Transition

Slideshow Options

Solid Color Background

Spell Checker

Switch Master

Text Color

Text Size

Texture Name

Textures

Type Specs

Typeface


MCI Commands

Basic MCI Commands

LOAD

PAUSE

PLAY

RECORD

RESUME

SAVE

SEEK

SET

STATUS

STOP

Extended MCI Commands

CAPABILITY

CLOSE

INFO

OPEN

PAUSE

PLAY

PUT

REALIZE

SEEK

SET

STATUS

STEP

STOP

UPDATE

WHERE

WINDOW

New MCI Command

VERSION

Required MCI Commands

CAPABILITY

CLOSE

INFO

OPEN

STATUS


Editing Text

Alignment

Attributes

Buttons

Collapsing Text

Coloring Text

Copying Text

Finding Text

Format Levels

Headers and Footers

Importing Text

Margins

Moving Lines of Text

Outlines

Pasting Text

Removing Text Overrides

Removing Text

Replacing Text

Rulers

Spell Checking

Tabs

Text Blocks

Transitions


Editing Slides

Adding a Custom Slide Dimension

Creating Master Slides from Slides

Customizing the Slide Sorter Display

Enhancing the Color of a Range of Slides

Importing

Magnifying Slides

Moving Between Slides

Removing a Set of Slide Dimensions

Renaming a Slide

Reordering Slides

Selecting Multiple Slides

Setting Slide Preview Options

Setting Up Slides


Slide View Definition
Slide View

  The main window of Astound is the Slide View. You can access this window by clicking on the Slide View button. This view lets you create and edit each slide. You can access all of the menus, tools, and buttons from this window, as well as place objects and text, create backgrounds, animation and sounds, import and export pictures, actors and more. The Slide View consists of menus, a tool bar and a tool palette.

Related Topics:

Creating a Slide


Tool Bar

The tool bar is available in all of Astounds views.

  Open button: Clicking on this button displays the Open Presentation dialog box which allows you to search for and open an existing presentation file.

  Save button: Clicking on this button displays the Save Presentation As dialog box, which allows you to save your presentations. If you have previously saved your presentation no dialog box will appear.

  Print button: Clicking on this button displays the Print dialog box which allows you to specify how you want your files printed and then prints them accordingly.

  Undo button: Clicking on this button undoes the most recent function or action accomplished.

  Cut button: Clicking on this button deletes the selected object(s) or text from the slide and copies it onto the Clipboard.

  Copy button: Clicking on this button copies the selected object(s) or text to the Clipboard.

  Paste button: Clicking on this button pastes the contents of the Clipboard into your presentation or outline.

  Magnification pop-up menu: Pressing and clicking on this pop-up menu allows you to select the magnification level of your slide.

  Layer Up button: Single clicking on this button brings your currently selected object(s) up one layer; double clicking on this button brings the object(s) to the very top.

  Layer Down button: Clicking on this button sends your currently selected object(s) down one layer, while double clicking on this button sends the object(s) to the very bottom.

  Group Selected Objects button: Clicking on this button groups your selected objects.

  Ungroup Selected Objects button: Clicking on this button ungroups the objects in the selected group(s).

  Object Display button: Clicking on this button displays the Object Display dialog box which allows you to specify the outline, interior fill, and shadow attributes of the selected object(s).

  Object Transition button: Clicking on this button displays the Object Transition dialog box which enables you to choose an entry and an exit transition. You can also set the entry and exit times on the timeline.

  Object Path Animation button: Clicking on this button displays the Object Path Animation dialog box which enables you to set the entry and exit paths. You can also set the entry and exit times on the timeline.

  Object Interaction button: Clicking on the button displays the Object Interaction dialog box which enables you to set pause options, select sound, action, and flow control options.

  Check Spelling button: Clicking on this button displays the Spell Checker dialog box which allows you to check the spelling of the selected text or of current text in the selected objects..

  Play Entire Presentation button: This button allows you to run the entire slideshow, with all of the animation, sound and transitions that were specified in the Slideshow Options dialog box.

  Play Current Slide button: This button plays the currently selected slide, with all the animation, sound and transitions that were specified in the Slideshow Options dialog box.

  Timeline button: This button displays the Timeline window in which you can synchronize multiple objects and effects.

  Speaker Notes button: This button displays the Speaker Notes window in which you can create speaker notes to accompany your presentation.

  Slide View button: This button displays the main view of Astound that allows you to create and edit the individual slides of your presentation. You can draw, and place text, charts, and animation on each slide.

  Outline View button: This button displays an outline view of slides and the text contained within the slides. You can add new text, edit existing text, import text and rearrange text from this window. From the Outline View window, you can quickly edit the text in your slides without affecting any other objects.

  Slide Sorter button: This button displays a pictorial overview of all the slides in a presentation. In the Slide Sorter window, you can rearrange and rename slides within a presentation.

Font: From this drop-down list you can select a font style to use for your text. This list appears in the tool bar when you are adding text.

Font Size: From this combo box you can select a size for your text. This option appears in the tool bar when you are adding text.

  Bold button: Clicking on this button bolds the selected text. This button appears in the tool bar when you are adding text.

  Italicize button: Clicking on this button italicizes the selected text. This button appears in the tool bar when you are adding text.

  Underline button: Clicking on this button underlines the selected text. This button appears in the tool bar when you are adding text.

  Left Justify button: Clicking on this button aligns text to the left margin. This button appears in the tool bar when you are adding text.

  Center button: Clicking on this button centers text between both margins. This button appears in the tool bar when you are adding text.

  Right Justify button: Clicking on this button aligns text to the right margin. This button appears in the tool bar when you are adding text.

  Justify button: Clicking on this button aligns text to both margins, adding spaces between the words as necessary. This button appears in the tool bar when you are adding text.

Related Topics:

Tool Palette

Slide View

Outline View Tool Bar

Slide Sorter Tool Bar


Tool Palette

  Pointer tool: This tool allows you to select objects on a slide. You can also use this tool to move and resize objects.

  Text tool: This tool allows you to create and edit text on a slide. Clicking on this tool also changes the tool bar of your main (Slide View) window to the special editing buttons that allow you to modify text formatting.

Drawing tools: Astound includes a pop-up palette of tools that allow you to draw objects such as lines, rectangles, rounded rectangles, parallelograms, oblongs, ellipses, arcs, freehand objects, polygons, regular polygons, speech balloons, stars, and arrows.

  Button tool: This tool allows you to quickly draw several styles of buttons to which you can easily add interactivity.

  Picture tool: This tool allows you to place pictures on your slide.

  Movie tool: This tool allows you to import digitized video clips, animated movies, and specify the placement of overlay video.

  Actor tool: This tool allows you to place animated actors on your slide.

  Chart tool: This tool allows you to create charts.

  Sound tool: This tool allows you to play, add, remove, load, record and edit sounds for each slide in your presentation.

  Fill tool:  This tool changes the objects interior attributes. Pressing and holding on this tool displays a Color Scheme pop-up palette which allows you to choose the color for a solid fill. You can also design a gradient, add texture fills and patterns.

  Line tool: This tool changes the objects border attributes. Pressing and holding on this tool displays a Color Scheme pop-up palette from which you can specify the color for your lines. You can also use this tool to define arrowhead styles and the thickness for any lines you draw.

  Shadow tool: Pressing and holding on this tool displays a Color Scheme pop-up palette from which you can choose the shadow color for an object. You can also use this tool to specify the shadow offset and pattern.

Related Topics:

Tool Bar

Slide View


Bottom Tool Palette

New Slide: Pressing and holding on this button displays a list of master slides that you can use to create a new slide. You can also choose to create a new slide without a master..

Slide: Pressing and holding on this button displays a list of the slides in the current presentation, so you can quickly move between them.

Related Topics:

Tool Palette


Outline View Definition
Outline View

  You can access the Outline View by clicking on the Outline View button. The Outline View displays a text outline of all the slides in your presentation so that you can edit, cut, copy, and paste any of the text in your presentation. This view allows you to edit and view all of the text in your presentation so you can arrange the information within each slide and for the presentation as a whole.

When you switch to the Outline View, some menus disappear and are replaced with the Outline menu. Some of the buttons in the tool bar along the top of the window will also change.

Related Topics:

Creating an Outline


Outline View Tool Bar

  Promote button: This button allows you to move the selected lines of text one format level higher.

  Demote button: This button allows you to move the selected lines of text one format level lower.

  Move Line Up button: This button allows you to move the selected lines of text up one line.

  Move Line Down button: This button allows you to move the selected lines of text down one line.

  Expand Current button: Clicking on this button expands the currently selected line to show all of its sub-points.

  Expand All button: Clicking on this button expands all the text so that all the format levels are displayed.

  Collapse Current button: Clicking on this button collapses the currently selected text so that only the highest level is displayed, and all sub-points below it are hidden.

  Collapse All button: Clicking on this button collapses all the text so that only the slide titles are displayed.

Related Topics:

Outline View


Slide Sorter Definition
Slide Sorter

  You can access the Slide Sorter by clicking on the Slide Sorter button in any view. This window displays miniatures of all the slides in the presentation and lets you rearrange or rename your slides quickly.

When you are in the Slide Sorter, the Text, Object, and Chart menus disappear and are replaced by the Sorter menu. Some of the buttons in the tool bar along the top of the window also change.

Related Topics:

Editing Slides


Slide Sorter Tool Bar

Show or Hide Slide Info button: Clicking on this button when the information is hidden, displays any attributes or information about the selected slide. If the information is already displayed, clicking on this button will hide it so that only the slide preview is showing.

Small Preview Size button: Clicking on this button decreases the size of the slide thumbnails to the smallest size.

Medium Preview Size button: Clicking on this button changes the size of the slide thumbnails to a medium size.

Large Preview Size button: Clicking on this button increases the size of the slide thumbnails to the largest size.

Sound button: Clicking on this button displays the Select Sound dialog box from which you can select a sound currently loaded into memory and add it to the currently selected slide.

Related Topics:

Slide Sorter


Timeline Tool Bar

  You can access the Timeline window by clicking on the Timeline button.

    Seconds/Percent button: This button allows you to display each objects timing information in either seconds or a percentage of the slides duration.

  Distribution button: This button allows you to evenly distribute the entry and exit transitions of selected objects.

  Insert Time button: This button allows you to insert time at any point in the slides duration.

  Delete Time button: This button allows you to delete time from any point in the slides duration.

  Marker/Pause button: This button allows you to add a marker at any point during the slide. This marker can serve as a jump point and/or as a pause.

Related Topics:

Timeline Window


Moving Between Views

      As you create or edit a presentation, you can easily move between the Slide View window, the Outline View window, and Slide Sorter window by simply choosing the appropriate view from the View menu or by clicking on the Slide View, Outline View or Slide Sorter button for the window you want to use. The selected window appears. For example, you may want to create an outline in the Outline View, add graphics in the Slide View and then arrange slides in the Slide Sorter.

    You can also open the Timeline window and a Speaker Notes window by choosing the appropriate Window menu option or clicking on the Timeline or Speaker notes button. Once opened, the Timeline window remains open on top of any view, except the Outline View, until you close it.

Related Topics:

Outline View

Slide Sorter

Slide View

Speaker Notes

Timeline Window


Opening a Presentation

1.	  Choose File/Open or click on the Open a Presentation... button.

The Open Presentation dialog box appears.

2.	Select the presentation you want to open.

3.	If you want to see a how the presentation looks before you open it, enable the Preview checkbox.

The presentation appears in the Preview box. You can scroll through the preview to see the various master slides contained in the presentation.

4.	If you want to open a presentation from the Media Manager, click on the Media Mgr button.

The Media Manager window appears from which you can select a presentation that has been stored in a library.

NOTE: You can use the Windows drag and drop feature to open a presentation within Astound. Simply select a presentation file in the File Manager and drag it onto Astounds Slide View.

NOTE: You can import presentations with different templates using the File/Import/Presentation command. The Merge Presentations dialog box appears, and you are asked to choose which template(s) you want to use.

Related Topics:

Creating a New Presentation

Distributing Presentations


Creating a New Presentation

You can choose to create a presentation with or without a template. You can also use HeadStart presentations. These are designed for specific types of presentations, for example a presentation for a sales or budget meeting.

1.	Choose File/New...

The Select Template dialog box appears.

2.	Select the template you want.

3.	If you want to see how the template looks before you open it, enable the Preview checkbox.

The selected template appears in the Preview box. You can scroll through the preview to see the various master slides contained in the template.

4.	If you want to select a template from the Media Manager, click on the Media Mgr button.

The Media Manager window appears from which you can select a template that has been stored in a library.

5.	If you want to use a HeadStart presentation, click on the HeadStart button.

A window appears from which can select a presentation. If you want to preview it before you open it, enable the Preview checkbox and a preview will appear in the Preview Box.

6.	Click on the OK button, or if you do not want to use a template, click on the No Template button.

The first master of the selected template or an empty slide appears.

Related Topics:

Opening a Presentation

Using HeadStart Presentations

Setting Display Preferences


Setting Display Preferences

You can customize Astound by specifying various display preferences. The display preferences allow you to display or hide the tool bar and status bar, set units of measurement, and add a grid to your slides to help you place objects. You can also save these preference settings when you exit Astound so that they will be used the next time you run Astound.

1.	Choose View/Preferences/Display...

The Display Preferences dialog box appears.

2.	Specify the appropriate display options.

You can show the status bar or the tool bar.

3.	Specify the measurement options.

You can choose inches, millimeters, pels, points, or picas.

4.	Specify the grid options.

5.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics:

Setting File Preferences

Saving Preference Settings when Exiting

Customizing the Slide Sorter Display


Setting File Preferences

You can customize Astound by specifying various file preferences. The file preferences allow you to specify whether files are compressed by default when they are saved, if backup files are made, if Astound automatically saves files, and what type of preview to save with a file by default. You can also save these preference settings when you exit Astound so that they will be used the next time you run Astound.

1.	Choose View/Preferences/File...

The File Preferences dialog box appears.

2.	Specify the save file options.

You can select the Save Files Compressed, Backup Before Save, Automatic Timed Save or Reload after Save Self Contained options.

3.	Specify the preview options.

You can specify that a color, black and white or no preview be saved with your file. You can also specify whether this preview is of the slide that is displayed when the presentation is saved, or all slides in the presentation. This preview is displayed in the Open Presentation dialog box.

NOTE:  Disabling file preview will reduce file size, especially in a presentation with a lot of slides.

4.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics:

Setting Display Preferences

Setting Preference Settings when Exiting


Saving Preference Settings when Exiting

When you choose View/Preferences/Save Settings On Exit, your display and file preference settings are saved as defaults for use in every Astound presentation created thereafter, until you change the settings again. If you press [Shift] when you exit, your settings will be saved before you exit.

Related Topics:

Setting Display Preferences

Setting File Preferences


Setting Up Slides

As you prepare your presentation, you can select specific dimensions for your slides depending on whether you are printing the presentation or playing it back on a computer.

1.	Choose Slide/Dimensions...

The Slide Dimensions dialog box appears.

2.	Select the appropriate dimension name from the Available Dimensions combo box.

Select the screen size you want in the pop-up menu. You have a choice of a monitor size, a paper page size, or 35mm slides. You can also create custom slide sizes

If you are setting up slides for an on-screen presentation, be sure to select the slide size that matches the monitor on which you will be playing the presentation.

3.	If you want to scale the placement of objects currently on your slide, enable the Adjust Object Positions checkbox.

This moves all objects on the slide so that they keep their relative positions in the new slide size. The objects themselves are scaled.

4.	Click on the OK button when you are finished.

The slide appears in the dimensions you have selected.

Related Topics:

Setting Slide Preview Options

Adding a Custom Slide Dimension

Customizing the Slide Sorter Display

Creating a Slide

Editing Slides


Adding a Custom Slide Dimension

You can specify a custom slide size and add it to your list of available slide dimensions.

1.	Choose Slide/Dimensions...

The Slide Dimensions dialog box appears.

2.	In the Name field, type a name for your slide dimensions.

3.	In the Width and Height edit boxes, type the dimensions you want to use.

If you want to set the slide dimensions in measurement units other than those displayed in the dialog box, you will have to change the units of measurement in the Display Preferences dialog box.

4.	Click on the Add button to add the new set of dimensions to the Available Dimensions combo box.

Related Topics:

Removing a Set of Slide Dimensions

Setting Up Slides

Editing Slides


Removing a Set of Slide Dimensions

If you do not use a set of slide dimensions that are listed in the Available Dimensions combo box, you can remove the dimensions from the list.

Choose Slide/Dimensions... then select the dimension name you want to remove from the Available Dimensions combo box in the Slide Dimensions dialog box. When you click on the Remove button, you are returned to the Slide Dimension dialog box and the dimensions are removed from the list of available slide dimensions.

NOTE: You can only remove the custom slide dimensions that you have created. Astound maintains a set of slide dimensions that cannot be removed.

Related Topics:

Setting Up Slides

Editing Slides


Creating a Slide

You can create as many new slides as you want in your presentation by following the steps below or by pressing and holding on the New Slide button in the bottom tool palette, and selecting the master you want to use from the drop-down menu.

1.	Choose Slide/New...

The Create New Slide dialog box appears.

2.	Select the master you want from the drop-down list, or no master.

Your selection is displayed.

3.	In the Name edit box, type the name of your new slide.

If you do not enter a slide name, a default is used.

4.	In the No. of Slides edit box, type the number of slides you want to create.

If you create multiple slides, each slide created has the same name, followed by a number. For example, if you specify the name Chart, the slides will be Chart 1, Chart 2, Chart 3 etc.

5.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics:

Creating Master Slides

Creating Master Slides from Slides

Adding Slides to a Presentation

Editing Slides


Renaming a Slide

Choose Slide/Name... and type in a new name in the Slide Name dialog box. When you click on the OK button, the current slide is renamed, and the new name appears on the Slide button. You can also change slide names in the Slide Sorter.

Related Topics:

Editing Slides


Moving Between Slides

As you edit your presentation, you can move quickly and easily between the slides within your presentation. Display the Go To submenu by choosing Slide/Go To and select the slide that you want. You can go to the next, previous, first, or the last slide or choose a slide by name.

A simpler way to move between slides is to click on the right and left arrow buttons at the bottom of the window. These arrows move you forward or backward through your slides.

You can also press and hold on the Slide button to see a pop-up menu of slides in your current presentation. Select the slide you want from the menu.

If there are more than 10 slides in your presentation, choose More... from the pop-up menu. The More... window appears and you can see the entire list of slides.

NOTE: You can also move between slides in the Slide Sorter by double clicking on the slide you want to go to.

Related Topics:

Editing Slides


View Magnification

Astound allows you to change the magnification level in the Slide View to see finer details, or to see the overall effect of the slide. You can choose the magnification you want (25%-400%) or specify an exact magnification. You can also choose basic magnifications or fit the slide to the Slide View window, as well as increase or decrease the magnification.

1.	  Choose View/Magnification, or press and hold on the Magnification button.

The Magnification submenu appears.

2.	Select the magnification you want.

25% to 400%: Sets magnification to the specified percentage.

100% (Actual Size): Displays the slide at 100% of its size.

Fit in Window: Displays the entire slide as large as possible within the current window.

Increase: Increases the magnification one level above the current magnification. (A level is defined for each magnification percentage shown in the magnification submenu.)

Decrease: Decreases the magnification one level below the current magnification. (A level is defined for each magnification percentage shown in the magnification submenu.)

Other...: Displays the Slide Magnification dialog box in which you can type any number (between 10% and 2000%) to set a custom magnification.

The slide appears in the magnification you select.

NOTE: Single clicking the magnification tool button will automatically adjust the magnification so that the entire slide will fit in the window.

Related Topics:

Editing Slides


Customizing the Slide Sorter Display

You can customize the display of your presentation within the Slide Sorter by specifying how large the slide preview is, and whether information such as the slide name, duration and the slide transition is displayed or not.

1.	  Choose View/Sorter View, or click on the Slide Sorter button.

The Slide Sorter window appears.

2.	      Choose the desired slide preview size from the Sorter menu, or click on the appropriate slide preview size button.

You can select a small, medium or large size. The slide previews change to reflect the size you have chosen.

3.	  Enable or disable Sorter/Show Information or the Show Information button in the Slide Sorter window.

When this command and button are enabled, the slide previews include the slide name, duration, and a transition icon if there is a transition attached to the slide.

Related Topics:

Setting Up Slides

Editing Slides


Selecting Multiple Slides

The Slide Sorter window can  be used to perform some actions on multiple slides. For example, you can select multiple slides and add the same background or transition to all of them, add the same background sound, or select the slides you want to spell check.

There are several ways to select slides for reordering and editing in the slide sorter:

After clicking on the first slide to select it, hold down the [Ctrl] key and click on individual slides to select multiple, independent slides.

After clicking on the first slide to select it, hold down the [Shift] key and click on the last slide in the range of slides you want to select.

Hold down the [Shift] key and use the arrow keys or [Page Up], [Page Down], [Home] and [End] keys to select a range of slides.

Related Topics:

Editing Slides


Reordering Slides

You can rearrange your slides by clicking on the line marker beside the slide marker, and then dragging it to a different position in your presentation. If you have Outline/Auto Renumber enabled, the slides will be renumbered to reflect their new order automatically. If you do not have this command enabled, the slides will retain their original numbering.

NOTE: When Auto Renumber is enabled, only the default slide names will change.  Any other names you have assigned to your slides will not be changed.

1.	      In the Slide Sorter you may change the slide sizes by clicking on the appropriate preview size button.

2.	Select the slides you want to move.

The selected slides are highlighted with a shadow.

3.	Drag the slides to the desired location.

A red line appears between slides indicating the position to which the slides will be moved.

4.	Release the mouse button when the line appears at the appropriate location.

The slides move to the new location.

NOTE: If you double click on any slide in the Slide Sorter window, you will return to that particular slide in the Slide View window.

Related Topics:

Editing Slides


Enhancing the Color of a Range of Slides

When creating presentations for display on a 256-color system, Astound must choose a palette of 256-colors to use. By default, this palette is determined by the template you have chosen for your presentation. After importing your own graphics and video clips, you may find that some of these items do not display well using the default palette. This happens because each graphic may require a different set of 256-colors, even though your computer can only display one set at a time.

In Slide View, Astounds Enhance Color command can analyze several objects on a slide and create a new 256-color palette that displays them as clearly as possible. Or you can change the priority of the selected objects by choosing the most important images on the slide. Changing the priority of objects ensures that the most important objects look the best. When you use this command in Slide View, you may create a different palette for each slide in the presentation. In some cases, this may result in a noticeable shift in colors as one slide transitions over the previous slide. To eliminate these color shifts, you can use the Enhance Color command in the Sorter View to create a common palette for a range of selected slides.

You can select a range of slides in the Slide Sorter and select the best palette for them. You can also select slides and choose the Sorter/Enhance Color/Reset command to return slides to their original palette.

1.	In the Slide Sorter, select the range of slides you want to enhance.

2.	Choose Sorter/Enhance Color/Selected Slides.

Tip: Fade to black between slides if you want to use a different palette for each slide.

Related Topics:

Redefining Display Colors

Editing Slides


Previewing the Current Slide

  You can play just the current slide to preview animation, transitions, videos, and sound. You can play the slide by choosing File/Slideshow/Play Current Slide or clicking on the Play Current Slide button. The current slide plays on your full screen. Press the [Esc] key to stop the preview.

Related Topics:

Setting Slide Preview Options

Previewing the Entire Presentation


Previewing the Entire Presentation

  You can play the entire presentation by choosing File/Slideshow/Play Entire Presentation or clicking on the Play Entire Presentation button. Press the [Esc] key to stop the preview.

1.	Choose File/Slideshow/Play From Current Slide.

The presentation plays, beginning with the current slide.

2.	Press the [Esc] key to stop the preview.

Related Topics:

Setting Slide Preview Options

Previewing the Current Slide


Setting Slide Preview Options

These options include: how long each slide is displayed, if the animation is played, whether or not the cursor is shown, and how the presentation will advance from one slide to the next.

NOTE: These options often override options set elsewhere and will affect final playback of a presentation as well as previewing.

1.	Choose File/Slideshow/Options...

The Slideshow Options dialog box appears.

2.	In the Play box, select the portion of the presentation you want to preview.

3.	In the Options box, select the playback options you want to use.

You can select the Sound, Animation, Video, Fit to Screen, Loop Back to Start, Notation Pens or Set Pens option.

4.	In the Slide Duration box, set the duration for the preview.

You can specify the length for each individual slide or you can use the duration that is already set for each slide.

5.	In the Advance Slides box, specify how you want the slides to advance during your preview.

6.	In the Show Mouse Cursor box, select if and when you would like the cursor to be displayed during the preview.

7.	Click on the OK button to accept your settings, or click on the Play button to preview your presentation using these settings.

Related Topics:

Previewing the Current Slide

Previewing the Entire Presentation


Saving a File the First Time

1.	Choose File/Save As...

The Save Presentation As dialog box appears.

2.	In the filename field type the name you want to save your presentation as.

3.	Specify where you want to save the file.

4.	Click on the OK button.

The presentation is saved, and its name appears in the title bar of the Slide window.

NOTE: The Save Presentation As dialog box contains many saving options, such as embedding, saving over multiple disks, or saving the file in an Astound Macintosh format. You will likely only need to use these options when you are saving a final presentation, or moving your work to a different computer.

Related Topics:

Saving Files with the Save Command

Reverting to a Saved Copy

Saving Master Slides

Saving a Presentation for Distribution

Exporting a Self-Running Presentation


Saving Files with the Save Command

  Once you have named a presentation you can use the File/Save command, or click on the Save button to quickly save your presentation under the same name. When you choose File/Save, your presentation file is updated automatically.

Related Topics:

Reverting to a Saved Copy

Saving a File the First Time


Reverting to a Saved Copy

If you make a mistake, you can easily revert to the last saved copy of your presentation. Choose File/Revert to Saved. A warning box appears asking you to confirm that you really do want to revert to the previously saved version. Click on Yes if you want to discard your modifications since the last time you saved the presentation.

Related Topics:

Saving Files with the Save Command

Saving a File the First Time


Page Setup

Astound uses standard page setup options.

1.	Choose File/Page Setup..., or if you are in the Print dialog box, click on the Page Setup... button.

The Page Setup dialog box appears. The Page Setup... button in the Print dialog boxs Format box changes depending on what print format is selected.

2.	Select the radio button for the print format that you want to specify a specific page setup for.

You can print your slides, handouts, speaker notes or text outline.

3.	In the Page Size box, select the page size.

You can select a small, medium or large paper size.

4.	In the Orientation box, select the orientation you want to print in.

5.	Set the margins for your printout.

You can select Top, Left, Bottom and Right in units that you can specify.

6.	Specify a header and/or footer for your printout.

You can enable the header and/or footer checkboxes and type text in the edit box. This text will be printed in the margin of your slides or handouts.

7.	Repeat steps 2 through 6 for any of the other print formats that you want to specify a specific page setup for.

8.	Click on the OK button.

These settings will be the default for all of your pages when you print.

Related Topics:

Printing a Presentation


Adding Codes to Headers and Footers

You can insert codes in the header and footer text to format them and insert special information. These codes can be either upper or lower case and can be mixed with the regular header or footer text. These codes are typed into the Header and Footer fields in the Page Setup dialog box.

\c	separates columns. The text at the beginning of the header or footer prints aligned with the left margin. Text after the first \c is centered. Text after the second \c is right aligned. All other \c codes are ignored

\p	inserts the current page number

\n	inserts the total number of pages printed

\d	inserts the current date

\t	inserts the current time

\f	inserts the document name

\\	inserts a backslash

For example, to produce:

05/21/94 10:25	CHARTS.ASD	Page 2 of 5

type: \d\t\c\f\cPage \p of \n

Related Topics:

Printing


Printing a Presentation

You can print slides, speaker notes, text outlines and handouts. There are some printing options that are available for only some of the types of printing output. For instance, if you are printing a text outline you can specify whether all text is printed or only the text currently visible in the outline.

1.	  Choose File/Print... or click on the Print button.

The Print dialog box appears.

2.	If the printer listed in the Current Printer box is not the one you want to print to, click on the Setup... button and select the printer you want to print to.

The standard Microsoft Windows Printer Setup dialog box appears. When you are finished making any changes to your printer, click on the OK button to return to the Print dialog box where the new printer will be listed in the Current Printer box.

3.	Select what you want to print by enabling the appropriate radio button.

You can print slides, notes, text outlines and/or handouts.

4.	If you want to change your page size or orientation, click on the Page Setup... button.

The Page Setup dialog box appears. When you are done making changes click on the OK button to return to the Print dialog box.

5.	If you are printing speaker notes, handouts, or slides, specify what slides you want to print, or what slides you want to print the speaker notes for.

You can print all the slides in the presentation, the current slide, a range, or only slides, handouts or speaker notes that have changed since the last time you printed.

6.	Set any other print options.

You can select the Reverse Slide Order, Omit Backgrounds, Omit Gradients or Print To File options.

7.	Set the text options.

8.	Click on the Print button.

Your pages start to print.

NOTE: You can print your overheads on paper and use a copy machine to transfer them to transparency film, or you can put transparency film directly in your printer. Be sure to use the right transparency film for your type of printer.

Related Topics:

Page Setup

Printing Handouts and Thumbnails

Printing 35mm Slides

Printing Speaker Notes


Printing Handouts and Thumbnails

You have the choice of 12 different handout formats to print: 6 portrait and 6 landscape, plus one custom handout master. The handout formats show a miniature of the slide and a set of lines on which the audience can take notes. The fewer miniature slides you place on a handout, the more space there is for notes. The slide formats only show miniatures (or thumbnails) of your slides. The options depicted on the format button will change depending on whether you have the Slides or Handouts radio button selected, and whether you are printing in landscape or portrait orientation.

1.	  Choose File/Print ... or click on the Print button.

The Print dialog box appears.

2.	Enable the Handouts or Slides radio button.

3.	Specify the page orientation by clicking on the Page Setup... button.

4.	Select the page layout you want to use for your handouts.

You can choose to show from one to six miniature slides on a handout. These layouts change depending on whether you are currently printing in a landscape or portrait format and on whether you selected the Handouts or Slides radio button.

5.	You can also choose to use the handout masters you have created. To do this, enable the Use Handout Master checkbox in the Options box.

6.	Enable the Omit Handout Rules checkbox if you do not want to print lines on your handouts for the audience to write on.

7.	Click on the Print button.

Your pages will start printing.

Related Topics:

Printing a Presentation

Printing 35mm Slides

Printing Speaker Notes


Printing 35mm Slides

If you want to produce 35mm slides, you will need to either send your data to a slide-service bureau or use a film recorder. A film recorder connects to your computer through a port. Each film recorder is different, so you should follow the instructions that came with your film recorder to produce 35mm slides.

A slide service bureau will require that you give them your data in a format they can use. Most slide service bureaus accept Postscript files. Contact your service bureau before you create your slide show to see if they have any specific requirements for printing your slides.

If you are going to produce 35mm slides, you should make sure that you picked 35mm slides in the Slide/Dimensions menu.

1.	  Choose File/Print ... or click on the Print button.

The Print dialog box appears.

2.	Enable the appropriate Format radio button.

3.	Set any other print options.

4.	Enable the Print To File radio button.

This will output your data to a file that you can send to a slide service bureau. Not all print drivers have the option to print to a file. You may have to select a different printer for this option to work. For example, a Postscript print driver will likely allow you to print to a Postscript file, and an HPGL print driver will allow you to print to an HPGL file.

5.	Click on the Print button.

A dialog box appears allowing you to specify a file name and where to save the file.

6.	Type the name under which you want to store your Postscript file in the Filename edit box.

7.	Click on the Print button.

Your presentation is printed to a file that can be sent via modem or disk to a slide service.

NOTE: You can also create a Postscript file using the output options provided by a Postscript printer driver. This is done using the printer setup dialog boxes. Refer to your Windows documentation for more information.

Related Topics:

Printing a Presentation

Printing Handouts and Thumbnails

Printing Speaker Notes


Master Slide Definition
Master Slides

A master slide is a predefined slide layout that contains the complementary graphic elements and transitions that are common to the template, as well as placeholders you can insert your own information into.  For example, a master called 1 Chart might have a permanent logo and background, as well as a title placeholder and a chart placeholder you can fill with the presentation title and the appropriate chart data.

Master slides may even contain multimedia effects such as sound, transitions and interactivity.

Some elements on the master slide incorporate the theme of the template and are fixed into place. Placeholders are not fixed in place. Once you insert your own information, you can move and resize the placeholder for the best appearance  for example, resizing a text placeholder to fit the last line of text. You can also change the timelines and transition effects for objects in placeholders.

Timelines and transition effects for the other objects on master slides cannot be edited from your presentation slides.

Any timeline changes that you make to your presentation slides will override the settings on your master. For example, if you set a new slide duration on your presentation slide, any timeline-based events on the master slide, such as transitions, path animations, and sound playback, will be scaled to fit the new duration.

Related Topics:

Creating Master Slides

Editing Master Slides

Templates

HeadStart Presentations


Template Definition
Templates

A template is a set of master slides, each having a similar design style but a different layout suited for a particular set of information. A template is usually loaded before creating the presentation, allowing you to choose a theme for the presentation you are creating.  Once selected, the template provides master slides for you  to choose from when creating each of your presentation slides.

If you use consistent master slide names in all of the templates you create, you can easily switch templates and have the appropriate masters used for your slides, so that all of your data is placed in the correct position. For example, suppose that you create a presentation using a template containing master slides named title, graph and list. You then decide that you dont like the overall look of the presentation, and you want to use a different template that will fit this particular presentation better. If the new template contains master slides that are also named title, graph and list, Astound can match the slide names when you switch templates.

The ready-to-use templates that come with Astound have a consistent naming scheme. If you use these master slide names for the masters in templates that you create, you will be able to switch templates  both yours and Astounds  to change the look of a presentation quickly and easily.

NOTE: You can import presentations with different templates by choosing File/Import/Presentation. The Merge Presentations dialog box appears, and you are asked to choose which template(s) you want to use.

Related Topics:

Master Slides

Head Start Presentations

Selecting Existing Templates

Creating Templates


HeadStart Presentation Definition
HeadStart Presentations

HeadStart presentations are templates that not only have a consistent look designed for you, they also have slides created for specific uses. All you have to do is type your data in the appropriate places. For example you could use a HeadStart template for the annual budget meeting. All of the general information is already included on the slide, all you have to do is customize it to meet your needs.

Related Topics:

Templates

Using HeadStart Presentations


Selecting Existing Templates

The templates that are included with Astound have been designed to offer you a wide choice of colors and styles. All of the master slides in these templates use a common naming scheme, so switching between them is simple.

1.	Choose File/New...

The Select Template dialog box appears. If you have a presentation open that you havent saved, you are prompted to do so first.

2.	Select the template you want to use.

3.	If you want to see how the template looks, enable the Preview checkbox.

The selected template appears in the Preview box. You can scroll through the preview to see the various master slides contained in the template.

4.	If you want to select a template from the Media Manager, click on the Media Mgr button.

The Media Manager window  appears from which you can select a template that has been stored in a library.

5.	If you want to use a HeadStart presentation, click on the HeadStart button.

A window appears from which can select a presentation. If you want to preview it before you open it, enable the Preview checkbox and a preview will appear in the Preview Box.

6.	Click on the OK button, or if you do not want to use a template, click on the No Template button.

The first master of the selected template or an empty slide appears in the Slide View window. If your template is a different size than your slide, a dialog box appears asking if you want to scale the template.

Related Topics:

Applying a Template to an Existing Presentation

Switching Templates

Creating Templates


Applying a Template to an Existing Presentation

1.	Choose File/Template/Apply...

The Select Template dialog box appears.

2.	Select the template you want to use.

3.	If you want to see how the template looks, enable the Preview checkbox.

The selected template appears in the Preview box. You can scroll through the preview to see the various master slides contained in the template.

4.	If you want to select a template from the Media Manager, click on the Media Mgr button.

The Media Manager window appears from which you can select a template that has been stored in a library.

5.	Click on the OK button.

You are returned to the main Astound window where the master slides contained in the template are available, and can be attached to any of your existing slides.

Related Topics:

Switching Templates

Selecting Existing Templates

Creating Templates


Switching Templates

You can change the look of a presentation by switching templates. If you use the same names for your master slides in both templates, Astound attaches the masters in the new template to the slides that had masters of the same name in the original template.

All objects that you placed on the slides themselves still appear as you placed them. The background objects of the new masters replace the background objects of the original masters. Any objects that filled placeholders from the original master are used to fill placeholders from the new masters, where possible. Astound recognizes that different masters can have different types, locations, and numbers of placeholders, and uses the objects on a slide to fill them as logically as possible.

Nothing will be deleted from any slides when you switch templates. If a slide has no matching master in the new template, you will be asked if you want to add its original master to the new presentation template. If you dont, the slide will be left as it was, but it will no longer be linked to any master.

1.	Choose File/Template/Switch...

The Select Template dialog box appears. If the Preview checkbox is enabled, the master slides appear in the Preview box. Use the scroll bar to move down the list of masters.

2.	Select the template you want to use.

3.	If you want to select a template from the Media Manager, click on the Media Mgr button.

The Media Manager window  appears from which you can select a template that has been stored in a library.

4.	Click on the OK button.

If there are different masters in the new template, a dialog box appears asking if you want to add them to the list of available masters. If the default text in the new template is different, a dialog box appears asking if you want to change the default text format levels to those of the new template.

Astound converts each slide in the presentation to the new template.

Related Topics:

Applying a Template to an Existing Presentation

Selecting Existing Templates

Creating Templates


Creating Slides with a Master using the Slide Menu

1.	Choose Slide/New..

The Create New Slide dialog box appears.

2.	Select the master you want to use from the Master drop-down list.

The drop-down list contains the names of the currently loaded masters.

A preview of the master slide you choose appears in the Preview box.

3.	In the Name field, enter a name for your new slide(s).

4.	In the No. of Slides field, specify the number of new slides you want.

If you create multiple slides, each slide created will have the same name, followed by a number. For example, if you specify the name Chart, the slides will be called  Chart1, Chart2, Chart3 and so on for the number of slides you have created.

5.	Click on the OK button.

Your new slides appear and are listed in the Slide pop-up menu.

Related Topics:

Creating Slides with a Master using the New Slide Pop-Up menu

Creating Master Slides

Editing Master Slides


Creating Slides with a Master using the New Slide Pop-Up Menu

1.	Press and hold the mouse button on the New Slide button at the bottom of the window.

The New Slide pop-up menu appears. The pop-up menu contains a list of the currently loaded masters.

2.	Position the pointer on the master slide you want.

3.	Release the mouse button.

The Slide Name dialog box appears.

4.	Type in a name for the new slide.

5.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics:

Creating Slides with a Master using the Slide menu

Creating Master Slides

Editing Master Slides


Filling Placeholders

When you create a slide using a master, all of the elements from the master slide automatically appear on your presentation slide; however, the only items that remain editable are the placeholders.  You can double click on the placeholders to insert your own information and complete your slide.

Anything you insert into a placeholder will adopt the formatting defined for that placeholder on the master slide.  Text formatting, transitions, paths and timelines may all be predefined on the master slide.  You can modify the placeholder formatting on your presentation slide without affecting the master. You can also choose to edit the master slide itself, thereby changing every slide that is based on that master. Once you have a master slide, attached to a presentation slide, you need to fill placeholders and place objects on the slide where you want them to appear. The placeholders are the only elements on a master slide that can be moved or resized from a presentation slide.

Double click on the placeholder you want to fill and, depending on the type of placeholder you double clicked on, you will be able to enter text or data, or choose the object you want to fill the placeholder with.

Related Topics:

Editing Master Slides

Types of Placeholders


Types of Placeholders

  Title: Activates the Text tool, and allows you to type a title for the slide.

  Body Text: Activates the Text tool and lets you enter bullet points on the slide.

Chart: Opens a datasheet where you can enter or import the data that is to appear in the chart.

Movie: Opens the Select Movie dialog box, from which you can select a video or an animated movie to place on the slide.

Picture: Opens the Select Picture dialog box, from which you can select a picture to place on the slide.

Actor: Opens the Select Actor dialog box, from which you can select an actor to place on the slide.

Related Topics:

Filling Placeholders


Linking to a Master Object

These shortcut keys allow you to link an objects to placeholders. For example, if you have a line of text and want to move it to a different place you can link it to the placeholder on the slide. Objects can only be linked to appropriate placeholders, text can only be placed in text placeholders, actors can only be placed in actor placeholders and so on.

To link an object press the [+] key on the numeric pad or the [=] key on the keyboard and hold down the mouse button. The pointer will have a + sign beside it. Drag your object to an appropriate placeholder. If you try to place your object in an incompatible placeholder the buster symbol appears beside the plus sign.

When you link an object to a placeholder it will fill the placeholder, taking the place of the object that was in the placeholder before.

Related Topics

Filling Placeholders

Unlinking from a Master Object


Unlinking from a Master Object

These shortcut keys allow you to unlink objects from placeholders. If you want to remove an object from a placeholder using the shortcut keys will unlink the object from the placeholder so that if you change templates the unlinked object will not be altered even though the placeholder may be.

To unlink an object press the [-] key on the numeric pad or keyboard and hold down the mouse button. The pointer will have a - sign beside it. Drag your object away from the placeholder. If you try to unlink an object that is not linked the buster symbol will appear beside the minus sign.

Related Topics

Filling Placeholders

Linking to a Master Object


Switching Master Slides

While you are working on a presentation, you can replace the master slide behind your presentation slide with a different master slide. Astound will automatically transfer your data into the appropriate placeholders on the new master.

If the same placeholders do not exist in the new master as did in the original, the contents of the original placeholders will be left in position so you can move, resize or delete them, however they will not be attached to a placeholder. You can also attach a master to a slide that does not currently have one using the Slide/Switch Master... command.

NOTE: You can also switch masters while you are in the Slide Sorter View.

1.	Choose Slide/Switch Master...

The Switch Master dialog box appears.

2.	From the Master drop-down list, select the master slide you want to use.

A preview of the selected master appears in the Preview box.

3.	Click on the Select button.

The new master is attached to your slide, which changes to reflect the setup of the new master.

You can also load a new master by clicking on the Open... button and selecting the master you want to load into memory in the Open Slide dialog box. Clicking on the Remove button removes the currently selected master from memory, and from the list.

NOTE: The current slide elements override master slide elements. For example, if your current slide has its own background, it will be used instead of the master slides background. You can delete the background by choosing Slide/Background/None in order to see the master slide background.

Related Topics:

Editing Master Slides


Unlinking Master Slides

When you choose a master slide, it automatically becomes linked to the slide it accompanies. As long as the master is linked, it appears with the slide every time you view it. You can move and resize placeholders and the objects they contain, but you cannot move anything else on a master slide (unless you specifically edit the master, which will affect all the slides containing that master). However, if you decide that you want to keep the master slide objects on your presentation slide, and you also want to edit them, then you can unlink the master by choosing Slide/Unlink Master.

No changes are apparent, and the master slide objects are copied onto the presentation slide. You can now move and edit any of your slide objects, even those which were previously part of the master slide. Your presentation slide is no longer associated with the master. Any changes to the master slide now have no effect on the presentation slide.

NOTE: You can also unlink masters while you are in the Slide Sorter View.

Related Topics:

Editing Master Slides


Removing the Master Slide from the Current Slide

If you decide you dont want to use a master slide, you can remove it. Simply choose Slide/Remove Master. Objects on your master slide disappear from the current slide.

NOTE: You can also switch masters while you are in the Slide Sorter View.

Related Topics:

Editing Master Slides


Editing Master Slides

Astound lets you edit master slides at any time. Any changes made to a master slide affect all slides that are based on that master.

Masters can also be edited in the Slide Sorter view. Once you are editing a master, choose View/Slide Sorter. In this view you can see all the master slides in the presentation and make changes to several simultaneously.

1.	Choose Slide/Edit Master and the master slide you want to edit.

The master appears.

2.	Edit the master slide to suit your needs.

You can edit the objects on the master slide like you would any other objects.

3.	Return to your presentation by choosing Slide/Go To and the slide you want to return to.

You can also press and hold the mouse button on the Slide pop-up menu and choose Current Slide.

Any slides using the master slide you edited reflect your changes.

Related Topics:

Filling Placeholders

Removing the Master Slide from the Current Slide

Switching Master Slides

Unlinking Master Slides

Creating Master Slides


Creating Master Slides

Masters may contain objects, text, pictures, actors, movies, charts and placeholders, and have attributes such as color, size and font. You can set a background and choose a consistent color scheme for the template. When creating templates, you should keep in mind the importance of design continuity in a presentation.

1.	Select Slide/Edit Master/New...

The Create Master dialog box appears.

2.	Select a name for your master slide from the Master Slide Name drop-down list.

You can also type a name in the edit box, but make sure its a name you can easily recognize later.

If your master is going to be part of a template, the Switch Template function will be more effective if you keep master names consistent from template to template. Consistent names allow you to switch templates and have slides attached to the correct master slide.

3. 	Click on the OK button.

You now have an empty master slide.

4.	Choose Text/Format Text Levels... to make any desired changes to the default text formatting on your slide.

When you use the master slide later as part of a template, this ensures that any new text blocks you create will automatically be formatted properly.

When you click on the OK button, the Apply Changes To dialog box appears. Click on Default Text Attributes to apply the changes as the default settings.

5.	Create any objects, and add any effects that you want permanently attached to your slide.

6.	Choose Slide/Add Placeholder and select a placeholder type.

Title: Sets a placeholder with the label Title Placeholder. You can set text attributes like size, color, and font, and resize and reposition the box to any location. When you use the master in a presentation, you can to edit the text.

Body Text: Sets a placeholder with the label Body Text Placeholder. You can set text attributes like size, color, and font, and resize and reposition the box to any location. When you use the master in a presentation, you can edit the text.

Picture: Sets a placeholder with the label Picture Placeholder. You can edit the box so it is placed and sized correctly.

Movie: Sets a placeholder with the label Movie Placeholder. You can edit the box so it is placed and sized correctly.

Actor: Sets a placeholder with the label Actor Placeholder. You can edit the box so it is placed and sized correctly.

Chart: Sets a placeholder with the label Chart Placeholder. You can edit the box so it is placed and sized correctly.

Slide Object: This placeholder is available only on the handout master.

Handout Rule: This placeholder is available only on the handout master.

7.	Edit the placeholders.

You can move placeholders around the slide, size them by dragging handles, align them, center them and edit them so they appear the way you want. If you edit the timelines or transition effects, these settings will be used on any objects that fill the placeholders when you create a presentation.

8.	Use or save the master slide.

Related Topics:

Creating Slides with a Master using the New Slide Pop-Up menu

Creating Master Slides using the Slide Menu

Creating a Handout Master

Creating Master Slides from Slides

Editing Master Slides

Saving a Master Slide

Importing


Creating Master Slides from Slides

You can make any slide from your presentation into a master slide.

1.	When your slide looks the way you desire, choose Slide/Make Into Master....

The Create Master dialog box appears.

2.	Select a name for your master slide from the Master Slide Name drop-down list.

You can also type a name in the edit box, but make sure its a name you can easily recognize later.

NOTE: If your master is going to be part of a template, the Switch Template function will be more effective if you keep master names consistent from template to template. Consistent names allow you to switch templates and have slides attached to the correct master slide.

3. 	Click on the OK button.

The master slide is saved as part of the presentation, and its name appears in the New Slide pop-up menu and the Slide/Edit Master submenu.

Related Topics:

Creating Master Slides

Creating a Slide


Saving a Master Slide

You can export the master slide on its own so that it can be opened in other presentations.

1.	Choose Slide/Edit Master and the master name.

This makes the master slide the current slide.

2.	Choose File/Export/Current Slide...

The Save Slide As dialog box appears.

3.	Type a name for the master slide.

4.	Click on the OK button.

The master is saved on its own so that you can load it into other presentations.

Related Topics:

Creating Master Slides


Creating Templates

A template is a set of master slides. When you create a template from within an existing presentation, only the objects contained on the master slides are included within the template. Any slides that are not master slides are not included in the template. Any objects that are on a presentation slide, but not the master slide, are not included.

1.	Design a set of master slides that you want to include in your template.

You can use the New Slide pop-up list to view the list of all the master slides that will be included in the new template.

2.	When you are finished making all the master slides you want to include in your template, choose File/Template/Save....

The Save Template As dialog box appears.

3.	In the Filename box, specify a name for your template.

4.	If you want to embed any video, animation, sound, or other resources that you have used on the master slides, enable the Make Self-Contained checkbox.

When you save the template, the information necessary to maintain the resources you have used is embedded in the template file.

5.	If you want to save the template for use with the Macintosh version of Astound, enable the Save for Astound Mac checkbox.

This template can only be opened in Astound for the Macintosh version 2.0 or later.

6.	Click on the OK button.

Your template is saved under the name you specified.

Only master slides are saved as part of the template. Presentation slides are not included in templates.

Related Topics:

Using HeadStart Presentations

Master Slides

Selecting Existing Templates


Using HeadStart Presentations

When you are creating presentations you can use a HeadStart presentation to serve as a template. HeadStart presentations are preformatted presentations for different business uses. For example, you could choose a sales HeadStart presentation, and simply fill in the appropriate numbers to create a complete sales presentation. The presentation will already include a generic outline that you can fill in with your own information. You can of course edit any of the text or other elements in the presentation to ensure they meet your needs.

1.	Choose File/New...

The HeadStart dialog box appears.

2.	Select the HeadStart template that you want to use.

A preview of some of the slides in the presentation will appear to the right of the list of templates, and a text description of the template appears below the list of templates.

3.	Click on the OK button.

4.	Edit the presentation as you would edit any other.

Related Topics:

HeadStart Presentations

Creating Templates


Creating a Handout Master

If the handout layout options in the Print dialog box do not meet your needs, you can create your own handout masters. To create a handout master you simply place slide object, rule placeholders and any desired graphics on the page. You can only create one handout master per presentation.

Handout masters do not use your slide size as the page size, they use the page size set as the default for your printer. So, if you want to change the page size for your handouts, you should use the File/Page Setup... command, not Slide/Dimensions... command. Modify the page size for handouts in the Page Setup dialog box.

1.	Choose View/Master/Handout Master...

The slide changes to reflect the page size selected in the Page Setup dialog box.

2.	Choose Slide/Add Placeholder/Slide Object or Slide/Add Placeholder/Handout Rule to add placeholders for your slides and for ruled lines that can be written on.

These placeholders can be added, resized and moved the same as any other object. Each additional slide object that you add to the master is numbered, to represent which slide will be printed in the placeholder.

3.	When you are finished, select the presentation slide you want to go back to from the Slide pop-up menu.

NOTE: To use your custom handout master, you must enable the Use Handout Master option in the Print dialog box when printing.

Related Topics:

Creating Master Slides


Normal Text Definition
Normal Text

Normal text is any text you enter with the Text tool without applying a text format level. Each block of normal text can be formatted independently using the Text menu commands, the text ruler, the tool bar or the Type Specs dialog box.

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Text Format Levels Definition
Text Format Levels

Text format levels are similar to styles in some word processors. There are four text format levels available to help standardize text throughout a presentation. While you can define these format levels as whatever you wish, most Astound templates format them as a title and three bullet level formats. The text format levels can automatically place the bullet of your choice at the front of each line of text as well as set the font, color and style. You can set the text formats through the Format Text Levels dialog box.

Level 1: Title text.

Level 2: Major points. Each paragraph entered at this level starts with a bullet.

Level 3: Minor points. Each paragraph entered at this level is indented from the level 2 text, and begins with a bullet.

Level 4: Sub-points. Each paragraph entered at this level is indented from level 3 text, and begins with a bullet.

Normal text: This is not a format level, but allows for free form portions of text. You can set default attributes for this text or use different settings for each occurrence.

Related Topics:

Applying Format Levels

Changing Format Levels

Editing Text Attributes for Format Levels

Editing Text


Text Blocks Definition
Text Blocks

A text block is a text object. All text within the same block always remains together. A text block may contain a single title, or several bullets and sub-points.

Related Topics:

Creating Text Blocks in the Slide View

Entering Text in a Text Block

Moving Text Blocks

Removing a Text Block

Selecting Text within a Text Block

Adding Text Blocks

Editing Text


Collapsed Slides Definition
Collapsed Slides

In the Outline View, you can look at an overview of your presentation by displaying all text on a slide, or just displaying the slide titles. Collapsing a slide displays only the slide title or title placeholder.

You can also collapse bullet lists in the Outline View so that some of the minor points are hidden.

Related Topics:

Collapsing Text Below a Point

Collapsing the Entire Presentation to Slide Titles Only

Collapsing All Text Below a Certain Format Level

Re-displaying Text

Editing Text


Creating an Outline

The Outline View displays your text without any attributes; only the format levels are indicated by the amount of indentation at the beginning of each line of text. Each new slide has a Slide Marker in the margin of its first line of text. Each text block has a Text Block Marker in the margin. Each new point has its own Line Marker in the margin.

You can assign the formatting levels for text in the outliner by changing the indent level. There is also normal text which allows you to create text without any associated text format level so you can format each line of normal text separately in Slide View.

You can move text from line to line and from slide to slide in the Outline View. If you want to see only the title or some of the points on the slide, instead of all points on the slide, you can do so with a mouse click. The hidden text will still appear on the slide, but you dont have to view it in the outline.

1.	  Click on the Outline View button.

The Outline View window appears with your slides listed.

If you have already created some slides, they are listed in the outline, and any text youve placed on them is displayed. If you havent created any slides yet, Astound displays a title placeholder for the first slide.

2.	If you are creating a new presentation, or if you have entered the Outline View from a slide that does not contain text, type the title of the slide.

The placeholder text is selected, and automatically replaced with the text you type. If you want a second line in your title without creating a new text block, press [Ctrl][Enter] to start the second line. This creates a soft return allowing you to add more than one line of text to a title placeholder.

3.	Press [Enter].

If you start typing immediately after pressing [Enter] when the cursor is in the title, you will begin adding a title to a new slide. Typing immediately after pressing [Enter] in a bullet list creates a new bullet at the same level as the previous one.

If you press the [Tab] key after pressing [Enter] when the cursor is in the title, you create a new text block on the slide and the text you type will have a bullet that uses format level one attributes (you will not see these attributes in the Outline View). Pressing [Tab] immediately after pressing [Enter] in a bullet list creates a new bullet, one format level lower than the previous one.

4.	Type the line of text.

5.	Choose Outline/New Line or press [Enter] to start a new point on your slide.

This starts a new point at the current format level.

6.	Continue to type the text you want in that text block.

When you return to the Slide View, you can resize and reposition the text block.

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Changing Format Levels

There are two ways to change format levels:

Place the text cursor within the paragraph you want to change and click on one of the format level buttons on the text ruler.

Place the text cursor at the front of the paragraph you want to change and then press the [Tab] key to apply the next format level (demote). Pressing [Shift][Tab] when the text cursor is at the front of a paragraph applies the previous format level to the paragraph (promote).

There are several ways to change the format level of a point or sub-point in the Outline View.

The Promote and Demote commands in the Outline menu move selected text in or out one format level. For example, Promote changes a level 3 point to a level 2 point. Demote changes the level 3 point to a level 4 point.

    The Promote and Demote buttons change the indent level. Promote changes a level 3 point to a level 2 point. The Demote button changes the level 3 point to a level 4 point.

Pressing the [Tab] key with the cursor located at the beginning of the line moves the line one level deeper (demoted). For example, if you are at text level 1 and press the [Tab] key once, your text will be formatted with the attributes of text level 2. If you press the [Tab] key twice, you will have text level 3 attributes.

Pressing the [Shift] and [Tab] keys while the cursor is at the beginning of a line of text moves the line one format level upward (promoted).

Each indent level displayed in the Outline View corresponds to one of the text format levels.

Related Topics:

Format Levels


Adding Text Blocks

You can create more than one text block on a slide while in Outline View. Place the cursor at the end of the text block where you want to add a new text block. Choose Outline/New Block or press [Shift][Ctrl][Enter] at the same time. A text block marker appears beside the first line in the new text block. When you switch to Slide View you can reposition and resize the text blocks so they appear the way you want them to on your slide.

Related Topics:

Text Blocks


Adding Slides to a Presentation

There are several ways to add slides to your presentation:

Press and hold on the New Slide pop-up menu at the bottom of the screen. You are able to choose a master or No Master to accompany your slide if you are using a template, although you wont be able to see the master in this view. You can always move from Outline View to Slide View to see how your slide looks.

Choose Outline/New Slide or press [Shift][Enter]. This adds a new slide after the current slide. This slide is based on the 1 Column master if there is one in your template.

Choose Slide/New and specify the slides you want to create in the Slide Name dialog box.

With the cursor at the end of the title of the slide after which you want to add a new slide, press [Enter].

Related Topics:

Creating Slides

Editing Slides


Text Interpretations

Depending upon the content of an .rtf file, the text will be interpreted differently when you are importing text in the Outline View.

If you import a .txt or an .rtf file with no heading styles:

Blank lines are ignored

Each new line is a new paragraph

Lines aligned with the left margin become slide titles and a new slide is created

Tabs or spaces at the beginning of a line are interpreted as one level of indent in the Outline View. For example, a line of text with one leading tab becomes a level 1 heading, two tabs would cause the line to become a level 2

All lines of text that appear (other that the text interpreted as the slide title) are placed in a single body text placeholder

If you import an .rtf file with heading styles:

Heading 1s create a new slide and the heading is used as the slide title

All other heading levels create a new heading one level above their original level. For example a heading 3 will become level 2 text when it is imported in the Outline View.

Non-heading text (including any other styles) and blank lines are ignored so if you import an outline from a Word document that has been exported as an .rtf file, only the headings will be used

All lines of text that appear (other that the text interpreted as the slide title) are placed in a single body text placeholder

Related Topics:

Importing Text


Importing Text

The File/Import Text menu item in Slide View changes to File/Import/Outline when you are in the Outline View. You can use this option to import text files (.txt and .rtf) while in the Outline View.

You can also import ASCII and RTF text files. ASCII files retain only the text, while RTF files retain some of the text formatting, such as bolding, italicizing and fonts. The text is placed in a single text block on the current slide.

1.	Choose File/Import/Outline...

The Import Text File dialog box appears.

2.	Select the text file you want to import.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The text is placed in a single text block on the current slide. You can apply format levels to the text, and use the Outline View to move the text between slides and break it into text blocks.

Related Topics:

Text Interpretations

Editing Text

Importing Text in the Slide View

Importing


Moving Lines of Text

The Outline menu contains commands that allow you to move selected lines of text or text blocks up or down through the presentation outline. You can move lines of text and text blocks anywhere in the presentation.

    You can also use the Move Line Up and Move Line Down buttons or drag the selected text to a new position. When you use any of these methods, any sub-points associated with the selected title or points move with the selected text.

The clipboard commands allow you to cut or copy a portion of text and then paste it elsewhere within the text outline.

There are several ways to move text. In each case you can select a line of text (and any sub points it may have) by clicking on the line marker at the beginning of the line. You can select multiple lines of text by holding down the [Shift] key as you click on the first and last line in the range to be selected.

Choose Outline/Move Up or Outline/Move Down. Each time you choose one of these commands the selected text moves up or down one line through the text outline. Any sub-points associated with the selected point(s) always move with the selected text.

    Click on the Move Line Up or Move Line Down button. Each time you click on one of the two buttons the text moves up or down one line through the text outline. Any sub-points associated with the selected point(s) move with the selected text.

Drag the line marker to where you want to move the line of text. A line appears between markers to show where the text will be moved to. When the text is in the right place, release the mouse button. The text will appear where you moved it. Any sub-points associated with the selected point(s) move with the selected text.

Related Topics:

Editing Text

Copying Text

Pasting Text


Moving Text Blocks

You can move text blocks in the same way you move lines of text. Simply click on the text block marker for the text you want to move, instead of on a line marker. This selects the entire block of text for moving.

Related Topics:

Text Blocks


Removing a Text Block

You can remove blocks of text by clicking on the text block marker and pressing the [Delete] key. The block of text disappears from both the outline and the slide.

Related Topics:

Text Blocks


Collapsing Text Below a Point

You can collapse the text below a point by selecting the line of text by clicking on the line marker beside the line of text whose sub-points you want to hide.

  Choose Outline/Collapse or click on the Collapse button. The sub-points for this point are hidden and a + sign is displayed in the line marker that you selected. You can also use this option to display only the title of a slide by selecting the line marker beside the slide title, and choosing the Collapse command or button.

NOTE: Normal text is always displayed unless you collapse the entire slide so only the slide title or, if there is no title or title placeholder, the first point on the slide is shown. You can print your outline with text hidden or with all of it showing.

Related Topics:

Collapsed Slides


Collapsing the Entire Presentation to Slide Titles Only

You can collapse the entire presentation to slide titles only by clicking on the line marker for one of the slide titles.

  Choose Outline/Collapse All or click on the Collapse All button. Only the slide titles are displayed, giving you an overview of your entire presentation.

NOTE: Normal text is always displayed unless you collapse the entire slide so only the slide title or, if there is no title or title placeholder, the first point on the slide is shown. You can print your outline with text hidden or with all of it showing.

Related Topics:

Collapsed Slides


Collapsing All Text Below a Certain Format Level

To collapse all the text below a certain format level, choose Outline/Expand To Level and the lowest level that you want displayed. All of the text at or above the selected level is visible. For example, if you choose Outline/Expand To Level/Level 3, all text at level 1, 2, or 3 will be displayed, and only level 4 will be hidden. Any text without a format level (normal text) will still be displayed on the slide.

NOTE: Normal text is always displayed unless you collapse the entire slide so only the slide title or, if there is no title or title placeholder, the first point on the slide is shown. You can print your outline with text hidden or with all of it showing.

Related Topics:

Collapsed Slides


Re-displaying Text

You can re-display text below a certain point by first clicking on the line marker for the point you want to expand. Line markers with hidden sub-points have a + sign on their line markers.

  Choose Outline/Expand or click on the Expand button. You can also double click on any line marker that has a + sign on it to display the hidden sub-points below this point.

  You can re-display all hidden text by choosing Outline/Expand All or clicking on the Expand All button. All text in your presentation is displayed in the Outline View.

Related Topics:

Collapsed Slides


Creating Text Blocks in the Slide View
Creating Text Blocks in Slide View

When the Text tool is selected, you can drag out a text block to define the placement for your text. A text block can be resized at any time. When it is resized, the text reflows to adjust to the new text block size. You can type text right on the slide, or enter it in the Outline View. You can also import ASCII or RTF text.

1.	  Click on the Text tool in the Tool palette.

2.	Drag the I-beam to create a bounding box that will hold your text.

Be sure to begin dragging on an area of the screen that doesnt already include another text block, or you will enter editing mode for that text block.

3.	Release the mouse button.

Now you can enter text in the text block.

4.	If you want a text ruler to appear, enable the Text/Show Text Ruler command.

NOTE: As an alternative to dragging out a text block, you can click anywhere within the document window to place an automatically generated text block. You can adjust the size of the text block once you have typed your text.

Related Topics:

Text Blocks


Entering Text in a Text Block

  Text in Astounds text blocks can be manipulated in much the same way as text in a word processor. Type the text you want in the block. Press the [Enter] key to begin a paragraph, and click on the Pointer tool or press the [Esc] key to complete the text block. You can add format levels to your text as you type it.

Related Topics:

Text Blocks


Selecting Text within a Text Block

  To select text select the Text tool and drag the pointer over the text you want to select so that it is highlighted. You can now edit or apply typographical attributes to the selected text.

Related Topics:

Text Blocks


Setting Margins

If the Text/Show Text Ruler command is enabled, the text ruler is visible for any new text blocks you create or for any text block selected with the Text tool. The text ruler allows you to set margins for your paragraphs.

1.	  With the Text tool, create or select a text block.

2.	Ensure that the Text/Show Text Ruler command is enabled.

3. 	If there is text in the text block, select the paragraph of text for which you want to set margins.

If you do not select the paragraphs for which you want to set margins, only the paragraph currently containing the I-beam cursor will be affected.

4.	Drag the left margin markers to where you want the lines of text to begin.

Any selected text reflows to reflect the new left margin.

5.	If you want to create a hanging indent, drag the top left margin marker.

By moving the top left margin marker you can cause the selected paragraph or all new paragraphs to be indented, or to begin with a hanging indent.

6.	Drag the right margin marker to where you want the lines of text to end.

NOTE: Left text margins can also be defined in the Format Text Levels dialog box.

Related Topics:

Editing Text

Rulers


Setting Tabs

If the Text/Show Text Ruler command is enabled, the text ruler is visible for any new text blocks you create or for any text block selected with the Text tool. The text ruler allows you to set tabs.

1.	  With the Text tool, create or select a text block.

2.	Ensure that the Text/Show Text Ruler command is enabled.

3. 	If there is text contained in the text block, select the paragraph of text for which you want to set tabs.

If there is text in the text block and you do not select any paragraphs, only the paragraph currently containing the text cursor will be affected.

If you set tabs before adding text to the text block, your tabs will be the default tabs used for text in the text block.

4.	Drag a tab arrow to where you want to insert the tab.

There are four types of tabs available:

Left: Aligns the left edge of the text under the tab arrow.

Center: Centers the text under the tab arrow.

Right: Aligns the right edge of the text under the tab arrow.

Decimal: Aligns a decimal within the text with the tab arrow. If there is no decimal, the right edge of the text is aligned under the tab arrow.

Related Topics:

Editing Text

Using Tabs with Format Levels

Rulers


Using Tabs with Format Levels

Tabs that you set can be used internally within a paragraph. However, pressing the [Tab] key at the beginning of a paragraph changes the format level of the text in the paragraph to the next lowest format level (i.e. a level 2 bullet become a level 3 bullet). Pressing [Shift][Tab] at the beginning of a line of text changes the line to the next highest format level (i.e. a level 3 bullet becomes a level 2 bullet).

If you want to set a normal tab at the beginning of a line of text without changing the format level, press [CTRL] [Tab].

Related Topics:

Setting Tabs

Format Levels


Text Alignment

Astound provides text alignment commands. You can align your text with the left or the right margin, center it, or fully justify it between both margins. Alignment can be set from the Text menu or the tool bar along the top of the Slide View window. You can specify default alignments for the text levels using the Format Text Levels... command in the Text menu.

1.	  With the Text tool, create or select a text block.

2. 	If there is text contained in the text block, select the paragraph of text you want to justify.

If there is text in the text block and you do not select the paragraphs you want to affect, only the paragraph currently containing the text cursor will be affected.

3.	Choose Text/Alignment.

The Alignment submenu appears.

4.	Specify the appropriate alignment.

You can also click on the appropriate button in the toolbar to specify the text alignment.

Left: Aligns your text with the left margin.

Center: Centers each line of text within the margins.

Right: Aligns your text with the right margin.

Justified: Aligns your text between both the left and right margins, adding space between words where necessary.

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Applying Format Levels

Format levels are applied by pressing the [Tab] key at the beginning of a line of text. The default text level is level 1. Pressing the [Tab] key once applies the level 2 style to the paragraph of text. Pressing the [Tab] key twice applies the level 3 style to the paragraph. Each tab inserted before the line of text moves (demotes) the paragraph one level deeper. If there are more than four tabs at the beginning of a line, the paragraph begins to indent, keeping the attributes of level 4. Pressing the [Shift] and [Tab] keys reverts the text format to the previous level. You can also choose the desired level from the text ruler.

Related Topics:

Format Levels


Editing Text Attributes for Format Levels

1.	If you want to affect the format levels in a specific text block, select the text block or some of the text that you want to change.

2.	Choose Text/Format Text Levels...

The Format Text Levels dialog box appears.

NOTE: You can also double click on a format level button in the text ruler to display this dialog box. The dialog box displays the attributes for the format level you selected.

3.	Select the radio button for the format level that you wish to edit the attributes of.

4.	Choose the attributes you want to change by enabling their checkboxes.

All of the attributes have checkboxes so you can specify which changes you want to apply to the selected text. The fields display the default for the text level, but since you may be working with text that has previously been changed from the default on the current slide, the attribute specified by a field is not applied to all text unless the corresponding checkbox is enabled. This allows you to overwrite format level changes that you applied to individual slides. For example, you may have changed the text for format level 1 to be red and a large point size on a few slides, but have left the rest of the slides with the format level defaults. You can change all of the text back to its original point size, but leave the color changes by enabling the Size checkbox and leaving the default point size displayed in the field, while not enabling the Color checkbox.

At no time will any of the changes made in this dialog box affect any text overrides (changes made directly to individual characters and words).

The changes you make appear in the preview box.

5.	Repeat steps 3 and 4 to change different levels of the text.

For example, you can select the level 1 radio button and make changes to level 1 and then choose level 2 and make changes to the text on that level.

6.	Click on the OK button.

The dialog box disappears. If you had text or a text block selected when you started, the changes are applied to all of the text in that text block of the selected format level(s). If you did not have any text selected, the Apply Changes To dialog box appears.

7.	Select what you want the format level changes to be applied to.

Entire Presentation and Template: Clicking on this button applies your changes to text with the appropriate format levels on all slides and the template.

Entire Presentation: Clicking on this button applies your changes to all text with the appropriate format levels on all slides in the presentation. The template is left unaffected.

All Objects on Slide: Clicking on this button applies the changes to the appropriate format levels for all text on the current slide.

Default Text Attributes: Clicking on this button causes the changes to be used as the defaults for any subsequently created text (that has the appropriate format levels).

Related Topics:

Format Levels


Setting Text Attributes Using the Horizontal Tool Bar

You can easily set attributes for a single word or line of text without altering any of your format level attributes. When you do this you are setting overrides. You can set single attributes directly from the Horizontal Tool bar. Setting attributes without text selected, sets default attributes for normal text, but does not affect the text formatting levels. Any formatting attributes you set using this method is considered overrides to the text format levels.

1.	Select the font from the Font drop-down list.

2.	Select a font size from the Font Size drop-down list.

3.	Click on the Bold, Italic or Underline buttons to select a font style.

4.	Click on the Left, Center, Right or Justified alignment boxes to set the alignment of the text.

5.	  If you want to spell check the text, click on the Spell Check button.

The text will reflect the attributes as you specify them.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes using the Type Specs Dialog Box

Setting Text Attributes using the Text Menu

Editing Text


Setting Text Attributes Using the Type Specs Dialog Box

You can easily set attributes for a single word or line of text without altering any of your format level attributes. When you do this you are setting overrides. You can access the Type Specs dialog box and set several attributes at once Setting attributes without text selected, sets default attributes for normal text, but does not affect the text formatting levels. Any formatting attributes you set using this method is considered overrides to the text format levels.

1.	    With the Text tool, highlight the text you want to select, or with the Pointer tool, click on the text block you want to affect.

If you select a portion of text by dragging over it, any text changes will affect only the selected text. If you select a text block by clicking on it, the text attribute changes will affect all of the text in that text block.

2.	  Choose Text/Type Specs or double click on the Text tool.

The Type Specs dialog box appears.

3.	Select a font, font style and a point size for the text.

4.	If desired, select additional style effects from the effects box

5.	If you want to select a color for the text from the Color Scheme, click on the Color button.

The preview box will not display the color.

6.	Click on the OK button.

Your changes are applied to the selected text.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes using the Horizontal Tool Bar

Removing Text Overrides


Setting Text Attributes Using the Text Menu

You can easily set attributes for a single word or line of text without altering any of your format level attributes. When you do this you are setting overrides. You can set single attributes directly from the Text menu. The Text menu lets you quickly change one attribute of the selected text. Setting attributes without text selected, sets default attributes for normal text, but does not affect the text formatting levels. Any formatting attributes you set using this method is considered overrides to the text format levels.

1.	    With the Text tool, drag the pointer over the text you want to select or, with the Pointer tool, click on the text block you want to modify.

If you select a portion of the text by dragging over it, any text changes will affect only the selected text. If you select a text block by clicking on it, the text attribute changes will affect all of the text in that text block.

2.	Choose the attribute you want from the Text menu.

You can choose Typeface, Size, Style, Color, Character Spacing, Line Spacing, Paragraph Spacing or Alignment.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes using the Horizontal Tool Bar


Removing Text

  There are three ways to remove text. Using any of these methods, the text is deleted, but you can recover the most recent deletion by selecting Edit/Undo or clicking on the Undo button.

  Select the text and choose Edit/Cut or click on the Cut button.

This option places the text in the Clipboard so it can be pasted to another location, into another slide, or into another application.

Select the text and choose Edit/Clear.

Select the text and press the [Delete] key.

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Copying Text

  You can select the text and choose Edit/Copy or click on the Copy button. This places a copy of the text in the Clipboard so that it can be pasted to another location, into another slide, or into another application.

Related Topics:

Moving Lines of Text


Pasting Text

  You can place the cursor within a text block, or if you are in Outline View where you want to paste the text that you have already cut or copied to the Clipboard within Astound or from another application. Then choose Edit/Paste or click on the Paste button and the text appears at the cursor position.

Related Topics:

Moving Lines of Text


Removing Text Overrides

There will be times when you want to add text attributes on top of a format level. For example, you may want to bold a phrase in a bullet point to make it stand out, or change the color of a word wherever it appears within your text. These are called overrides. When you need to get rid of some or all of these attributes that have been added on top of format levels, you can do so using the Text/Remove Overrides... command. You can remove all overrides except alignment.

1.	Select the text from which you want to remove attributes.

2.	Choose Text/Remove Overrides...

The Remove Overrides dialog box appears.

3.	Choose the attributes you want to remove.

4.	Click on the Remove or Remove All button.

The specified override attributes are removed.

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Finding Text

If you are searching for a specific string of text you can use the Find command. This command allows you to quickly find an instance of text, and replace it with something else.

When you are in the Outline View the Text menu is modified and only contains the Find command. You cannot change any of the texts appearance attributes because these attributes are not displayed in the Outline View.

1.	Choose Text/Find/Find...

The Find Text dialog box appears.

2.	In the Find What edit box, type the text that you want to search for.

3.	Choose what portion of text you want to search by enabling the appropriate radio button in the Search box.

You can choose to search for selected objects, the current slide or all slides.

4.	Choose what direction you want to search.

5.	Enable the Case Sensitive checkbox to find the text that you typed, exactly as you typed it in the Find dialog box.

This option causes Astound to search only for the exact case (upper and/or lower ) that you entered in the Find edit box. If you disable this, Astound finds the selection no matter what the case.

6.	Click on the Find button.

The text you wanted to find is highlighted on the slide and the Continue Find dialog box appears allowing you to look or more instances of the word or phrase or to quit the search. If the text cannot be found, a message box appears telling you so.

7.	If you want to find the same text again, choose Text/Find/Find Again and the same settings will be used to find the same text.

Related Topics:

Finding a Selection of Text

Editing Text


Finding a Selection of Text

You can select a block of text, and then search for further occurrences of the same word or phrase. To find a specific selection of text in Astound, you can choose Text/Find/Find Selection. You can search through selected objects, the current slides, or every slide, either backward or forward for the text. If the text is found, it appears highlighted on the slide. If not, a box appears telling you that the text could not be found.

Related Topics:

Finding Text


Replacing Text

If you want to replace a specific string of text, you can use the Replace text command. This command allows you to find an instance of text, and/or replace it with something else.

When you are in the Outline View the Text menu is modified and only contains the Find command. You cannot change any of the texts appearance attributes because these attributes are not displayed in the Outline View.

1.	Choose Text/Find/Replace...

The Find And Replace Text dialog box appears.

2.	Type the text you want to find in the Find What edit box.

3.	Type the text with which you want to replace it in the Replace With edit box.

4.	Choose where you want to search by enabling the appropriate radio button.

You can choose to search for selected objects, the current slide or all slides.

5.	Choose what direction you want to search.

6.	Enable the Case checkboxes if you want to find the exact case, and/or if you want to maintain the case of the text found.

7.	Enable the Confirm Replacement option if you want to be notified before each occurrence is changed.

8.	Click on the replacement action you want to use.

9.	When you are done, if you want to find and replace another occurrence of the same text, select Text/Find/Replace Again.

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Spell Checking Selected Text

1.	  Select the word or range of text you want to check by holding down the mouse button while dragging across your desired text with the Text tool.

2.	Choose Text/Spell Check/Selected Text.

If the selection is spelled correctly, a dialog box states that the spell check is completed. Click on the OK button to continue working on your presentation.

If the word is spelled incorrectly, the Spell Checker dialog box appears with any suggestions for the correct spelling displayed in the list box.

3.	Select the action you want to perform on the word

You can also type the correct spelling in the edit box at the top of the dialog box. If you are unsure of whether you have spelled the word correctly, click on the Recheck button to recheck the spelling of the word.

4.	When the spell check is finished, click on the OK button to return to your slide.

Related Topics:

Spell Checking the Current Text Block

Spell Checking an Entire Slide

Spell Checking the Entire Presentation

Loading a User Dictionary

Saving a User Dictionary

Editing Text


Spell Checking the Current Text Block

1.	  With the Pointer tool, select the text block.

2.	Choose the Text/Spell Check/Current Object.

If the selection is spelled correctly, a dialog box states that the spell check is completed. Click on the OK button to continue working on your presentation.

If the word is spelled incorrectly, the Spell Checker dialog box appears with any suggestions for the correct spelling displayed in the list box.

3.	Select the action you want to perform on the word.

You can also type the correct spelling in the edit box at the top of the dialog box. If you are unsure of whether you have spelled the word correctly, click on the Recheck button to recheck the spelling of the word.

4.	When the spell check is finished, click on the OK button to return to your slide.

Related Topics:

Spell Checking Selected Text

Editing Text


Spell Checking an Entire Slide

1.	Choose Text/Spell Check/Entire Slide.

If the selection is spelled correctly, a dialog box states that the spell check is completed. Click on the OK button to continue working on your presentation.

If the word is spelled incorrectly, the Spell Checker dialog box appears with any suggestions for the correct spelling displayed in the list box.

2.	Select the action you want to perform on the word

You can also type the correct spelling in the edit box at the top of the dialog box. If you are unsure of whether you have spelled the word correctly, click on the Recheck button to recheck the spelling of the word.

3.	When the spell check is finished, click on the OK button to return to your slide.

Related Topics:

Spell Checking Selected Text


Spell Checking the Entire Presentation

1.	Choose Text/Spell Check/Entire Presentation.

If the selection is spelled correctly, a dialog box states that the spell check is completed. Click on the OK button to continue working on your presentation.

If the word is spelled incorrectly, the Spell Checker dialog box appears with any suggestions for the correct spelling displayed in the list box.

3.	Select the action you want to perform on the word

You can also type the correct spelling in the edit box at the top of the dialog box. If you are unsure of whether you have spelled the word correctly, click on the Recheck button to recheck the spelling of the word.

4.	When the spell check is finished, click on the OK button to return to your slide.

Related Topics:

Spell Checking Selected Text


Loading a User Dictionary

You may want to load a previously saved user dictionary other than the default one that Astound includes. For example, you may want to load a user dictionary that includes all of your companys acronyms.

1.	Choose Text/Spell Check/Load Dictionary...

The Load User Dictionary dialog box appears.

2.	Choose the dictionary you want to load.

3.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics:

Spell Checking Selected Text


Saving a User Dictionary

If you added a lot of new terms to a dictionary, you may want to save them for next time. Saving a dictionary creates a new user dictionary, containing any words in the current user dictionary.

1.	Choose Text/Spell Check/Save Dictionary...

The Save User Dictionary dialog box appears.

2.	Type a name for your dictionary in the Filename edit box.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The user dictionary is saved.

Related Topics:

Spell Checking Selected Text


Text Transitions

You can apply most of the standard object transitions to text objects. However, for greater control over how the text enters and leaves the screen, you can use the special text transition options. You specify how much of the text appears or disappears at once, the direction of the transitions, special effects, and the highlight color. Text is still fully editable after a transition has been applied to it.

Related Topics:

Editing Text

Animated Text Transitions


Button Text Definition
Button Text

  When you create a button with the Button tool, you will be prompted to add text to your button automatically. This text is centered on the button.

  Buttons have their own formatting which is separate from normal text or any of the text format levels. However, the text on a button is edited in a similar manner. You can select and alter text on buttons with the Text tool. You can edit button text using the Text menu, the text tool, the tool bar or the Type Specs dialog box.

Related Topics:

Editing Text

Creating Buttons


Speaker Notes Definition
Speaker Notes

You can exercise much of the same control over text on note pages as you can over other text in Astound. Speaker notes are created and edited in the Speaker Notes window. This window provides you with several of the functions in the Text menu, as well as use of preset text format levels - similar to those used for other text in Astound - to help you structure your notes.

The Speaker Notes window has a menu bar containing the commands you will need to work with the text of your notes and move through your note pages. The name of the slide that the current note page is attached to is displayed at the top of the notes page, separated from the note text by a double line.

Related Topics:

Opening the Speaker Notes Window

Printing Speaker Notes

Closing the Speaker Notes Window

Moving to the Previous Note Page

Moving to the Next Note Page

Adding or Editing Note Pages of Text


Opening the Speaker Notes Window

  The Speaker Notes window can be opened from the Window menu in the Astound menu bar, or by clicking on the Speaker Notes button. When you open this window from the:

Slide window, it will contain the note page that is attached to the current slide.

Slide Sorter, it will contain the note page that is attached to the current slide.

Outline View, it will contain the note page for the slide that currently contains the text cursor.

Related Topics:

Speaker Notes


Moving to the Previous Note Page

  Simply click on the Page Backward symbol (double left-arrow) to go to the previous note page. The notes for the previous slide in the presentation are displayed, and the previous slide is displayed or selected in the main window.

Related Topics:

Speaker Notes


Moving to the Next Note Page

  Simply click on the Page Forward symbol (double right-arrow) to go to the next note page. The notes for the next slide in the presentation are displayed, and the next slide is displayed or selected in the main window.

Related Topics:

Speaker Notes


Adding or Editing Note Pages of Text

1.	Go to the slide on which you want to add or edit speaker notes.

2.	  Choose Window/Speaker Notes, or click on the Speaker Notes button in the tool bar.

The Speaker Notes window appears. If there are already speaker notes attached to the current slide, they are displayed.

3.	Type the desired text.

You can also choose Edit/Paste in the Speaker Notes window to paste text from the clipboard onto the note page.

4.	Edit the text using the standard key sequences and mouse operations you would use to edit text in a text block.

You can also use the Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete commands in the Edit menu of the Speaker Notes window. These commands function the same way they do in the main Astound window.

5.	Format the text as you would format text in a text block.

Astound helps you create an organized layout of the text you enter by providing you with preset levels of text formatting. When the cursor is at the very beginning of a line, you can move the line or paragraph of text that the cursor is in down a level (demote) by pressing the [Tab] key, and you can move the line or paragraph of text that the cursor is in up a level (promote) by pressing the [Shift] + [Tab] combination. You can change the attributes of these text levels by choosing Text/Format Text Levels... from the Speaker Notes window. By default you are using normal text.

Although speaker note text levels function the same way as the text levels in the main Astound window, they are separate from them. Changing the attributes of speaker note text levels has no effect on the text levels in the main window.

You can also specify text attributes by using the commands in the Text menu of the Speaker Notes window. These commands function the same way they do in the Astound main window.

Related Topics:

Speaker Notes


Printing Speaker Notes

1.	  From Astounds main menu, choose File/Print... or click on the Print button.

The Print dialog box appears.

2.	In the Format box, enable the Speaker Notes radio button.

3.	In the Format box, select the page layout option you want.

This option determines how the speaker notes are arranged on the page.

4.	Select your print options.

You can choose to print the notes in reverse order, and you can print them to a file. You can also choose to print only the current page of notes, only note pages that have been edited since the last printout, a specific range of notes pages, or all of the note pages.

5.	Click on the Print button.

Your speaker notes are printed.

Related Topics:

Speaker Notes

Printing a Presentation


Closing the Speaker Notes Window

  You can close the Speaker Notes window by double clicking on the control menu box in the top left corner of the Speaker Notes window.

Related Topics:

Speaker Notes


Drawing Palette

There are 20 tools which can be found in the Drawing Tool palette. The palette can be accessed by pressing and holding the mouse button on the current drawing tool, which is located in Astounds tool palette.

  Rectangle tool: Draws rectangles and squares.

  Rounded Rectangle tool: Draws rectangles and squares with rounded corners.

  Oblong tool: Draws objects with two straight sides and two rounded sides.

  Ellipse tool: Draws oval objects or circular objects.

  Arc tool: Draws arc and wedge shapes.

  Line tool: Draws straight lines in any direction.

  Polygon tool: Draws polygons with many angles and sides.

  Freehand tool: Draws any shape in a freehand manner similar to drawing with a pencil.

  Speech Balloon tool: Draws speech balloon shapes.

  Regular Polygon tool: Draws multisided, symmetrical figures with a specified number of sides.

  Star tool: Draws symmetrical, star-shaped figures with a specified number of points.

  Parallelogram tool: Draws objects with four sides and two sets of parallel lines.

Right Angle Triangle tool: Draws triangles with a 90 degree angle.

Arrow tools: Draw 7 different types of arrows. These include a corner arrow, directional arrows and curved arrows.

Related Topics:

Drawing

Modifier Keys

Selecting a Drawing Tool


Modifier Keys

Astound provides keyboard modifiers that can be used with the drawing tools to draw your shapes in different ways.

You can use these keys in combination to draw shapes from the middle, as well as at 45 degree angles or with constraints. For example, while holding down the [Ctrl] and [Shift] keys, you can draw a square from the center using the Rectangle tool.

[Scroll Lock] key: Pressing this key (turning the scroll lock on) before you select a drawing tool causes the drawing tool to remain selected until you select another tool, saving you from having to constantly re-select the same tool.

[Ctrl] key: Holding this key down while you draw a shape allows you to draw the shape from the center. The point where you start drawing becomes the middle of your shape.

[Shift] key: Holding this key down while you draw a line or polygon constrains lines to 45 degree angles. Holding this key down while you draw a rectangle, rounded rectangle or ellipse, constrains rectangles to squares, and ellipses to circles.

[Alt] key: Holding down this tool after you begin drawing the shape will allow you to move the shape before ending the drawing action.

Related Topics:

Drawing

Selecting a Drawing Tool


Selecting a Drawing Tool

1.	Position the pointer on the drawing tool that is currently displayed in the tool palette.

The drawing tool displayed is the last drawing tool that was used.

2.	Press and hold the mouse button.

The Drawing Tool pop-up palette appears.

3.	Drag the pointer onto the tool you want to use and release the mouse button.

The selected drawing tool is displayed in the main tool palette. The tool is now selected and you can draw an object.

If you are going to be drawing several objects with the same shape, turn on the scroll lock by pressing the [Scroll Lock] key before selecting the drawing tool. This keeps the tool selected until you press the [Scroll Lock] key again or select another tool.

Related Topics:

Modifier Keys

Drawing


Drawing

Drawing a Shape

Drawing a Square

Drawing a Rounded Square

Drawing a Circle

Drawing a Freehand Shape

Drawing an Irregular Polygon

Changing the Number of Sides in a Polygon

Changing the Number of Points in a Star


Drawing a Shape

1.	Select a drawing tool from the Drawing Tool palette.

The pointer changes to a crosshair.

2. 	Position the crosshair where you want the shape to begin.

3.	Drag the crosshair to where you want the shape to end.

4.	Release the mouse button to set the shape.

NOTE: If you are using the Arc tool and filling the arc by enabling the Interior checkbox in the Object Display dialog box, Astound will create a wedge shape with a 90 degree angle.

Related Topics:

Drawing

Selecting a Drawing Tool


Drawing a Square

1	  Select the Rectangle tool from the Drawing Tool palette.

2.	Position the crosshair where you want to place a corner of the square.

3.	Hold down the [Shift] key and drag the crosshair.

The shape is constrained to a square instead of a rectangle.

4.	Release the mouse button to finish drawing the square.

Related Topics:

Drawing

Selecting a Drawing Tool


Drawing a Rounded Square

1.	  Select the Rounded Rectangle tool from the Drawing Tool palette.

2.	Position the crosshair where you want to place a corner of the square.

3.	Hold down the [Shift] key and drag the crosshair.

The shape is constrained to a rounded square instead of a rounded rectangle.

4.	Release the mouse button to finish drawing the rounded square.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Drawing Tool

Drawing


Drawing a Circle

1.	  Select the Ellipse tool from the Drawing Tool palette.

2.	Position the crosshair where you want the circle to start.

3.	Hold down the [Shift] key as you drag the crosshair.

The shape is constrained to a circle instead of an ellipse.

4.	Release the mouse button to finish drawing the circle.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Drawing Tool

Drawing


Drawing a Freehand Shape

1.	  Select the Freehand tool from the Drawing Tool palette.

2.	Position the crosshair where you want the shape to begin.

3.	Drag the crosshair around the screen to create the object.

4.	Release the mouse button to finish drawing.

Unless you release the mouse button directly on the starting point, a straight line is drawn to link the end and start points of the shape.

To keep your freehand object from closing at the end, press the [Ctrl] key when you start to draw with the tool. If you are displaying the interior of the object, your shape will look like it is closed because the interior will be showing.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Drawing Tool

Drawing


Drawing an Irregular Polygon

1.	  Select the Polygon tool from the Drawing Tool palette.

2.	Place the crosshair and click once to create the starting point.

3.	Move the crosshair and click again.

A straight line is drawn between the two points.

4.	Each time you click on the mouse button, you set a corner of the polygon.

5.	Double click when you are finished.

A straight line is drawn between the first and last points to complete the shape.

NOTE: To keep the polygon from closing at the end, press the [Ctrl] key when you click the mouse to place the first point in the drawing. If you are displaying the interior of the object, your shape will look like it is closed because the interior will be showing.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Drawing Tool

Drawing


Changing the Number of Sides in a Polygon

1.	  Select the Regular Polygon tool from the Drawing Tool palette.

2.	Before drawing the polygon, double click on the Regular Polygon tool in the tool palette.

The Number of Sides dialog box appears.

3.	Enter the number of sides for the polygon.

4.	Click on the OK button.

The dialog box disappears and you can draw your polygon with the specified number of sides.

NOTE: You can also change the number of sides to between 3 and 9 by pressing a number between 3 and 9 on your keyboard while you are dragging out the polygon. You can also press the [+] or [-] keys while you are dragging to increase or decrease the number of sides.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Drawing Tool

Drawing


Changing the Number of Points in a Star

1.	  Select the Star tool from the Drawing Tool palette.

2.	Before drawing the star, double click on the Star tool in the tool palette.

The Number of Points dialog box appears.

3.	Enter the number of points for your star.

4.	Click on the OK button.

The dialog box disappears and you can draw your star with the specified number of points.

NOTE: It is also possible to change the number of points in the star to between 3 and 9 by pressing a number between 3 and 9 on your keyboard while you are dragging out the star. Alternatively, you can press the [+] or [-] keys to increase or decrease the number of points.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Drawing Tool

Drawing


Fill Options

Coloring Text

Filling Objects with a Pattern using the Fill Tool

Filling Objects with a Pattern using the Object Menu

Filling Objects with a Solid Color using the Fill Tool

Filling Objects with a Solid Color using the Object Menu

Multi-Color Gradient Fills

Simple Gradient Fills

Texture Fills


Line Options

Adding an Arrowhead to a Line

Choosing Line Characteristics from the Object Menu

Modifying an Arrowhead

Setting Line Attributes from the Object Display dialog box

Setting Line Weight of Object Borders and Lines

Setting the Color of Lines and Object Borders


Backgrounds

Adding a Background to All Slides

Backgrounds in Astound Draw

Backgrounds in Astound Image

Multi-Color Gradient Backgrounds

Pattern Backgrounds

Picture Backgrounds

Removing Backgrounds

Selecting a Currently Loaded Picture for a Slide Background

Simple Gradient Backgrounds

Solid Color Backgrounds

Texture Backgrounds


Picture Options

Importing Pictures

Loading and Placing Pictures

Removing Pictures from Memory

Replacing a Single Picture or Filling Picture Placeholders

Replacing All Occurrences of a Picture

Using a New Drawing as a Slide Picture


Movie Options

Importing Video and Animated Movies

Loading and Placing Video and Animated Movies

Removing Video or Animated Movies from Memory

Replacing a Single Movie or Filling Movie Placeholders

Replacing All Occurrences of a Video or Animated Movie

Using Overlay Video on a Slide


Actor Options

Importing Actors

Loading and Placing Animated Actors

Removing Actors from Memory

Replacing a Single Actor or Filling Actor Placeholders

Replacing All Occurrences of an Actor

Rotating an Actor

Rotating Cels within an Actor

Scaling an Actor

Scaling Cels


Sound Options

Adding a Sound to a Slide

Adding Sound Across Multiple Slides

Adjusting the Sound Timeline

Defining a CD Clip

Importing Sounds Directly to a Slide

Loading Sounds into Memory

Looping a Sound

Previewing Sound

Recording Narration

Removing a Sound from a Slide

Removing Sounds from Memory

Renaming a Sound

Setting the Timeline to Play a Sound Once

Timelines

Transitions


Selecting Colors Outside the Color Scheme

From the Color Mixer

From the Color Spectrum

Using the Eyedropper


Creating a Solid Color Background

Using a solid color background on a slide can make a presentation more appealing without distracting from other elements on the slide.

1.	Choose Slide/Background/Solid Color...

The Solid Color Background dialog box appears. The colors in the current color scheme are displayed in the Colors box.

2.	In the Colors box, click on a color you want as your slide background.

The color you select is displayed in the Preview box.

NOTE: Clicking on the Eyedropper, Color Mixer or Color Spectrum button gives you access to the different methods of selecting and creating colors that are not in the current color scheme.

If you select or create a color using the Eyedropper, Color Mixer or Color Spectrum, you will be returned to the Solid Color Background dialog box, with the new color displayed in the Preview box.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The dialog box disappears and your color selection becomes the background of the slide.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Selecting Colors Outside the Color Scheme

Creating a Pattern Background

Creating a Simple Gradient Background


Adding a Background to All Slides

You can add a background to all slides quickly in the Slide Sorter View. In the Slide Sorter View, either select the slides you want to have the same background by holding down the [Shift] key while clicking on each slide, or select all the slides by choosing Edit/Select All. Select a background in the Slide/Background options. The same background will appear on all the slides you selected.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds


Creating a Simple Gradient Background

A simple gradient is a graduated blend of different shades of a single color. When you create a simple gradient background, you can choose a start color and an end color. The background is created by flowing the start color into the end color. You can control the shades of color used in the gradient, and the direction in which the gradient flows.

1.	Choose Slide/Background/Gradient...

The Gradient Background dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the Start Color button.

A Color Scheme pop-up window appears.

3.	Select a start color from the Colors box.

4.	Select an end color from the End Color band by clicking the mouse at the desired color on the band, or drag the indicator along the band.

The End Color band contains all shades of the selected start color, from its darkest to its lightest.

5.	Select the direction of the gradient by clicking on one of the buttons in the Direction box.

6.	If you select the Burst from Center direction and you have an object selected, you can enable the Burst From Selected Object option.

This option will cause the gradient to radiate outward from the object selected on your slide when you began creating the gradient. For this option to work, you must have an object selected on your slide before you begin creating the gradient background.

7.	Select the type of gradient by clicking on one of the previews in the Type box.

If one of the burst directions is enabled, these options will change to reflect burst patterns. You can create a circular or square burst, and the start color can be in the middle of the burst or the outer edge.

8.	Click on the OK button when you are finished.

The gradient becomes the background of the slide.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Selecting Colors Outside the Color Scheme

Creating a Multi-Color Gradient Background

Creating a Pattern Background

Creating a Simple Gradient Fill


Creating a Multi-Color Gradient Background

A multi-color gradient is a graduated blend of two or more colors. When you create a multi-color gradient background, you select the colors you want to include, and the background is created by flowing the colors into each other, in the order in which you have selected them.

Each time you create a unique gradient, it is automatically stored in the Previous list in the Multi-Color Gradient dialog box. You can use any gradient from this list, either as a slide background or as an object fill.

1.	Choose Slide/Background/Gradient...

The Gradient Background dialog box appears.

2.	Specify the direction and type of gradient.

3.	Click on the Multi-Color... button.

The Multi-Color Gradient dialog box appears.

4.	Click beside the multi-color preview to indicate where you want to add a new color or change to the existing color.

You can clear a selected color by dragging the indicator for that color away from the gradient bar.

5.	Click on the color you want to add in the Colors box.

The Previous combo box displays a list of gradients you have created and allows you to choose them again.

6.	If you want to use a color that is not in the current color scheme, click on the Eyedropper, Color Mixer or Color Spectrum button.

7. 	If you want the gradient colors dithered, enable the Dither Colors checkbox.

Color dithering results in a smoother blend of colors in the gradient. If this checkbox is disabled, your blend colors appear in more distinct bands.

8.	If you want to soften the gradient by using intermediate colors, enable the Use Intermediate Colors checkbox.

When you use intermediate colors, extra colors are added to the gradient, creating a more gradual transition between blend colors. If this checkbox is disabled, only the blend colors are used in the gradient.

9.	Click on the OK button when you are finished.

You will return to the Gradient Background dialog box, where the gradient you just created is displayed.

10.	Click on the OK button.

The selected gradient becomes your slide background.

Tip:	A selection of two or three colors produces the most effective gradient.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Selecting Colors Outside the Color Scheme

Creating a Simple Gradient Background

Creating a Pattern Background

Creating a Multi-Color Gradient Fill


Creating a Pattern Background

You can create an attractive look for slide backgrounds by selecting a pattern from Astounds Pattern palette. The elements of the pattern you choose are displayed using the foreground and background colors that you select.

1.	Choose Slide/Background/Pattern...

The Pattern Background dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the Pattern button.

The Pattern pop-up palette appears.

3.	Click on the pattern you want.

The selected pattern appears in the Preview box, with the currently selected foreground and background colors.

4.	If you want to choose a different background color, click on the Background Color button.

A Color Scheme pop-up window appears.

5.	Select a background color from the Colors box.

The selected color replaces the background color in the Preview box.

6.	If you want to choose a different foreground color, click on the Foreground Color button.

A Color Scheme pop-up window appears.

7.	Select a foreground color from the Colors box.

The selected color replaces the foreground color in the Preview box.

8.	If you want to exchange the foreground and the background colors, click on the Invert button.

The result is displayed in the Preview box.

9.	Click on the OK button.

The dialog box disappears and the pattern becomes the background of the slide.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Selecting Colors Outside the Color Scheme


Creating a Picture Background

You can use a piece of clipart or a scanned picture as the background of a slide  to create a unique effect or enhance a particular concept.

Once you have used a picture as a slide background, it is included in the list of currently loaded picturesincluding picture files that you have placed as pictures on your slidesthat you can select from. This list of currently loaded picture files makes it easier to select picture backgrounds because you dont need to specify a loaded picture files location and name every time you need to use it.

If you have Astound Studio installed you can access Astound Image or Astound Draw to create or touch up a picture before using it as a background.

1.	Choose Slide/Background/Picture...

The Picture Background dialog box appears. All pictures currently loaded in memory are listed in the Currently Loaded drop-down list box.

2.	If you want to create your own drawing, click on the Drawing button.

Astound Draw opens from which you can create and edit your own drawing to be used as your slide background.

3.	If you want to create your own picture, click on the Image button.

The Create New Image dialog box in Astound Image appears from which you can create and edit an image to be used as your slide background.

4.	If you want to select a previously created picture, click on the Open... button.

The Open Picture dialog box appears.

5.	Select the picture file you want to open.

6.	If you want to select a picture from the Media Manager libraries, click on the Media Mgr button to display the Media Manager.

7.	If you want to preview the selected picture, click on the Preview button.

A preview of the selected picture appears in the Preview box.

8.	Click on the OK button.

You are returned to the Picture Background dialog box. This dialog box contains a list of all pictures that have been loaded for the current presentation. The name of the file you have just loaded appears in the Currently Loaded field, and a preview of the picture appears in the Preview box.

9.	Select a background placement option from the Alignment Within Slide box.

10.	Click on the Select button.

The selected picture becomes your slide background.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds


Selecting a Currently Loaded Picture for a Slide Background

1.	Choose Slide/Background/Picture...

The Picture Background dialog box appears.

2.	Select the picture you want to use from the Currently Loaded drop-down list.

A preview of the picture appears in the Preview box. You can load new pictures by clicking on the Open button.

3.	Select a background placement option from the Alignment Within Slide box.

4.	Click on the Select button.

The selected picture becomes your slide background.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds


Creating a Background in Astound Image

1.	Click on the Image button in the Picture Background dialog box or access Astound Image directly.

Astound Image opens. You can now create or edit the image you want to use as a slide background.

2.	Choose File/Exit and Return.

The Return From Editing window appears.

3.	Select the return option you want to use.

Save changes and return with a link to the file: This option displays the Save dialog box so that you can save your file if you havent already, and then returns you to Astound with the image linked to your presentation.

Return with an embedded copy of data: This option returns you to Astound, and embeds a copy of the image in your presentation even if you did not save the image file.

Return and cancel all changes: This option returns you to Astound and cancels any changes to the image. The image will not appear in the Select Picture dialog box's currently loaded list.

4.	Click on the Select button in the Picture Background dialog box.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Creating a Background in Astound Draw


Creating a Background in Astound Draw

1.	Click on the Drawing button in the Picture Background dialog box.

Astound Draw opens. You can now create the drawing you want to use as a slide background.

2.	Choose File/Exit and Return.

The Return From Editing window appears.

3.	Select the return option you want to use.

Save changes and return with a link to the file: This option displays the Save dialog box so that you can save your file if you havent already, and then returns you to Astound with the drawing linked to your presentation.

Return with an embedded copy of data: This option returns you to Astound, and embeds a copy of the drawing in your presentation even if you did not save the drawing file.

Return and cancel all changes: This option returns you to Astound and cancels any changes to the drawing. The drawing will not appear in the Select Picture dialog box's currently loaded list.

4.	Click on the Select button in the Picture Background dialog box.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Creating a Background in Astound Image


Creating a Texture Background

Astound comes with a large variety of textures that you can use as slide backgrounds. You can change the elements of any texture to customize them and get the effect you want. Textures can be anything from a night sky, to a woven texture, to an abstract set of bubbles or lines.

1.	Choose Slide/Background/Texture...

The Textures dialog box appears. Astound automatically loads your current texture or the first texture in the list.

All the textures stored in Astounds texture library appear in the list box under the preview box.

2.	Select the texture you want from the drop-down list box.

3.	To make any modifications to the texture you want click on the Edit button.

Make any changes you want to the texture.

4.	If any modifications were made, click on the Apply button.

5.	Click on the OK button.

The selected texture is applied to your slide background.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Creating a Texture Fill


Removing Backgrounds

If you decide you no longer want any slide background displayed, you can remove the current background entirely. To remove a background, choose Slide/Background/None. This removes the background of the current slide, leaving the slide background blank.

NOTE: Slide backgrounds (except, under some conditions, for multi-color gradients) remain in memory so that you can use them again without having to reload or recreate them. Backgrounds (except for simple and multi-color gradients) can be removed from memory using the Edit/Purge Unused Resources... command.

Once a simple or multi-color gradient is created, it cannot be purged like other resources. The Gradient list is cleared each time you load a new document.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds


Loading and Placing Pictures

1.	  Click on the Picture tool.

2.	Drag out a rectangle on the slide.

The picture you select will be placed into this rectangle, at the rectangles location and size.

The Select Picture dialog box appears. All currently loaded picture files are listed in the Currently Loaded drop-down list. This list also includes picture files that you have used as backgrounds for your slides. If you want to use one of these pictures, skip to step 7.

3.	If you want to use a picture that is not currently loaded into memory, click on the Open... button.

The Open Picture dialog box appears, from which you can select a picture to load into memory.

4.	Select the file you want to open.

5.	If you want to preview the picture file you selected, click on the Preview button.

The picture contained in the file is displayed in the Preview box.

6.	Click on the OK button.

The Select Picture dialog box appears. This dialog box contains a list of all pictures that have been loaded for the current presentation. The name of the file you have just loaded appears in the Currently Loaded field, and a preview of the picture appears in the Preview box.

7.	In the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the picture you want to place.

8.	Click on the Select button.

The selected picture is placed in the rectangle you have dragged out for it. You can use the pointer to move and resize the picture, just as you would any other object. If you press the [Shift] key while dragging the picture to resize it, the pictures aspect ratio will be maintained as you drag.

If you click on the Done button, the Select Picture dialog box disappears and the rectangle you dragged out converts to a picture placeholder. You can later double click on the placeholder to display the Select Picture dialog box so that you can select a picture.

9.	If you want to revert the picture back to its original size, select it and press the [Ctrl] and [B] key combination.

You can also use the Best Size option in the Resize Object dialog box

You can also load picture files into memory using Windows drag-and-drop feature. You must have both Astound and the Windows File Manager or the Media Manager displayed on the screen. In Astound, display the Select Picture dialog box. In the File Manager or the Media Manager, click on the file that you want to load into memory, and drag the file(s) onto the Select Picture dialog box in Astound. The picture file(s) are included in the Currently Loaded list in the Select Picture dialog box.

Tip:	Pictures placed at their original size play more quickly than pictures placed at a size other than their original or pictures that have been resized.

Related Topics:

Picture Options


Importing Pictures

  The File/Import/Picture... command places the image on the slide at its original size. If you have already loaded the picture into memory, you double click on the Picture tool, rather than load another copy of the picture into memory.

1.	Choose File/Import/Picture...

The Open Picture dialog box appears.

2.	Select the file you want to import.

If you want to preview the picture file that you have selected, click on the Preview button. The picture contained in the file is displayed in the Preview box.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The picture is placed in its original size in the center of the slide. If you press the [Shift] key while dragging the picture to resize it, the pictures aspect ratio will be maintained as you drag.

NOTE: Pictures placed at their original size play more quickly than pictures placed at a size other than their original or pictures that have been resized.

Related Topics:

Picture Options

Importing


Replacing a Single Picture of Filling Picture Placeholders
Replacing a Single Picture or Filling Picture Placeholders

You can easily replace a picture on a slide with a different one. You fill a placeholder in the same way that you would replace a single occurrence of a picture.

1.	Double click on the picture you want to replace or the picture placeholder you want to fill.

  You can also click on the Picture tool, and then click on the picture you want to replace or the picture placeholder you want to fill.

The Select Picture dialog box appears. If you clicked on an existing picture, the dialog will display the filename of the picture on which you clicked displayed in the Currently Loaded field. A preview of this picture is displayed in the Preview box.

2.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the picture you want to use as a replacement or to fill the picture placeholder.

A preview of this picture appears in the Preview box.

NOTE: If the picture you want to use as a replacement or to fill a placeholder is not currently loaded, you can click on the Open... button and load the picture from the Open Picture dialog box.

3.	Click on the Select button.

The picture on your slide is replaced with the newly selected picture, or the picture placeholder is filled with the newly selected picture. You can use the pointer to move and resize the picture, just as you would any other object.

Related Topics:

Picture Options


Replacing All Occurrences of a Picture

You can easily replace all occurrences of a picture in the presentation with a different picture.

1.	  Double click on the Picture tool.

The Select Picture dialog box appears. If there are no pictures currently loaded (and therefore no picture to replace), the Open Picture dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the picture that you want to replace.

3.	Click on the Replace... button.

The Open Picture dialog box appears.

4.	Select the file you want to use as a replacement.

5.	If you want to preview the picture file that you have selected, click on the Preview button.

The picture contained in the file is displayed in the Preview box.

6.	Click on the OK button.

You are returned to the Select Picture dialog box. The new picture is selected and displayed in the Preview box. The original picture no longer appears in the Currently Loaded drop-down list because it is no longer in memory. If you want to use this picture again, you first have to load it into memory.

All occurrences of the original picture in your presentation are replaced with the newly selected one.

7.	Click on the Done button.

The Select Picture dialog box disappears.

Related Topics:

Picture Options


Using a New Drawing as a Slide Picture
Using a New Drawing as a Picture

1.	Click on the Drawing or Image button in the Select Picture dialog box.

Astound Draw or Astound Image opens. You can now create the drawing or image you want to use on your slide.

2.	Choose File/Exit and Return.

The Return from Editing window appears.

3.	Select the return option you want to use.

Save changes and return with a link to file: This option displays the Save dialog box so that you can save your file if you havent already, and then will return you to Astound with the drawing or image linked to your presentation.

Return with an embedded copy of the data: This option returns you to Astound, and embeds a copy of the drawing or image in your presentation even if you did not save the drawing file.

Return and cancel all changes: This option returns you to Astound and cancels any changes to the drawing or image. The drawing or image will not appear in the currently loaded list in the Select Picture dialog box.

4.	Select the file from the Currently Loaded list.

Related Topics:

Picture Options


Removing Pictures from Memory

When you have a picture file loaded into memory, you can remove it from memory entirely, without replacing it. This frees up more memory on your system, as well as reduces the size of your Currently Loaded pictures list, making it easier for you to select those pictures you do need.

NOTE: If you want to remove all picture files that are not in use in the current presentation, choose Edit/Purge Unused Resources. In the resulting dialog box, you can choose to remove all unused picture files from memory. This method frees up memory quickly, and saves you from going through the list of Currently Loaded files, picking out the ones you dont need individually.

1.	  Double click on the Picture tool.

The Select Picture dialog box appears.

If there are no pictures currently loaded (and therefore no picture to remove), the Open Picture dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently Loaded list box, select the picture that you want to remove.

A preview of the selected picture appears in the Preview box.

3.	Click on the Remove button.

If the picture you are removing from memory is currently placed on a slide, a message box is displayed, warning you and asking if you want to proceed. The selected picture disappears from the slide and will not appear in the Currently Loaded list box if you close and reopen the Select Picture dialog box.

4.	Click on the Done button.

The Select Picture dialog box disappears.

Related Topics:

Picture Options


Loading and Placing Animated Actors

Astound allows you to place actors in presentations that will be played on a computer. You can import and place actors included with Astound, or actors from other Gold Disk products, such as Animation Works Interactive, Animation Works, AddImpact!, ScreenCraze, Professional Draw and Astound Studio. You can place an actor with the Actor tool or with the File/Import/Actor... command. You can specify how fast an actor animates, and whether or not the animation loops around.

1.	  Click on the Actor tool.

2.	Drag out a rectangle on the slide.

The actor you select will be placed into this rectangle, at the rectangles location and size.

The Select Actor dialog box appears.

This dialog box contains a list of all actors that have been loaded for the current presentation. If you want to use one of these actors, skip to step 7.

3.	Click on the Open... button.

The Open Actor dialog box appears, from which you can select an actor to load into memory.

4.	Select the actor file you want to open.

5.	If you want to preview the actor, click on the Preview button.

The first cel of the actor contained in the file is displayed in the Preview box.

6.	Click on the OK button.

You are returned to the Select Actor dialog box. The name of the file you have just loaded appears in the Currently Loaded field, and a preview of the actor appears in the Preview box.

7.	In the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the actor you want to use.

8.	In the Speed field, set the speed at which you want the actor to play.

NOTE: If you specify 0 cels per second, Astound will update the actor cels on every screen refresh.

7.	To animate the actor continuously, enable the Loop checkbox.

If you do not enable this checkbox, the actor plays through once only. By looping an actor, you can keep the animation moving over the life of its timeline, which is set to the same length as the slides timeline by default.

8.	If you want to scale, rotate, or add cels to the actor, click on the appropriate modify button displayed below the Preview box.

9.	Click on the Select button.

The selected actor is placed in the rectangle you have dragged out for it. You can use the pointer to move and resize the actor, just as you would any other object.

If you click on the Done button, the Select Actor dialog box disappears and the rectangle you dragged out converts to an actor placeholder. You can later double click on the placeholder to display the Select Actor dialog box so that you can select an actor.

10.	If you want to revert the actor back to its original size, select it and press the [Ctrl] and [B] key combination.

NOTE: You can also use the Best Size option in the Resize Object dialog box.

Tip: 	Actors generally look best when played at their original size. If you must resize an actor, it is better to use the Modify buttons within the Select Actor dialog box. These buttons directly modify the actor loaded in memory and ensure the best possible playback performance at any given size.

You can also load actor files into memory using Windows drag-and-drop functions. You must have both Astound and the Windows File Manager or the Media Manager displayed on the screen. In Astound, display the Select Actor dialog box. In the File Manager or the Media Manager, click on the file(s) that you want to load into memory, and drag the file(s) onto the Select Actor dialog box in Astound. The actor file(s) are included in the Currently Loaded list in the Select Actor dialog box.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Importing Actors

  The File/Import/Actor... command places the actor on the slide at its original size. If you have already loaded the desired actor into memory, then you should instead, double click on the Actor tool to avoid loading another copy of the actor into memory.

1.	Choose File/Import/Actor...

The Open Actor dialog box appears.

2.	Select the file you want to open from the Files list box, or type its name in the Filename field.

3.	If you want to preview the actor, click on the Preview button.

The actor contained in the file is displayed in the Preview box.

4.	Click on the OK button.

The actor is placed in its original size in the center of the slide, and added to the list of Currently Loaded actors. You can use the pointer to move and resize the actor, just as you would any other object. If you press the [Shift] key while dragging the actor to resize it, you can maintain the actors aspect ratio.

Tip: 	An actor placed at its original size plays more quickly than an actor placed at a size other than its original, or an actor that has been resized.

Related Topics:

Actor Options

Importing


Replacing a Single Actor or Filling Actor Placeholders

You can easily replace an actor on a slide with a different one You fill a placeholder in the same way that you would replace a single occurrence of an actor.

1.	Double click on the actor you want to replace or the actor placeholder you want to fill.

  You can also click on the Actor tool, and then click on the actor you want to replace or the actor placeholder you want to fill.

The Select Actor dialog box appears. If you clicked on an existing actor, the dialog will display the filename of the selected actor in the Currently Loaded field. A preview of this actor is displayed in the Preview box.

2.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the actor that you want to use as a replacement or to fill the actor placeholder.

A preview of this actor appears in the Preview box.

If the actor you want to use as a replacement or to fill a placeholder is not currently loaded, you can click on the Open... button and load the actor from the Open Actor dialog box.

3.	In the Speed field, set the speed at which you want the actor to play.

NOTE: At 0 cels per second an actor will playback as fast as possible.

4.	If you want the actor to animate continuously, enable the Loop checkbox.

If you do not enable this checkbox, the actor plays through once only. By looping an actor, you can keep the animation moving over the life of its timeline, which is set to the same length as the slides timeline, by default.

5.	If you want to scale, rotate, or add cels to the actor, click on the appropriate modify button displayed below the Preview box.

6.	Click on the Select button.

The actor on your slide is replaced with the newly selected actor, or the actor placeholder is filled with the newly selected actor. You can use the pointer to move and resize the actor, just as you would any other object.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Replacing All Occurrences of an Actor

1.	  Double click on the Actor tool.

The Select Actor dialog box appears. If there are no actors currently loaded (and therefore no actors to replace), the Open Actor dialog box appears.

2.	Select the actor that you want to replace from the Currently Loaded drop-down list.

A preview of the selected actor appears in the Preview field.

3.	Click on the Replace... button.

The Open Actor dialog box appears.

4.	Select the file you want to use as a replacement from the Files list box, or type its name in the Filename field.

5.	If you want to preview the actor, click on the Preview button.

The actor contained in the file is displayed in the Preview box.

6.	Click on the OK button.

You are returned to the Select Actor dialog box. The new actor is selected and displayed in the Preview box. The original actor no longer appears in the Currently Loaded drop-down list because it is no longer in memory. If you want to use this actor again, you first have to load it into memory.

All occurrences of the original actor in your presentation are replaced with the newly selected one.

7.	Click on the Done button.

The Select Actor dialog box disappears.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Removing Actors from Memory

When you have an actor file loaded into memory, but your presentation no longer makes use of it, you can remove it from memory entirely, without replacing it. This frees up more memory on your system, and reduces the size of your Currently Loaded actors list, making it easier for you to select those actors you do need.

1.	  Double click on the Actor tool.

The Select Actor dialog box appears. If there are no actors currently loaded (and therefore no actors to replace), the Open Actor dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the actor that you want to remove.

A preview of the selected actor appears in the Preview box.

3.	Click on the Remove button.

If the actor you are removing from memory is currently placed on a slide in the presentation, a message box is displayed, warning you and asking if you want to proceed.

The selected actor no longer appears in the Currently Loaded list.

NOTE: If you want to remove all actor files that are not in use in the current presentation, choose Edit/Purge Unused Resources. In the resulting dialog box, you can choose to remove all unused actor files from memory. This method frees up memory quickly, and saves you from going through the list of Currently Loaded files, picking out the ones you dont need individually.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Scaling an Actor

You can shrink or stretch an actor so that it is the appropriate size for your slide.

1.	From the Select Actor dialog box, click on the Size Actor button.

The Size Actor dialog box appears.

2.	In the Horizontal and Vertical edit boxes, specify how much you want to scale the actor as a percentage of its original size.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The actor is scaled according to your specifications and appears in the Preview box of the Select Actor dialog box.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Rotating an Actor

You can rotate an actor so that it faces in another direction.

1.	From the Select Actor dialog box, click on the Rotate Actor button.

The Rotate Actor dialog box appears.

2.	In the Angle edit box, specify the angle you want to rotate the actor by.

3.	In the Direction box, specify whether you want to rotate the actor clockwise or counterclockwise.

4.	Click on the OK button.

The actor rotates according to your specifications and appears in the Preview box of the Select Actor dialog box.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Scaling each Cel within an Actor
Scaling Cels within an Actor

You can change the size of each cel in an actor to a percentage of its original size. You can add cels to an actor and create an actor that appears to grow or shrink as it gets gradually larger or smaller. If you are creating new cels in your actor, you can add the new cels between the original cels or you can have the actor loop through the original cels a second time.

1.	From the Select Actor dialog box, click on the Size Cels button.

The Size Cels dialog box appears.

2.	In the Destination Number of Cels edit box, specify the total number of cels you want in the modified actor.

If the number of destination cels is greater than the number of source cels displayed in the Select Actor dialog box, new cels are automatically generated.

3.	In the Starting Size box, specify the starting horizontal and vertical scaling as a percentage of the original size.

4.	In the Ending Size box, specify the ending horizontal and vertical scaling as a percentage of the original size.

5.	If the destination number of cels is greater than the number of cels in the original actor, select a New Cel Generation option.

6.	Click on the OK button.

The cels are scaled according to your specifications and the actor appears in the Preview box of the Select Actor dialog box.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Rotating Cels within an Actor

You can rotate cels in the selected actor to create spinning actors. You can also combine the Rotate Cels option with the Size Cels option to create spinning and zooming actors. If you are creating new cels in the actor, you can add the new cels between the original cels or end the cycle one cel early.

1.	From the Select Actor dialog box, click on the Rotate Cels button.

The Rotate Cels dialog box appears.

2.	In the Destination Number of Cels edit box, specify the number of cels you want to use for the rotation.

If the number of destination cels is greater than the number of source cels displayed in the Select Actor dialog box, new cels are automatically generated.

3.	In the Angles box, specify the starting and ending angles for the rotation.

4.	In the Direction box, specify whether you want to rotate the cels clockwise or counterclockwise.

5.	If the destination number of cels is greater than the number of cels in the original actor, select a New Cel Generation option.

6.	If you want to end the cycle one cel early, enable the End Rotation One Step Early checkbox.

This option is useful if your first and last cels are the same and you are rotating cels through 360 degrees. This will prevent the actor from stuttering at the end of each loop through its cels.

7.	Click on the OK button.

The cels are rotated according to your specifications and the actor appears in the Preview box of the Select Actor dialog box.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Loading and Placing Video and Animated Movies

Video and animated movies are placed in the same way as actors and pictures. You can place overlay video, digital file-based video, and animated movies with the Movie tool, specifying an approximate size and location at which the file plays back, or you can use the File/Import/Movie... command to place file-based video and animated movies on your slide at their original size.

Once you have used a video or animated movie in a presentation, it is included in a list of currently loaded video files that you can select from.

1.	  Click on the Movie tool.

2.	Drag out a rectangle on the slide.

This rectangle defines the placement and size of the video or animated movie you select. The placement of some types of files can be further defined using the options in the Alignment Within Rectangle box in the Select Movie dialog box.

The Select Movie dialog box appears. This dialog box contains a list of all video and animated movie files that have been loaded for the current presentation. If you want to use one of these video files, skip to step 8.

3.	Enable the File-Based Digital Video radio button.

This tells Astound that you want to place file-based video or an animated movie, rather than overlay video. The options in the File-Based Digital Video box are enabled, while those in the Overlay Analog Video box are disabled.

4.	Click on the Open... button in the File-Based Digital Video box.

The Open Movie dialog box appears, from which you can select a video or animated movie file to load into memory.

5.	Select the file you want to open.

If you select an .fli file and modify the palette during the playback of the file, Astound will not update the changes and so it will not be displayed properly after that point.

6.	If you want to see a single-frame preview of the video or animated movie, click on the Preview button.

A preview of the video or animated movie file is displayed in the Preview box.

7.	Click on the OK button.

You are returned to the Select Movie dialog box. The name of the file you have just loaded appears in the Currently Loaded drop-down list and its preview appears in the Preview box.

8.	In the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the video file you want to use.

9.	Select a placement option from the Alignment Within Rectangle box.

10.	Enable the Loop checkbox in the File-Based Digital Video box if you want the video or animated movie to play through more than once.

Enabling this checkbox allows you to loop the video or animated movie, extending its playback time on the slide. By default, the timeline for the video or animated movie is set to the same length as the slides timeline. If the checkbox is not enabled, the video or animated movie only plays through once.

11.	Click on the Select button.

The selected video or animated movie is placed in the rectangle you have dragged out for it. You can use the pointer to move and resize the rectangle, just as you would any other object.

If you click on the Done button, the Select Movie dialog box disappears and the rectangle you dragged out converts to a video placeholder. You can later double click on the placeholder to display the Select Movie dialog box so that you can select a video or animated movie to place in it.

12.	If you want to revert the video or animated movie back to its original size, select it and press the [Ctrl] and [B] key combination.

You can also load video and animated movie files into memory using Windows drag-and-drop functions. You must have both Astound and the Windows File Manager or the Media Manager displayed on the screen. In Astound, display the Select Movie dialog box. In the File Manager or the Media Manager, click on the file(s) that you want to load into memory, and drag the file(s) onto the Select Movie dialog box in Astound. The video or animated movie file(s) are included in the Currently Loaded list in the Select Movie dialog box.

Related Topics:

Movie Options


Importing Video and Animated Movies

Placing file-based video or animated movies using the File/Import/Movie... command results in the video rectangle being set to the original size of the video or animated movie, and centered on the slide. If you have already loaded the video or movie into memory, then you should double click on the Video tool to avoid loading another copy of the video into memory.

1.	Choose File/Import/Movie...

The Open Movie dialog box appears.

2.	Select the file you want to open from the Files list box or type its name in the Filename field.

3.	If you want to see a single-frame preview of the video or animated movie, click on the Preview button.

A preview of the video or animated movie file is displayed in the Preview box.

4.	Click on the OK button.

The video or animated movie is placed at its original size in the center of the slide and added to the list of Currently Loaded files. You can use the pointer to move and resize the rectangle, just as you would any other object.

Tip:	Videos and animated movies placed at their original size play more smoothly than those placed at a modified size.

Related Topics:

Movie Options

Importing


Using Overlay Video on a Slide

You must have installed the appropriate hardware and device drivers to support this type of video display. If you have not, this type of video is unavailable to you.

1.	  Click on the Movie tool.

2.	Drag out a rectangle on the slide.

This rectangle defines the placement and size of the area through which the video plays.

The Select Movie dialog box appears.

3.	Enable the Overlay Analog Video radio button in the Video Type box.

This tells Astound that you want to play overlay video, rather than file-based video or animated movies. The options in the Overlay Analog Video box are enabled, while those in the File-Based Digital Video box are disabled.

4.	From the Installed Drivers list box, select the overlay video device you will be using.

If you have not installed an MCI driver or the appropriate hardware to support overlay video, this type of video is not available to you.

5.	Click on the Key Color button to select a key color through which the video will play.

A pop-up palette appears, containing a selection of sixteen colors. You can choose any of these as the key color. Your overlay video only appears on-screen through regions within the video rectangle that match this key color. If you do not select a key color, the overlay video plays through a key color that is set by default.

6.	Select the Fill Rectangle With Key Color checkbox if you want to fill the rectangle you have dragged out with the specified key color.

This results in the overlay video playing through the entire video rectangle as though it was file-based video. If you do not enable this checkbox, the video only plays through those objects and areas within the rectangle that already display the key color.

7.	Select a placement option from the Alignment Within Rectangle box.

8.	Click on the Select button.

The video is played through the rectangle you have dragged out for it. You can use the pointer to move and resize the video rectangle, just as you would any other object.

If you click on the Done button, the Select Movie dialog box disappears and the rectangle you dragged out converts to a video placeholder. You can later double click on the placeholder to display the Select Movie dialog box so that you can select a video.

Related Topics:

Movie Options


Replacing a Single Movie or Filling Movie Placeholders

You can replace a file-based video or animated movie on a slide with a different one. You can use the same procedure to place a video or animated movie in a video placeholder.

1.	Double click on the movie you want to replace or the movie placeholder you want to fill.

  You can also click on the Movie tool and then click on the video or animated movie you want to replace, or the video placeholder you want to fill.

The Select Movie dialog box appears with the File-Based Digital Video radio button enabled. The filename of the video or animated movie on which you clicked is displayed in the Currently Loaded field. A single frame preview of this file is displayed in the Preview box.

2.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the video or animated movie you want to use as a replacement, or to fill the video placeholder.

A single frame preview of this file appears in the Preview box.

3.	Select a placement option from the Alignment Within Rectangle box.

4.	Enable the Loop checkbox in the File-Based Digital Video box if you want the video or animated movie to play through more than once.

Enabling this checkbox allows you to loop the video or animated movie, extending its playback time on the slide. By default, the timeline for the video or animated movie is set to the same length as the slides timeline. If the checkbox is not enabled, the video or animated movie only plays through once.

5.	Click on the Select button.

The video, animated movie, or video placeholder on your slide is replaced with the newly selected file.

Related Topics:

Movie Options


Replacing All Occurrences of a Video or Animated Movie

You can replace all occurrences of a file-based video or animated movie in the presentation with a different video.

1.	  Double click on the Movie tool.

The Select Movie dialog box appear. If there are no animated movies or file-based video currently loaded (and therefore nothing to replace), the Open Movie dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the video or animated movie that you want to replace.

A single frame preview of this file appears in the Preview box.

3.	Click on the Replace... button

The Open Movie dialog box appears.

4.	Select the file you want to use as a replacement.

5.	If you want to see a single frame preview of the video or animated movie, click on the Preview button.

A preview of the video or animated movie file is displayed in the Preview box.

6.	Click on the OK button.

You are returned to the Select Movie dialog box. The new file is selected and its preview is displayed in the Preview box. The original video or animated movie no longer appears in the Currently Loaded drop-down list because it is no longer in memory. If you want to use this video or animated movie again, you first have to load it into memory.

7.	Select a placement option from the Alignment Within Rectangle box.

NOTE: These options have no effect when you are replacing a video file throughout an entire presentation.

8.	Enable the Loop checkbox in the File-Based Digital Video box if you want the video or animated movie to play through more than once.

Enabling this checkbox allows you to loop the video or animated movie, extending its playback time on the slide. By default, the timeline for the video or animated movie is set to the same length as the slides timeline. If the checkbox is not enabled, the video or animated movie only plays through once.

9.	Click on the Done button.

The Select Movie dialog box disappears. All occurrences in the presentation of the original video or animated movie are replaced with the newly selected one.

Related Topics:

Movie Options


Removing Video or Animated Movies from Memory

When you have a video or animated movie file loaded into memory but your presentation no longer makes use of it, you can remove it from memory entirely, without replacing it. This frees up more system memory, and reduces the size of the Currently Loaded list, making it easier for you to select those files you do need.

1.	  Double click on the Movie tool.

The Select Movie dialog box appears. If there are no animated movies or file-based video currently loaded (and therefore nothing to remove), the Open Movie dialog box appears.

2.	Enable the File-Based Digital Video radio button.

The options in the File-Based Digital Video box are enabled, while those in the Overlay Analog Video box are disabled.

3.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the file that you want to remove.

You can also click on the Open... button to select the file you want to remove. A preview of the selected video or animated movie appears in the Preview box.

4.	Click on the Remove button.

If the video or animated movie you are removing from memory is currently placed on a slide in the presentation, a message box is displayed, warning you and asking if you want to proceed.

The selected video or animated movie no longer appears in the Currently Loaded list.

NOTE: If you want to remove all video and animated movie files that are not in use in the current presentation, choose Edit/Purge Unused Resources. In the resulting dialog box, you can choose to remove all unused video and animated movie files from memory. This method frees up memory quickly, and saves you from going through the list of Currently Loaded files, picking out the ones you dont need individually.

Related Topics:

Movie Options


Loading Sounds into Memory

Before you can place the sound on the slide, you must load it into memory. You can specify how long each sound will play, whether to fade the sound in or out, and whether to loop the sound. You can also create multiple copies of the same sound.

Astound supports both MIDI and Wave sound file formats, as well as sound on an audio CD played through a CD-ROM drive. MIDI sounds are usually music or music effects and Wave sounds are usually voice recordings or sound effects.

In order to use Astounds sound capabilities, you must have installed the appropriate hardware on your system. Depending on which functions you want to use, the hardware requirements include: a sound card with the proper drivers to enable the playback of Wave and MIDI sound files, a microphone to allow the recording of sound and narration, and a CD-ROM drive and audio CDs to define and play back CD clips.

1.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the Open... button.

The Open Sound dialog box appears.

3.	Select the sound file you want to open.

4.	If you want to preview the sound before you open it, click on the Play button.

5.	Click on the OK button.

You return to the Select Sound dialog box and the selected sound is added to the Currently Loaded drop-down list.

NOTE: You can use the Windows drag and drop feature to load sound files into memory. Simply select a sound file in the File Manager and drag it onto the Select Sound dialog box in Astound. The sound file(s) are added to the Currently Loaded list in the Select Sound dialog box.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Adding a Sound to a Slide

Once you have loaded a sound into memory, you can add it to the slide.

1.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list in the Available Sounds box, select the sound you want to add to your slide.

NOTE: If there are no sounds currently loaded into memory, you cannot add sound to your slide.

3.	If you want to preview the sound before you add it to the slide, click on the Play button in the Available Sounds box.

4.	Click on the Add to Slide button.

The sound is added to the slide, and appears in the Currently On Slide field. The Timeline box and the Volume control are enabled, and information about the selected sound appears in the Sound Info box.

5.	Drag the Volume slider to adjust the sounds volume.

Moving the handle up or down on the Volume slider increases or decreases the playback volume.

6.	In the Timeline box, adjust the controls to specify the playback time of the sound on the slide.

7.	Click on the Done button.

When you play the slide, the sound plays as specified on its timeline.

You can also cause the sound to loop, fade in and/or out, and specify when it plays.

NOTE: You can use the Windows drag and drop feature to load sound files onto slides, you can also load sound files from Media Manager using drag and drop. Simply select a sound file in the File Manager or Media Manager and drag it onto the slide in Astound. The sound is added to the slide, and set to play through once, starting at the beginning of the slide. The sound is also added to the Currently Loaded and Currently on Slide lists in the Select Sound dialog box.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Adding Sound Across Multiple Slides

Usually, when you add a sound to a single slide, the timeline you give it must begin and end within the duration of that one slide. Astound also provides a way to have a sound continue uninterrupted across a series of slides.

When you define a sound as a background sound, it no longer has an editable timeline. The sound will play for the full duration of the slide, and, if the same background sound is found on the next slide, it will continue without interruption.

You can define background sound individually for each slide view, but the easiest method is to select a range of slides in the slide sorter and define a single background sound for them all at once.

1.	In the Slide Sorter view, select the slides you want to add sound to.

2.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

3.	Select a sound.

4.	Click on the Add to Slide button.

The sound is added to the selected slide.

5.	If you want a sound to play uninterrupted from one slide to the next, make sure that the Use In Background checkbox is enabled.

6.	If your sound file is short you can enable the Loop checkbox so that the sound will repeat continuously across all of your slides.

If this checkbox is disabled, the sound will just play through once.

7.	Click on the Done button.

When you play the presentation, the sound placed on the background will play through the selected slides.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Importing Sounds Directly to a Slide

Using the File/Import/Sound... command, you can load a sound into memory and place it on the current slide in one step. The sound will start at the beginning of the slide and play once through at its default volume. This is the same as the Windows drag and drop feature that loads a file from the File Manager and the onto a slide. After you have placed a sound on a slide, you can adjust the sounds timeline or set its playback volume in the Select Sound dialog box and in the Timeline window.

1.	Choose File/Import/Sound...

The Open Sound dialog box appears.

2.	Select the sound file you want to import.

3. 	If you want to preview the sound before you import it, click on the Play button.

4.	Click on the OK button.

The sound is added to the slide, and set to play through once, starting at the beginning of the slide. The sound is also added to the Currently Loaded and Currently on Slide lists in the Select Sound dialog box.

Related Topics:

Sound Options

Importing


Defining a CD Clip

If you have a CD-ROM drive, you can use it to incorporate tracks from audio compact discs into your presentations. You can select entire tracks, or selected sections of tracks on your CD, and designate them as sounds that can be placed on slides in your presentation.

Any CD clip that you define remains on the CD, and will not be embedded in your presentation. If you remove the CD on which you have defined a clip, that clip will no longer be available.

1.	Make sure that the CD you want to use is in your CD-ROM drive.

When the Select Sound dialog box is opened, if there is no CD in the CD-ROM, if it is currently in use, or if it is not closed, the Define CD Clip... button will be disabled and will remain disabled until the Select Sound dialog box is reopened.

2.	In the Select Sound dialog box, click on the Define CD Clip... button.

3.	In the Start box, specify the track and time where your CD clip will begin, or drag the slider to specify the starting point.

As you drag, the sliders current Track and Time are displayed below it.

If you want to locate your starting point by sound, use the transport controls below the slider to search through the CD as you would normally.

If you used the slider or transport controls to locate your start point, click on the Set Start button.

The selected start position is displayed in the Track and Time fields in the Start box.

4.	In the End box, specify the track and time where your CD clip will end, or drag the slider to specify the ending point.

As you drag, the sliders current Track and Time are displayed below it.

If you want to locate your ending point by sound, use the transport controls below the slider to search through the CD as you would normally.

5.	If you want the clip to be the end of the selected track, click on the To End of Track button in the End box.

If you have used the slider or transport controls to locate your end point, click on the Set End button.

The selected end position is displayed in the Track and Time fields in the End box.

6.	In the Clip Name field, type a name for the clip you have defined.

7.	Click on the OK button.

The CD clip will be added to the Currently Loaded list in the Select Sound dialog box.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Adjusting the Sound Timeline

A timeline is used to specify how long a sound will play, over what portion of the slides duration it will play, and whether or not it will have an entry or exit transition (fade in and out) if you have sound hardware that supports this. This timeline can be defined in the Select Sound dialog box, or in the Timeline window.

When you initially add sound to a slide, the sounds timeline is the exact length of the sound, and begins at the start of the slide. When you alter the timeline, the sound itself is not changed in any way. For example, a three second sound still takes three seconds to play, even though you have lengthened its timeline to six seconds. Lengthening its timeline only has an effect if you also enable the Looping option, which causes the sound to play repeatedly for as long as its timeline dictates.

Sound timelines have most of the same editing functions as other timelines, but, because sound files have a predefined duration, you need to keep that in mind when editing their timelines.

1.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently On Slide drop-down list, select the sound you want to set the timeline for.

The timeline for the sound is displayed in the Timeline box.

3.	If you want to change the display on the indicator from time, in seconds, to percentage of the slides timeline, click on the Seconds/Percentage button in the Timeline box.

4. 	To change the sounds starting point, drag the white handle on the left side of the timeline.

A white box is attached to the pointer.

5.	If you want to reposition the sound, drag the timeline from its middle so that the left edge of the timeline is at the point in the slides duration where you want the sound to start.

The pointer changes to a Grabber tool.

As you drag, the sounds timeline is repositioned within the slides duration..

6. 	If you want the sound to fade in, drag the black handle toward the middle of the timeline to set the length of the entry transition.

A black box is attached to the pointer.

The area of the timeline that you drag over appears lighter in color and the sound fades in for the duration of the transition. For exit transitions the sound will fade out.

7.	If you want to stop playing the sound before it is finished, drag the white handle at the right edge of the timeline towards the left. Repeat steps 4 to 6 using the handles on the right edge of the timeline to set the end point of the sound and the length of the exit transition (fade out).

NOTE: If you increase the length of the sound by repositioning the start and/or end points, the sound does not play any longer than its original length unless you enable the Loop checkbox.

8.	If you want the sound to play repeatedly, enable the Loop checkbox, and drag the white handle at the right edge of the timeline to the point where you want the sound to stop playing.

9.	If you want the sound to fade out at the end, drag the black handle at the right edge of the timeline toward the middle of the timeline to set the length of the exit transition.

10.	If you want to create sound timelines in multiples of the sound length, hold down the [Shift] key while you lengthen the timeline.

This prevents a looped sound from being cut off in the middle.

11.	Click on the Done button.

Related Topics:

Sound Options

Setting the Timeline to Play a Sound Once

Looping a Sound


Setting the Timeline to Play a Sound Once

If you edit the timeline and then decide to return the timeline to its original length you can use the Make Best Timeline option. This option causes the timeline to adjust to the length of the sound, keeping the starting point of the sound the same. If the full length of the sound exceeds the length of the slide, the starting point of the sound is pushed toward the beginning of the slide until the entire sound can be played, or until there is no more room for the timeline. The sound never begins before the slide does.

1.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently On Slide drop-down list, select the sound you want to set the timeline for.

3.	Click on the Make Best Timeline button.

The timeline adjusts. Any entry or exit transitions you had specified on your sounds timeline are maintained proportionally.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Looping a Sound

You may want your sound to play through more than once on your slide. You can have the sound loop for the duration of its timeline. Enabling the Loop checkbox in the Select Sound dialog box causes the sound to play through and then begin playing again for the duration of the sounds timeline. You will have to lengthen the timeline for this to have any effect.

If the timeline is longer than the sounds duration, but Loop is not enabled, the sound will still only play once.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Previewing Sound

Before you decide to open, add, edit, or remove a sound from your slides or from memory, you can preview the sound sequence to hear what it sounds like. You can preview a sound that is currently loaded into memory or currently on slide from the Select Sound dialog box.

1.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently Loaded or currently on a slide drop-down list, select the sound you want to preview.

The name of the sound is displayed in the field.

NOTE: If there are no sounds in memory, you can load them by clicking on the Open button.

3.	Click on the Play button in the Available Sounds box, or in the New box, depending on which sound you want to play.

The sound plays through once. While it is playing, the Play button changes to a Stop button.

4.	If you want to end the playback of the sound before it ends naturally, click on the Stop button.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Renaming a Sound

When you record a sound, it is a good idea to give it a name that indicates what the sound file contains. If you forget to name a new sound, it is assigned a default name. You can change the name of a sound at any time using the Rename... button in the Select Sound dialog box.

You can also use the Rename function to change the name of any sound you have placed on a slide, and subsequently edited and placed again on the same slide or on any other slide.

NOTE: Renaming a sound does not change the actual file or filename.

1.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the sound you want to rename.

The sound is displayed in the Currently Loaded drop-down box.

3.	Click on the Rename... button.

The Rename Sound dialog box appears.

4.	Type in the new name.

5.	Click on the OK button.

The new name replaces the original in the Currently Loaded list.

NOTE: If the sound is currently placed on any slide(s), its name also changes in the Currently on Slide lists for those slides.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Removing Sounds from Memory

If you have loaded sounds into memory and then decide not to use them, or if you have a sound in your presentation that you want to remove entirely, you can remove the sound from memory.

You can also remove any unused sounds by choosing Edit/Purge Unused Resources, selecting the Sounds option in the resulting dialog box, and clicking on the Purge button.

1.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently Loaded drop-down list, select the sound you want to remove.

The sounds name is displayed in the Currently Loaded field.

3.	Click on the Remove button in the Available Sounds box.

The sound is removed from memory, and no longer appears in the Currently Loaded list. If the sound is currently placed on any slide in the presentation, a message box will appear, asking you if you wish to remove the sound anyway. If you choose to continue, the sound will be removed from all slides.

4.	Click on the Done button.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Removing a Sound from a Slide

1.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

2.	From the Currently on Slide drop-down list, select the sound you want to remove.

The sounds name is displayed in the field.

3.	Click on the Remove button in the Sounds on Slide box.

The sound is removed from the Currently on Slide list, but not from memory.

4.	Click on the Done button.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Recording Narration

If you have a microphone, you can record narration right on top of your presentation, while you watch the presentation. This allows you to synchronize your narration with the appropriate events on the slide. You simply use the spacebar to toggle recording on and off.

You cannot extend a single narration over more than one slide. When a slide reaches the end of its display, recording will stop. You can start recording again by pressing the [Spacebar] when the next slide is displayed.

1.	  Click on the Sound tool.

The Select Sound dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the Add Narration... button.

A message box appears, asking you if you want to add narration to the current slide only.

3.	If you want to add narration to the current slide only, click on the Yes button.

4. 	If you want to play the entire presentation and add narration whenever you want, click on the No button.

If you choose to add to the current slide, the current slide will begin playing.  If you choose the entire presentation, the entire presentation will begin playing.

5.	Press the [Spacebar] at any time to begin recording narration.

While you are recording, the Recording box appears on your screen. This box contains a record level indicator.

6.	Press the [Spacebar] at any time to stop the recording.

You can record as many separate narration clips as you can fit on the slide. The narrations are numbered and assigned their own timelines.

7.	When you are finished recording narration and the presentation is still playing, click and hold the right mouse button and select Quit, or press the [Esc] key.

A pop-up menu appears, from which you can pause, quit, or change slides..

8.	Choose Quit Show.

The playback of the slide or presentation ends, and you are returned to the Select Sound dialog box. All of the recorded narrations appear in the Currently on Slide list, and in the timelines for the slide(s).

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Changing Individual Colors in a Color Scheme

Creating and editing Color Schemes both involve changing individual colors in the default color scheme. You can create color schemes containing any colors you choose, and then save them using descriptive names. For example, a color scheme you create that contains shades of yellows and browns could be called Desert Motif.

You can use the Color Mixer to define a color numerically by Red, Green, Blue, or Hue, Saturation, Luminance values; the Color Spectrum to choose a color from a 128 color palette and the Eyedropper to select any color that is currently displayed on the screen.

1.	Choose Slide/Color Schemes...

The Color Schemes dialog box appears.

2.	From the Name drop-down list, select the color scheme you want to modify or choose New to revert the color scheme back to the default colors.

3.	Click on the color you want to change.

A darker border appears around the color to show that it is selected.

4.	Click on the Eyedropper, Color Mixer or Color Spectrum button, depending on how you want to choose the new color.

The dialog box expands to include the appropriate options.

5.	Select a new color.

You can single click on a new color and then click on the Accept button to select a new color from the Spectrum or Mixer, or click on a color anywhere on screen to select it with the Eyedropper.

You can change as many colors in the current scheme as you wish before going on to the next step.

6.	In the Apply To box, specify what you want to apply the specified color scheme to.

NOTE: If you are in Edit Master Slide mode, you will be given the choice of applying the color scheme to either the current master or the entire template.

7.	Click on the Select button or on the Done button.

Clicking on the Select button displays the Save Color Scheme dialog box, and prompts you to name the modified color scheme and selects for use.

Clicking on the Done button displays a prompt asking if you want to save the changes. Click on the Yes button if you want to save the changes, and the color scheme will be created but not applied to the slide or presentation.

8.	If you want to keep both the previous scheme and the new one, enter a different name for the new color scheme.

9.	Click on the Save button.

If you clicked on the Done button, you will return to the Color Schemes dialog box.

10.	Click on Done or Select to return to Astound.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Color Scheme

Switching Color Schemes

Removing a Color Scheme

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Color Enhancement


Selecting a Color Scheme

Astound allows you to choose preset color schemes that suit your presentation, or create custom color schemes containing colors that you choose yourself. It is best to use the same color scheme throughout the entire presentation to maintain a uniform appearance, but you can assign a different color scheme to each slide in your presentation for variety. Your color scheme choices are saved with the presentations they are used in.

Each color scheme contains a set of colors selected for each type of element in your slide or presentation: text, charts, backgrounds and interiors. You can choose the schemes through the easy-to-use Color Scheme pop-up palette. You can quickly create cohesive presentations without color mismatches if you use Astounds preset color schemes.

When you choose colors using the Color Scheme pop-up palette, the current color schemes twenty-four colors appear in squares arranged into usage groupings. You can follow the suggested color groupings, but you are always free to choose any displayed color for any object attribute. For example, you can select a color from the Chart grouping for use as an Interior color, and you can select colors from the Background or Text color groupings for use as Chart colors.

NOTE: Color schemes can be used in Astound Draw as long as they are stored in Astounds color scheme directory.

1.	Choose Slide/Color Schemes...

The Color Schemes dialog box appears.

2.	Select the color scheme you want to use from the Name drop-down list.

The colors contained in the selected color scheme are displayed in the color squares.

3.	In the Apply To box, specify what you want to apply the specified color scheme to.

4.	Click on the Select button.

Related Topics:

Changing Individual Colors in a Color Scheme

Switching Color Schemes

Removing a Color Scheme

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Color Enhancement


Switching Color Schemes

When you replace the color scheme on a slide or in a presentation, Astound maps the colors from the original scheme to the new one. Any objects created using colors from the original color scheme will change to match the new color scheme. Because all color schemes contain the same number of colors, laid out the same way, Astound simply replaces the original layout with the new one. For example, the color in the first row, second column in the original scheme is replaced by the color in the first row, second column of the new color scheme.

The pre-made color schemes that come with Astound have been created with this principle in mind. Because the color schemes have been designed to match color element in a pleasing way, replacing one scheme with another results in different colors that still look good together.

Only objects appearing on the presentations slides use new color schemes. Backgrounds and objects contained on any template you are using retain the templates color scheme. If you want to change all of the basic colors in your presentation, you must first choose Slide/Edit Master to access the template. Then you can use the Color Scheme dialog box to choose a new scheme. After choosing the new color scheme, you can return to editing your presentation.

Related Topics:

Changing Individual Colors in a Color Scheme

Selecting a Color Scheme

Removing a Color Scheme

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Color Enhancement


Removing a Color Scheme

You can remove a color scheme if you are certain you wont use it in future presentations. Removing a color scheme takes its name out of the list of saved color schemes. You will no longer be able to apply it to slides or presentations but it is not removed from any slide or presentation that currently uses it.

To remove a color scheme, choose Slide/Color Schemes... In the Color Schemes dialog box select the color scheme you wish to remove from the Name drop-down list. Click on the Remove button. The name of the selected color scheme disappears from the Name drop-down list.

Related Topics:

Changing Individual Colors in a Color Scheme

Switching Color Schemes

Selecting a Color Scheme

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Color Enhancement


Selecting a Color from the Color Mixer

You are not restricted to selecting colors within the current color scheme either. The Fill, Border and Shadow pop-up palettes and the Color Schemes dialog box contain buttons that allow you to use the Color Mixer to select colors that are not available in your color schemes.

1.	Display the Color Mixer dialog box.

You can either click on the Color Mixer button in the Fill, Border and Shadow pop-up palettes, or click on the Color Mixer button in the Color Schemes dialog box.

2.	Select a color by clicking or dragging the color mixer cursor in the color mixer box.

The color mixer box contains a rainbow of color, from which you can select any color that can be defined using the Red, Green or Blue color values.

The fields below the color refiner box change to reflect the Red, Green, Blue (RGB) and Hue, Saturation Luminosity values, which provide a precise quantitative value for the color at the current location of the cursor and the current position of the marker on the vertical luminosity bar. You can select specific colors, if you know the values, by clicking on the boxes and entering the color number values.

The left half of the Color/Solid box contains the color that you have selected, while the right half contains the solid color closest to the color you have selected.

3.	If you know the Hue, Saturation, Luminance (HSL) or RGB values for a particular color, you can specify the color by entering these values in the corresponding fields.

For the RGB fields, the maximum value is 255 and the minimum value is zero.

A combination of red, green and blue, all at full intensity, results in white. Black is the result of a lack of colorred, green, and blueall at zero intensity.

Hue values can range between zero and 239, while Saturation and Luminosity values can range between zero and 240. If the luminosity value is 240, then the color will be white. If the luminosity is zero, then the color will be black.

4.	Specify the brightness using the vertical luminosity bar, to the right of the color refiner box.

Sliding the marker upward increases the luminosity value, while sliding the marker downward decreases it. You can also specify the luminosity by entering or selecting a number in the Lum edit box.

5.	Select the new color.

If you opened the Color Mixer from the Color Schemes dialog box, you can click on the Accept button to replace the selected color scheme color with the new color specified in the Color Mixer.

If you opened the Color Mixer from a Fill, Border or Shadow pop-up palette, you can click on the OK button to select the new color specified in the Color Mixer, and return to Astound.

NOTE: Selecting colors through the color pop-up palette changes the current color only.  Selecting colors through the Color Schemes dialog box changes the current color scheme.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Color Scheme


Selecting a Color from the Color Spectrum

You are not restricted to selecting colors within the current color scheme. The Fill, Border and Shadow pop-up palettes and the Color Schemes dialog box contain buttons that allow you to use the  Color Spectrum to select colors that are not available in your color schemes.

1.	Display the Color Spectrum.

You can either click on the Color Spectrum button in the Fill, Border or Shadow pop-up palette, or click on the Color Spectrum button in the Color Schemes dialog box.

2.	Select a color from the Color Spectrum dialog box by clicking on the desired square.

3.	Place the new color.

There are several ways to place a new color:

Double clicking on the color.

If you opened the Color Spectrum from the Color Schemes dialog box, select a color in the spectrum and click on the Accept button.

If you opened the Color Spectrum from the Fill, Border and Shadow pop-up palette, you can select a color and click on the OK button. The Color Spectrum dialog box disappears.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Color Scheme


Selecting a Color using the Eyedropper

You are not restricted to selecting colors within the current color scheme. The Fill, Border and Shadow pop-up palettes and the Color Schemes dialog box contain buttons that allow you to use the Eyedropper to select colors that are not available in your color schemes.

1.	Click on the Eyedropper button.

There are Eyedropper buttons in the Fill, Border and Shadow pop-up palettes, and in the Color Schemes dialog box.

The cursor changes to an eyedropper, all Astound dialog boxes and pop-up windows are hidden and the Eyedropper dialog box appears. This window is movable, and contains a preview of the color that the eyedropper is currently touching, as well as the Red, Green and Blue values of the color.

2.	Click on the color you want to select.

You can click anywhere on the screen.

All Astound dialog boxes and pop-up windows reappear and the new color is selected. If you clicked on the Eyedropper button in the Color Scheme dialog box, the new color replaces the originally selected color in the rectangle.

Pressing the [Esc] key halts the eyedropper selection without choosing any color, and closes the Eyedropper dialog box.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Color Scheme

Fill Options


Filling Objects with a Solid Color using the Fill Tool

1.	Select the object(s) you want to fill with a solid color.

If you do not select any objects, you will set the default colors for all subsequently drawn objects.

2.	  Click on the Fill tool.

The Fill Options palette appears.

3.	Click on the Solid Fill button.

This ensures a solid color fill will be used. Whenever the green dot appears in the top right corner of this button, it is enabled and you can select a color without clicking on the button again.

4.	Click on one of the color scheme colors in the Fill Options palette or click on one of the custom color buttons (Eyedropper, Color Mixer, Color Spectrum) to select your fill color.

Once you have selected your fill color, the Fill Options palette will disappear and that solid fill color will be applied to your selected objects.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Selecting Objects

Filling Objects with a Pattern using the Object Menu


Filling Objects with a Solid Color using the Object Menu

1.	Select the object(s) you want to fill.

2.	  Choose Object/Display... or click on the Object Display button.

The Object Display dialog box appears.

3.	Enable the Interior radio button.

The Interior attributes are displayed, with the currently selected pattern and colors displayed in the Preview box.

4.	Enable the Show Interior button.

Enabling this option displays the interior of current objects. You can disable this option if you dont want your object to display any fill.

5.	Click on the Pattern button in the Object Display dialog box.

The Pattern palette appears.

6.	Click on either the Foreground or on the Background pattern color buttons.

The first two patterns in the Pattern pop-up palette allow you to select solid colors for your fills. Selecting the first pattern fill the object with the pattern foreground color, selecting the pattern below this fills the object with the pattern background color.

The selected solid color pattern appears on the face of the Pattern button.

7.	Click on the Foreground Color button or on the Background Color button, depending on which solid color button you selected in step 6.

The Color Scheme pop-up palette appears.

8.	Choose a color from the palette, or select a different color using the Color tools.

9.	If you want to reverse your color choices, click on the Invert button.

The background and foreground colors will be reversed.  The new current color will appear in the Preview box.

10.	Click on the Accept Changes button or on the Accept All button.

When you click on the Accept Changes button, only the attributes you have modified are applied to the selected objects. For example, you can change the foreground color of a group of objects, without changing any other interior, border, or shadow attributes.

When you click on the Accept All button, all selected objects are given the exact same set of attributes, as currently displayed in the dialog box.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Selecting Objects

Filling Objects with a Pattern using the Fill Tool


Coloring Text

You can specify the color of any text you use on a slide using the Text/Color submenu. This submenu lists all of the colors specified for text in your color scheme. The submenu also contains an Other... command. This command displays a Color Scheme pop-up palette so that you can choose a different color for your text from the current color scheme, or from the Eyedropper, Color Spectrum or Color Mixer.

You can specify default colors by selecting the color when there is no text selected. You can also fill all of the text in a text block with a gradient, texture or pattern fill, however; you cannot fill individual characters or only some of the text in a text block with a gradient or texture.

1.	Select the text you want to color.

You can select specific text or entire text blocks.

2.	Choose Text/Color.

The Color submenu appears.

3.	Choose the color you want to use from the list in the submenu.

The text becomes the selected color.

Some non-postscript printer drivers may be optimized so that they will not print white TrueType text. If this occurs, you should check if the driver has a Print TrueType as Graphics option and enable this option. Check for the option in the Advanced Options dialog box available through the Windows Control Panel. For more information, see your Windows manual, or your printer documentation.

4.	If you want to choose an unlisted color, click on the Other... command.

The Text Color dialog box appears.

5.	Select a color from the color scheme or create a new one with the Eyedropper, Color Mixer or Color Spectrum.

You can view the current color in the preview box.

6.	Click on the OK button.

The selected text appears in the color you selected.

Related Topics:

Editing Text

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Fill Options

Coloring Buttons


Filling Objects with a Pattern using the Fill Tool

Patterns consist of two colors: a foreground color and a background color.  The differences between where the two colors appear creates the pattern.

1.	Select the object(s) you want to fill.

Selecting a pattern while no objects are selected sets the default pattern.

2.	  Click on the Fill tool.

The pop-up palette appears.

3.	Click on the Pattern button.

The Fill Pattern dialog box appears.

4.	Click on the pattern you want to fill your object(s) with.

5.	Select the color(s) you want to use in the pattern.

The colors you choose are displayed on the face of the Foreground and Background Color buttons.

6.	Click on the OK button.

This pattern is displayed on the face of the Fill tool.

NOTE: Once you have defined a pattern for an object, you can quickly change the colors from the Fill pop-up palette without opening the Pattern dialog box again. Simply click the left mouse button on a color in the Fill pop-up palette to change the foreground color, and the right mouse button to change the background color.

NOTE: Clicking on the None button in the Fill pop-up palette disables the Show Interior option. The object will appear blank.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Selecting Objects


Filling Objects with a Pattern using the Object Menu

1.	Select the object(s).

Selecting a pattern while no objects are selected sets the default pattern.

2.	  Choose Object/Display... or click on the Object Display button.

The Object Display dialog box appears.

3.	Select the Interior radio button.

The Interior attributes are displayed, with the currently selected pattern and colors displayed in the Preview box.

4.	Enable the Show Interior button.

Enabling this option displays the interior of current objects so they will appear filled. You can disable this option if you dont want your object to have any fill.

5.	Click on the Pattern button in the Object Display dialog box.

The Pattern pop-up palette appears.

6.	Click on a pattern.

The selected pattern appears in the Pattern button.

7.	Select the color(s) you want to use in the pattern.

The colors you choose are displayed on the face of the Foreground and Background Color buttons, and in the Preview box.

8.	If you want to reverse your color choices, click on the Invert button.

The foreground and background colors are reversed, and the result is displayed in the Preview box, and on the faces of the Color buttons.

9.	Click on the Accept Changes button or on the Accept All button.

When you click on the Accept Changes button, only the attributes you have modified are applied to the selected objects. For example, you can change the foreground color of a group of objects, without changing any other interior, border or shadow attributes.

When you click on the Accept All button, all selected objects are given the exact same set of attributes, as currently displayed in the dialog box.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Selecting Objects


Creating a Simple Gradient Fill

A gradient is a graduated blend of two or more colors. You can create an original look for your object by using gradient fills for highlights or shadows on an object, or you can use them to avoid monotonous solid colors. You control the colors in the gradient and the direction it flows in.

Simple gradient fills use two or more shades of the same basic color. Gradients generally should not be added to an object you intend to give a rotation transition to, as gradients are complex fills and cannot be rotated as efficiently. You can fill text blocks with gradients, but you cannot fill individually selected text characters.

 1.	Select the object(s) you want to fill.

If no objects are selected, the gradient you create becomes the default.

2.	    Click on the Fill tool, the Object Display button, or choose Object/Display Menu.

If you click on the Fill tool, the Fill Options palette appears.

If you click on the Object Display button or choose Object/Display, the Object Display dialog box appears.

3.	Click on the Gradient button.

Clicking on the Gradient button in the Fill Options palette displays the Gradient dialog box.

Clicking on the Gradient button in the Object Display dialog box displays a list of previous gradients. You can either click on one of the stored gradients to quickly fill an object with a gradient fill, or you can select New... to display the Gradient dialog box.

4.	Click on the Start Color button.

A Color Scheme pop-up palette appears.

5.	Choose the color you want to begin the gradient fill with.

The start color is the first color in your gradient. You can use the Eyedropper, Color Spectrum or Color Mixer to create or select a color outside the current color scheme.

The end color band changes to display a range of light and dark shades based on your start color.

6.	Select an end color by dragging the marker along the End Color band until the desired color is selected.

The result of your gradient color selections is a blend between the color you selected in the Start Color palette and the color you selected in the End Color band. As you drag the marker along the band, the resulting gradient colors are reflected in the gradient samples in the Type box.

You can also select an end color by clicking on the End Color band itself. The marker moves to the corresponding location beneath the band to indicate the selected color.

7.	Select the direction of the gradient by clicking on any of the direction options.

8.	Select the type of gradient by clicking on the desired sample in the Type box.

Your options in the Type box vary depending on the gradient direction you selected.

9.	Click on the OK button.

Your gradient fills the selected object.

Each time you create a new gradient it is automatically stored for later use. Clicking on the Gradient button in the Object Display dialog box displays a list of previous gradient fills from which you can choose an existing gradient.

NOTE: The Burst From Selected Object checkbox is only available if you are using the gradient as a background fill.

NOTE: Once youve defined a simple gradient for an object, you can quickly change the color of the gradient without altering the style.  Simply select the object, click on the Fill button, and choose a new color.  The color of the gradient will change to match the color you select.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Creating a Multi-Color Gradient Fill


Creating a Multi-Color Gradient Fill

A gradient is a graduated blend of two or more colors. You can create an original look for your object by using gradient fills for highlights or shadows on an object, or you can use them to avoid monotonous solid colors. You control the colors in the gradient and the direction it flows in.

Multi-color gradient fills can use several different colors. Gradients generally should not be added to an object you intend to give a rotation transition to, as gradients are complex fills and cannot be rotated as efficiently. You can fill text blocks with gradients, but you cannot fill individually selected text characters.

1.	Select the object(s) you want to fill.

If no objects are selected, the gradient you create becomes the default.

2.	    Click on the Fill tool, the Object Display button, or choose Object/Display.

If you click on the Fill tool, the Fill Options palette appears.

If you click on the Object Display button or choose Object/Display, the Object Display dialog box appears.

3.	Click on the Gradient button.

Clicking on the Gradient button in the Fill Options palette displays the Gradient dialog box.

Clicking on the Gradient button in the Object Display dialog box displays a list of previous gradients. You can either click on one of the stored gradients to quickly fill an object with a gradient fill, or you can select New... to display the Gradient dialog box.

4.	Click on the Multi-Color... button.

The Multi-Color Gradient dialog box appears. The currently selected color scheme appears in the Colors box. The Gradient Preview displays the colors of the default gradient.

When specifying multiple colors, you can specify start and end colors and any number of intermediate colors. Astound blends adjacent intermediate colors.

5.	Click on the Start marker in the Multi-Color Gradient dialog box.

The arrow marked 0 indicates the start marker.

6.	Select a color from the palette or by using the Color tools.

7.	Click on the end marker in the Multi-Color Gradient dialog box.

The arrow marked 100 indicates the end marker.

8.	Select a color from the palette or by using the Color tools.

9.	Specify and place any intermediate colors by clicking on a position in the Gradient Preview and clicking on the color in the Colors box in the order you want them to appear in the gradient.

You can place intermediate colors anywhere between the start and end colors. The location of each of the intermediate colors is marked beside the gradient preview and the exact location is marked as a percentage. There are always markers at 0 and 100 percent to designate the start and end colors. Intermediate colors can be moved, added and removed.

The colors you select are added to the gradient preview.

You can use as many colors as you wish, but a selection of two or three colors produces the most effective result.

To create or select a color not included in the current color scheme, use the Color Mixer, Color Spectrum or Eyedropper.

To move a color once it has been placed, drag its marker to the new location on the gradient preview.

To remove a color from the gradient, drag the colors marker away from the gradient preview until it disappears.

You cannot remove start or end colors. To change the start and end colors, select the marker and choose a new color.

10. 	Enable the Dither Colors checkbox to blend the colors you have chosen.

This option smooths the transitions between adjacent colors. If this option is disabled, the gradient consists of distinct bands of transition colors.

11.	Enable the Use Intermediate Colors checkbox to add extra colors to the gradient.

This blends the gradient colors more gradually. If this option is disabled, the blending of colors in the gradient is less refined.

12.	Click on the OK button.

You return to the Gradient dialog box.

13.	Select the direction of the gradient by clicking on any of the direction options.

14.	Select the type of gradient by clicking on the desired sample in the Type box.

Your options in the Type box will vary depending on the gradient direction you selected.

NOTE: The Burst From Selected Object checkbox is only available if you are using the gradient as a background fill.

For the smoothest-looking gradient fills on a 256 color display, you may need to use Astounds Enhance Color command.

15.	Click on the OK button.

You return to the Object Display dialog box, where you can view the multicolor gradient in the Preview box.

16.	If you are in the Object Display dialog box, click on the Accept Changes button or on the Accept All button.

When you click on the Accept Changes button, only the attributes you have modified are applied to the selected objects. For example, you can change the foreground color of a group of objects, without changing any other interior, border, or shadow attributes.

When you click on the Accept All button, all selected objects are given the exact same set of attributes, as currently displayed in the dialog box.

NOTE: Each time you create a new gradient it is automatically stored for later use. Clicking on the Gradient button in the Object Display dialog box displays the first six gradient fills you made. You can see every unique gradient in your presentation in the Preview list box in the Multi-Color Gradient dialog box.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Selecting Colors outside the Color Scheme

Creating a Simple Gradient Fill


Creating a Texture Fill

Textures in Astound range from three-dimensional surfaces like Moss and Stone to pictures like Fog Scene and Ocean. All textures are modifiable so you can produce exactly the type of look you want for your fill.

You can add texture to your backgrounds, objects, or text. After customizing a texture, you can also add it to a stored list for easy access.

1.	Select the object or text you want to fill with the texture.

2.	    Click on the Fill tool in the tool palette or in the Object Display dialog box.

The Fill Options palette appears.

3.	Click on the Texture button.

The Textures dialog box appears.

All the textures currently available appear in the list box at the top of the dialog box.

4.	Select the texture you want from the list box.

Astound waits briefly to be sure that the currently selected texture is the one you want, and then loads it.

5.	To change the appearance of the texture by randomly altering the settings of the textures various elements, press the Randomize! button.

The settings change. You can preview the modified texture by enabling the Preview checkbox. The texture appears in the preview box.

If you want to revert to the original texture, press the Default button. The settings of the textures elements return to their original levels.

6.	If you want to edit the texture precisely, click on the Edit button.

The Advanced box appears. It lists all the modifiable elements that affect the appearance of the texture. You can change the setting for each element by entering new values in each element box.

7.	Specify and place the texture colors by clicking on the color in the Colors box and clicking where you want it on the color gauge.

To move a color once it has been placed, drag its marker to the new location on the color gauge.

To remove a color from the texture, drag the colors marker down and away from the color gauge until it disappears.

You can change the distribution of colors in the texture by altering the color gauge the same way you specify gradient fill colors.

You can place colors anywhere on the color gauge. There are always markers at 0 and 100 percent which designate the range of colors used in the texture. Colors can be moved, added and removed.

Some textures, if they are a combination of two different textures, contain two color gauges, one for each part of the texture. For example, Terrain with Clouds contains one color gauge for the terrain and one for the clouds. The colors contained in each make it obvious which gauge controls which elements of the texture.

Clicking on the color box above the color gauge displays a Color Scheme pop-up palette so that you can choose a different color from the current color scheme, or create a color using the Eyedropper, Color Spectrum or Color Mixer..

8.	Specify any extra parameters that appear in the Advanced portion of the Textures dialog box.

9.	When you are through making your changes, press the Apply button.

The modified texture appears in the preview box.

10.	Click on the OK button.

The texture fills the background or selected object or text.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Selecting Colors Outside the Color Scheme

Storing Textures

Creating a Texture Background

Replacing Textures

Removing a Texture


Storing Textures

1.	After selecting a texture from the list box and making any desired changes, click on the Add... button.

The Texture Name dialog box appears.

2.	Type a name.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The texture is stored with a preview.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Creating a Texture Fill

Replacing Textures

Removing a Texture


Replacing Textures

1.	Select the texture you want to replace in the Stored Textures box.

The name of the texture is highlighted and it appears in the preview box.

2.	Change the texture or select a new texture from the list box.

The texture in the preview box is changed or replaced with the new selection.

3.	Click on the Replace... button.

The Texture Name dialog box appears.

4.	Enter the name of the new texture in the Texture Name box.

The selected texture disappears from the Stored Textures box and the new or altered one appears in its place with the name you have given it.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Creating a Texture Fill

Storing Textures

Removing a Texture


Removing a Texture

1.	Select the texture you want to remove from the Stored Textures box.

The name of the texture is highlighted.

2.	Click on the Remove... button.

The selected texture disappears from the Stored Textures box.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Creating a Texture Background

Replacing Textures

Storing Textures


Creating a Shadow Using the Shadow Tool

Astound allows you to customize shadows for your objects, specifying the shadows size and location relative to the object.

1.	Select the object(s) you want to add a shadow to.

2.	  Click on the Shadow tool in the Astound tool palette.

The Shadow Options palette appears.

3.	Click on the Shadow Offset button.

The Shadow Offset dialog box appears.

4.	Set the offset you want in the Shadow Offset box.

You can change the offset size by:

Changing the numbers in the Horizontal and Vertical edit boxes. The larger the values, the further to the right and below the object the shadow will be. You can move the shadow above or to the left of the object by entering negative (-) numbers in the appropriate edit box.

Positioning the pointer within the preview window, and dragging the pointer to position the shadow. Pressing the [Shift] key while dragging constrains the shadow to 45 degree increments.

The shadow offset size changes to reflect your settings.

5.	Click on the OK button.

6.	Specify whether the shadow is a solid color or a pattern by clicking on the appropriate button in the Shadow Options palette.

The Fill and Pattern buttons in the Shadow Options palette work in the same way as for filling objects.

7.	If you have selected a solid color for the shadow, select the color from the Shadow Options palette.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Creating a Shadow using the Object Display Dialog Box

Removing a Shadow


Creating a Shadow Using the Object Display Dialog Box

Astound allows you to customize shadows for your objects, specifying the shadows size and location relative to the object.

1.	Select the object(s) you want to add a shadow to.

2.	  Choose Object/Display... or click on the Object Display button.

The Object Display dialog box appears.

3.	Enable the Shadow radio button.

The Shadow attributes are displayed.

4.	Enable the Show Shadow checkbox.

This is a toggle option that controls the display of object shadows. When the checkbox is selected, the shadows of the selected objects are displayed.

5.	Set the offset you want in the Shadow Offset box.

You can change the offset size by:

Changing the numbers in the Horizontal and Vertical edit boxes. The larger the values, the further to the right and below the object the shadow will be. You can move the shadow above or to the left of the object by entering negative (-) numbers in the appropriate edit box.

Positioning the pointer within the preview window, and dragging the pointer to position the shadow. Pressing the [Shift] key while dragging keeps the same horizontal or vertical offset.

The shadow offset size changes to reflect your settings.

6.	If you want to add a pattern to the border, click on the Pattern button. If you do not want to add a pattern, skip to step number 8.

The Pattern pop-up palette appears.

7.	Click on the pattern you want to use and release the mouse button.

The selected pattern appears in the Preview box.

8.	Select the color(s) you want to use in the shadow pattern.

To select a foreground color, click on the Foreground Color button, and select a color in the Foreground Color Scheme pop-up palette. You can also choose colors using the Color tools.

To select a background color, click on the Background Color button, and select a color in the Background Color Scheme pop-up palette.

The colors you choose are displayed on the face of the Foreground and Background Color buttons and in the Preview box.

9.	To switch the foreground and background colors, click on the Invert button.

The switch is displayed in the Preview box.

10.	Click on the Accept Changes button or on the Accept All button.

When you click on the Accept Changes button, only the attributes you have modified are applied to the selected objects. For example, you can change the foreground color of a group of objects, without changing any other interior, border, or shadow attributes.

When you click on the Accept All button, all selected objects are given the exact same set of attributes, as currently displayed in the dialog box.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Creating a Shadow using the Shadow Tool

Removing a Shadow


Removing a Shadow

The Shadow tool lets you remove and reset the shadow.

1.	  Click on the Shadow tool.

The Shadow Options palette appears.

2.	Click on the None button.

The Show Shadow option in the Object Display dialog box is disabled, and no shadow is used.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Creating a Shadow using the Shadow Tool

Creating a Shadow using the Object Display Dialog Box


Setting Line Weight of Object Borders and Lines

1.	Select the object(s) you want to change.

2.	  Click on the Object Border and Line tool.

The Line Options palette appears.

3.	Click on the Line Weight button.

The Line Weight dialog box appears.

4.	Enter a value in the Set Line Weight edit box.

Line weights are specified in points.

5.	Click on the OK button.

The selected line and the line on the face of the Line button change to reflect the new setting.

NOTE: You can also select predefined line weights or access the Line Weight dialog box by choosing Object/Line.

Related Topics:

Line Options


Setting the Color of Lines and Object Borders

1. 	Select the lines you want to change.

2.	  Click on the Line tool in the Astound tool palette.

The Line Options palette appears.

4.	Select a new color for your line.

The line is redrawn with the new color. The line on the face of the Line tool changes to reflect the new color selection.

Related Topics:

Line Options

Color Enhancement


Setting Line Attributes from the Object Display Dialog Box

1.	Select the lines or objects you want to change.

If nothing is selected, your settings become the defaults for subsequent drawing actions.

2.	  Choose Object/Display... or click on the Object Display button.

The Object Display dialog box appears.

3.	Enable the Border radio button.

The Border attributes are displayed. These attributes also apply to lines. If you have multiple objects selected, the attributes of the first object selected is displayed.

4.	Enable the Show Border checkbox.

This is a toggle option that controls the display of object borders. When the checkbox is selected, the borders of the selected objects will be displayed.

5.	Click on the Pattern button.

6.	Click on a pattern.

The selected pattern appears in the Preview box, using the currently selected foreground and background colors.

7.	Select the color(s) you want to use in the border pattern.

The colors you choose are displayed on the face of the Foreground and Background Color buttons, and in the Preview box.

8.	To flip the foreground and background colors, click on the Invert button in the Appearance box.

9.	Choose a line weight.

10.	If you want a point size not listed, enable Other.

There are three ways in which you can specify the border size you want.

Change the values in the Width and Height edit boxes to reflect how wide and high you want the border to be.

Position the pointer within the Preview window and drag to specify the border width and height.

Click inside the Preview window to specify a border size corresponding to where you click.

11.	Click on the Accept Changes button or on the Accept All button.

When you click on the Accept Changes button, only the attributes you have modified are applied to the selected objects. For example, you can change the foreground color of a group of objects, without changing any other interior, border or shadow attributes.

When you click on the Accept All button, all selected objects are given the exact same set of attributes, as currently displayed in the dialog box.

NOTE: You can view the border you selected on the face of the Line tool.

Related Topics:

Line Options


Choosing Line Characteristics from the Object Menu

1.	Select the lines you want to change.

2.	If you want to change the line thickness, choose Object/Line and the point size you want from the Line submenu.

You can choose 1 Point, 2 Point, 4 Point, or 8 Point.

3.	If you want a point size not listed, choose Other...

The Line Weight dialog box appears.

4.	Specify the line weight in points.

5.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics:

Line Options


Adding an Arrowhead to a Line

You can attach arrowheads to one or both ends of lines that you draw. These arrowheads are part of the line itself, and have the same color and pattern as the line.

You can also create a variety of arrow shapes using the Drawing tool in the Astound tool palette.

1.	Select the line(s) you want to add arrowheads to.

2.	Choose Object/Line.

The Line submenu appears.

3.	Select the arrow format you want.

You can select no arrowhead, or you can place an arrowhead at the beginning, end, or at both ends of a line.

Related Topics:

Line Options

Modifying an Arrowhead


Modifying an Arrowhead

1.	Select the line you want to modify.

2.	  Choose Object/Line/Define Arrowheads... or click on the Line tool and then the Arrowheads button.

The Define Arrowheads dialog box appears.

3.	If you clicked on the Arrow button in the Line tool palette, you can place the arrowheads at the desired ends of the line by enabling the appropriate checkbox.

4.	In the Length edit box, enter the desired length of the arrowhead.

You can click on the Length up and down arrows to increase or decrease the length of the arrowhead or enter a specific number in the Length edit box. Any changes you make are reflected in the Preview box.

5.	In the Span edit box, enter the desired span of the arrowhead.

Span is the width of the arrowhead at its base. You can click on the Span up and down arrows to increase or decrease the span of the arrowhead or enter a specific number in the Span edit box. Any changes you make are reflected in the Preview box.

6.	In the Inset edit box, enter the desired inset.

The inset is the indentation on the back side of an arrowhead, where it connects to the line. You can specify positive or negative values for the inset. Negative values stretch the arrowhead back along the line. If you make the inset equal to the length, but in the negative direction, you can form the arrowhead into a diamond shape.

You can click on the Inset up and down arrows to increase or decrease the inset of the arrowhead or enter a specific number in the Inset edit box. Any changes you make are reflected in the Preview box.

7.	Click on the OK button.

The arrowhead you specified appears on selected lines.

Related Topics:

Line Options


Color Enhancement

You can use the commands in the Object/Enhance Color submenu to optimize the colors displayed on your monitor to better match the colors used in objects on your screen. This function will be available in all color modes, but it will only be effective in 256 color displays.

When you run Windows in 256 color mode, your monitor can display a maximum of 256 colors on the screen at any time. The set of 256 colors used is called a palette.

A palette is selected by default when you start Astound.  When you place objects on your slides, they are displayed using combinations of the 256 colors that are contained in this palette. Some of these colors are reserved  by Windows, and some are reserved by Astound for its color schemes. None of these reserved colors can be exchanged for other colors. The remaining colors can be customized.

Some objects, such as bitmapped pictures, may require large numbers of similar colors for their display. Since the only colors available are those chosen from the group of 256, pictures that require large numbers of similar colors, for example a lot of greens in a jungle picture, may not look quite right when they are displayed. This is because the original palette has been selected to be used for the display of a wide variety of pictures and objects, and does not contain large numbers of specialized color groups.

By using the color enhancement functions in Astound, you can redefine the unreserved colors in the palette to better suit specific objects, especially pictures. For example, if you selected the jungle picture from the previous example and selected Object/Enhance Color/Selected Objects command, more greens from the picture would be included in the palette, and the jungle picture would look much better on the screen.

When you exchange the unreserved colors that are included in the palette in order to better suit a specific object, the display of other objects on the screen may suffer.

In general, the display of objects that use only a few colors is disrupted less by a massive color enhancement than objects such as bitmapped pictures which employ a large number of colors, especially a large number of similar colors.

Related Topics:

Redefining Display Colors

Enhancing the Color of a Range of Slides

Coloring Text

Setting the Color of Lines and Object Borders

Selecting a Color Scheme


Redefining Display Colors

1.	Select the objects you want to enhance.

This works best on pictures that use many similar colors. If you select a group of objects Astound chooses a balanced selection of display colors to exchange with the unreserved colors in the original group of 256 display colors. If the colors of these selected objects are radically different, Astound will have more trouble creating a single palette that suits all of them.

You do not have to select any objects if you are enhancing the display of a slide background.

2.	Choose Object/Enhance Color.

The Enhance Color submenu is displayed.

3.	Select the enhancement option according to what you want enhanced.

Selected Objects: The colors needed by the selected objects are considered when making up the new group of display colors.

Background: The colors needed by the slide background are considered when making up the new group of display colors.

Both: The colors needed by both the slide background and the selected objects are considered when making up the new group of display colors.

Reset: The display colors are reset to those that are included in the default palette that is loaded when you start Astound.

NOTE: When using the Enhance Color command to customize the palette to suit several selected objects, Astound will give a slight preference to the colors in the first object selected.

NOTE: When you use the Enhance Color command on a slide in your presentation, it may create a palette for that slide that is different from the other slides.  This can lead to a palette shift during slide transitions. As a new slide enters, it brings with it a new color palette, which disrupts the display of the previous slide. To avoid palette shift, you can use the Enhance Color command on a range of slides in the slide sorter.  Simply select a range of slides, and then choose Enhance Color/Selected Slides from the sorter menu.  A common palette will be created for all of the selected slides, based on all of the objects contained in these slides.

Related Topics:

Color Enhancement

Enhancing the Color of a Range of Slides

Coloring Text

Setting the Color of Lines and Object Borders

Selecting a Color Scheme


Creating a Datasheet

Datasheet information can be manipulated in a manner similar to that of spreadsheet information in other applications. You can use the Clipboard to cut, copy, and paste data. You can select a column or row by clicking on its alphanumeric identifier, or you can click on the button in the top left corner of the datasheet to select the entire sheet.

You can either import an existing Excel or Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet and select the data to create your chart, or you can enter the data directly into an Astound datasheet. You can use OLE to link a datasheet to information from an OLE server database or spreadsheet application. If you use an OLE link, updating the information and equations in the spreadsheet causes the chart in Astound to update automatically.

You can use the Chart tool to access a datasheet by defining the size and placement of the chart first; or you can open a datasheet from the Windows menu, and the chart will be given a default size and placement.

1.	  Choose Window/Datasheet/New, Chart/New Chart... or click on the Chart tool.

Choosing Window/Datasheet/New displays an empty Astound datasheet.

Choosing Chart/New Chart displays the Select Datasheet dialog box if you have previously created a datasheet. Otherwise it displays an empty datasheet.

Clicking on the Chart tool changes your cursor into a crosshair.

2.	If you clicked on the Chart tool, drag out a rectangle the size you want your chart to be.

If you have not previously opened a datasheet in this presentation, a blank datasheet appears and you can skip to step number 4. However, if you already have one or more datasheets in the presentation, the Select Datasheet dialog box appears, from which you can create a new datasheet or select an existing one.

3.	Choose the datasheet you want.

The Astound Datasheet window appears.

4.	Enter your data in the appropriate cells of the datasheet.

Each horizontal row of numbers represents one set of data. For example, if you entered three rows of five numbers, and plotted them on a 2D bar graph, you would have three sets of data side by side with five bars in each set. However, you can switch this so the chart is plotted as five sets of three bars by enabling the Transpose Data checkbox in the Chart Options dialog boxs Numbers tab.

NOTE: You can choose other datasheets that are currently loaded, or create a new one using the Window/Datasheet/New command, or File/Import/Datasheet... command. If you do this, the datasheet appears before you define the charts placement on the slide. When you have finished creating the datasheet and setting the charting options, the chart is placed in the top left corner of the slide. Once it is placed, it can be moved and resized the same way as any other object.

NOTE: If you do not want the options in the Numbers Tab to apply to numeric labels, place an apostrophe (') before the number on the datasheet. The number will then become a string, and the apostrophe will not be visible.

Related Topics

Opening Datasheets and Importing Spreadsheet Data

OLE Datasheet Links

Editing Datasheets and Replotting Charts

Editing Data

Changing Cell Sizes

Moving Around the Datasheet

Selecting Portions of the Datasheet

Selecting Data to be Charted


Opening Datasheets and Importing Spreadsheet Data

You can open the Datasheet window and type your data into cells the same way you would enter data into any spreadsheet. You cannot place any equations in a datasheet, but you can open final data from other spreadsheet sources.

You can open Astound datasheets, Excel and Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet data, or data that was exported from any spreadsheet or database program as a tab-and-return delimited text file. Any equations in the spreadsheet are imported as final data.

1.	  In the Datasheet window, choose File/Open or click on the Open button.

A message appears asking you if you want this datasheet to replace the contents of the current datasheet.

The Open Datasheet dialog box appears.

2.	Select the file you want to open or import.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The datasheet appears.

NOTE: You can also choose File/Import.../Datasheet... from the Astound window. The Open Datasheet dialog box appears.

Related Topics

Creating a Datasheet


OLE Datasheet Links

The datasheet is an OLE client. It can be linked to OLE server spreadsheets from other applications so that every time you update data in another application, the chart in Astound is updated automatically. Choosing the Paste Special command will let you paste an OLE object from the clipboard into Astound while maintaining a link to it.

You can also embed the datasheet within Astound. Any time you create a chart in Astound, it is automatically embedded. If you want to embed a chart as you load it into Astound from another application, you can use the Insert OLE Object..., or the Paste Special commands.

Related Topics

Creating a Datasheet

OLE: Object Linking and Embedding


Editing Data

When data has been typed in the cell edit area, the Checkmark and the X buttons appear. Clicking on the Checkmark button at the top of the datasheet, or pressing the [Enter] key, causes the typed data to be placed in the cell. Clicking on the X button or pressing the [Esc] key removes the typed data from the cell edit area and replaces it with the data in the selected cell. Moving to another cell using the arrow keys or by clicking after editing data also causes the typed data to be entered into the cell.

Related Topics

Creating a Datasheet


Changing Cell Sizes

You can resize cells in your datasheet by dragging the lines between the columns and rows. Place your cursor in the title row, or in the title column. Your cursor changes into a crosshair and the lines can be moved by clicking and dragging. You can also resize cells from the Cell menu in the Datasheet window, which contains all of your datasheet preference settings. From this menu, you can adjust default settings, as well as row height, and column width. You can resize the cells so that long or tall labels or data can be displayed. You can also set the alignment of your data. When you change the relative sizes of the cells, these changes will be maintained if you create a Table Chart with the data.

Related Topics

Creating a Datasheet


Moving Around the Datasheet

In the datasheet, the [Down Arrow] key moves the selection cursor down one cell in a column, while the [Up Arrow] key moves the selection cursor up one cell. The [Right Arrow] or [Tab] key moves the selection cursor one cell to the right in a row, and the [Left Arrow] or [Shift] [Tab] key moves the selection cursor one cell to the left. Holding down the [Shift] key in combination with any of the arrow keys selects or deselects the range of cells that you move over.

You can click on the cell you want to become the current cell, or use the Go To... command in the Cell menu to jump to a specific cell. When you choose Go To..., the Goto Cell dialog box appears and allows you to specify the cell you wish to see by entering the row and column combination (for example, A4).

Related Topics

Creating a Datasheet


Selecting Portions of the Datasheet

Holding down the [Shift] key while using the arrow keys selects the block of cells you move over. You can also drag the pointer over the range of cells you want to select.

Related Topics

Creating a Datasheet


Selecting Data to be Charted

Once your datasheet is complete, you can choose which data you want to create the chart from. If the Automatic Range command is enabled in the File menu, you can simply click on the Create Chart button to create a chart that includes all of your data. The Set Data Range command allows you to specify which cells of data are included in the chart.

1.	Drag the pointer over the range of cells in the datasheet that you want to chart.

The selected cells are highlighted.

2.	Choose File/Set Data Range in the Datasheet window or click on the Create Chart button.

The selected range is surrounded by a dotted highlight border. The chart will be created using only the data inside this border. If you later decide you want to include data outside the dotted border, you must choose Automatic Range from the File menu of the Datasheet window.

NOTE: Choosing File/Automatic Range includes all datasheet data in the chart.

Related Topics

Creating a Datasheet


Charting Options

Once your datasheet is complete and you have selected the data that the chart will be created from, you can create the chart. Astound includes a number of chart types, from which you can choose the one that most effectively displays the data. You can set many of the attributes that affect the appearance of the chart, including color, segment depth and spacing, legends, label typefaces, animation, and more. The chart animation feature allows you to create impressive charts for presentations that will be played back on a computer. You can control how and when the segments appear on your chart, and have them fade in or fly onto the screen.

All of your chart attributes are controlled from the Chart Options dialog box. From here, you can display the Astound Datasheet window in which you specify your data, you can select the type of chart, and you can specify the charts appearance attributes.

1.	Click on the Create Chart button in the Astound Datasheet window.

The Row and Column Layout dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the appropriate radio button to specify what you want the first row and column of your datasheet to be used for.

You can choose either Labels or Data Values.

NOTE: The program will automatically try to determine what type of data the datasheet contains and preset the radio buttons in this dialog box accordingly.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The Chart Options dialog box appears. This dialog box uses a tabular format to provide quick access to all the available charting options. Click on the tab of the elements you want to change. This dialog box allows you to change the chart format, axes, text, numbers, legend and animation. You can also change the arrangement of your charts and specify the rotation and perspective of 3D images.

4.	Set chart attributes by clicking on the tab options.

5.	Click on the OK button.

You are returned to the slide, and the chart is created.

Tip: You may also edit your chart and datasheet data using the Chart/Edit Chart... and the Chart/Edit Data... commands.

Related Topics

Setting Segment and Panel Attributes

Datasheets


Creating Chart Formats

Chart formats are composed of a set of chart attributes. These attributes include chart type, appearance attributes, and animation options. Chart formats allow you to create consistent looking charts throughout your document and even between documents. You can open a chart format for your chart and then change any attribute(s) you wish.

If you use the same chart type and attributes often, you can save them together as a chart format. This will prevent you from having to continually specify the same attributes.

1.	In the Chart Options dialog box, click on the Format tab.

2.	Enable the Preview checkbox.

If the Preview checkbox is enabled, the chart in the preview box changes to reflect the settings.

3.	Select the chart type and set all of the chart attributes that you want saved as part of your chart format.

Selecting a chart type and setting chart attributes are discussed in detail in the following sections.

4.	  Click on the Save... button.

The Chart Format Name dialog box appears.

You can also display the Chart Format Name dialog box by choosing Chart/Format/Define... from the Astound window.

5.	Type a descriptive name for the format you are about to create.

6.	Click on the OK button.

The Save Chart Format dialog box appears.

7.	Type a file name for your format in the dialog box.

8.	Click on the OK button.

The dialog box disappears and your format will be displayed in the Chart Formats drop-down list in the Chart Options dialog box.

NOTE: If you want to create a chart format for use in the current presentation, but do not want to save it for use in other presentations, you can set the attributes you want included in the format, and then click on the New... button. This will save the format as part of the current presentation only.

Related Topics

Charting Options

Loading Chart Formats

Selecting Chart Formats

Removing a Chart Format

Choosing a Chart Type

Changing Chart Colors


Loading Chart Formats

You can load a chart format that you have previously created and saved separately.

You can click on the Load... button in the Chart Formats box and select the chart format you wish to load, or you can click on the Chart Formats drop-down list and select the chart format you wish to use. Formats are only listed here after they have been loaded.

Creating Chart Formats

Selecting Chart Formats

Removing a Chart Format


Selecting Chart Formats

You can apply any currently loaded chart format to any chart. Astound maintains a list of chart formats that are loaded for the current work session, from which you can select the format that you want to apply to the current chart.

The drop down list in the Chart Formats box displays all of the currently loaded chart formats. The buttons allow you to create, load, save and remove formats.

1.	Click on the down arrow on the Chart Formats box in the Chart Options dialog box.

A drop-down list of chart formats that are currently in memory appears.

2.	Select the chart format you want to use.

3.	Release the mouse button.

A dialog box appears, prompting you to specify which properties of the format you want to apply to the current chart.

Appearance: Clicking on this button applies only the appearance attributes of the selected format to the current chart. The animation options are not applied.

Animation: Clicking on this button applies only the animation options of the selected format to the current chart. The appearance attributes are not applied.

All: Clicking on this button applies all of the formats properties to the current chart.

None: Clicking on this button cancels the operation.

4.	Click on the button corresponding to the format properties you want to apply to the current chart.

The chart is created--based on the current data and the selected properties of the new chart format--and displayed in the preview area.

Related Topics

Creating Chart Formats

Loading Chart Formats

Removing a Chart Format


Removing a Chart Format

If there is a chart format that you are not using, you may want to remove it from memory. This is done by selecting the format, and clicking on the Remove button. You can load the format into memory again later if you decide you want to use it.

Related Topics

Creating Chart Formats

Loading Chart Formats

Selecting Chart Formats


Chart Types

Because different types of data are best displayed using different types of charts, Astound provides you with a choice of many different chart types. Before you create your chart, you should decide how you want to display your data. You can let your data dictate your chart type by emphasizing differences, or by emphasizing similarities. There are two-dimensional and three-dimensional chart types for most chart options.

Note: When you import a Freelance presentation chart types that appear in Freelance that are not supported by Astound are formatted to the nearest Astound chart. Some of Freelance's charts, for example, Multiple pies and XY scatter with regression, cannot be reproduced in Astound and are converted to similar Astound charts.

Related Topics

2D/3D Column

2D/3D Column Stacked

3D Column (XY)

2D/3D Bar

2D/3D Bar Stacked

3D Bar (XY)

2D/3D Line

3D Line Stepped

2D/3D Scatter

2D/3D Pie

2D High-Low-Close

2D High-Low-Open-Close

2D/3D Area

2D/3D Area Stacked

2D/3D Histogram

2D Bubble

Spider Plot

Column/Bar Pictograph

Table

Combination


2D/3D Column

The column chart displays data vertically in a simple and attractive way. This chart type is useful for comparing different categories or illustrating variation over a specified period of time. For example, if you wanted to show how much interest $10,000 would earn at the end of 5 years when invested at different rates of interest, you could create a column chart. Each column would represent a different interest rate and the height of the columns would represent the total amount of money earned after 5 years.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D/3D Column Stacked

This is similar to the column option except that the colored segments are stacked on top of one another rather than beside each other. This is ideal for viewing the cumulative impact of the different segments. For example, stacked charts can be used to chart the quarterly sales of several products. By representing each product with a different color, you can see the sales of each product each month. The stack of all colors each month would show the total sales for all products.

Related Topics

Chart Types


3D Column (XY)

3D Column (XY) charts group data according to series, with each value in the chart being placed behind the preceding value. These charts can contain the same information as regular 3D Column charts, but provide a slightly different visual effect. They are most visually pleasing when the data is progressively increasing, or when you change the perspective from which you view the chart.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D/3D Bar

The bar chart is often used to compare the performance of different items. Customer satisfaction by product or median income by region are examples of common bar chart applications. Bar charts often illustrate relationships between variables, and are often used to handle large ranges of data. For example, you could compare levels of education to current salaries.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D/3D Bar Stacked

The horizontally stacked bar chart can be used to compare individual and total values at a specific time. For example, you would use the stacked bar type if you wanted the compound effect of various costs for the month or the cumulative effect of each regions sales.

Related Topics

Chart Types


3D Bar (XY)

3D Bar (XY) charts group data according to series, with each value in the chart being placed behind the preceding value. These charts can contain the same types of information as regular 3D Bar charts, but provide a slightly different visual effect. They are most visually pleasing when the data is progressively increasing, or when you change the perspective from which you view the chart.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D/3D Line

The line chart is particularly useful for displaying trends over time and works well with many data elements. The line chart can analyze values, compare values, and show how items have changed over time. For example, sales from 1974 to 1994 can be charted to clearly illustrate an annual progression.

Related Topics

Chart Types


3D Line Stepped

The stepped line chart combines the elements of column and line charts by displaying what the top of a column would be. This is useful for showing limits of several elements at the same time.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D/3D Scatter

Scatter charts are useful for plotting large numbers of X and Y samples. This allows you to visualize relationships between groupings of data.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D/3D Pie

Pie charts are useful for displaying the proportionate amounts of various pieces of a whole. For example, a pie chart could be used to show a departments budget as a whole, and how much of the entire budget each resource area will receive. Each category of information is represented by a piece of the pie. The size of each wedge corresponds to the percentage of data it represents, displaying relative proportions within the whole. The pie chart always contains one related set of data and is an excellent tool for highlighting a significant element.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D High Low Close
2D High-Low-Close

High-Low-Close charts let you display a range of observations taken over several periods of time. You can use this chart to track data that fluctuates over time, such as stock prices or inflation rates. In the case of stock prices, this chart will show the total range of the stock price on any given day, as well as the price at the end of the day.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D High Low Open Close
2D High-Low-Open-Close

High-Low-Open-Close charts let you display a range of observations taken over several periods of time. You can use this chart the same way you would use a High-Low-Close chart. It includes an extra valve to indicate the opening valve of the variable, as well as the close. So, for example, you could visualize the stock price at the beginning and end of the day.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D/3D Area

Area charts are useful in illustrating the importance of various items over a period of time and in illustrating the amount of change rather than the rate of change. This chart type works well when charting revenues and expenses.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D/3D Area Stacked

Use this in place of the standard 2D/3D area chart when you want to see the cumulative effect of all variables.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D/3D Histogram

This chart is used to show the number of occurrences of a given value within a dataset. Each bar is representative of a range of numbers, called a bin whose height represents the number of values in the dataset that are contained within the boundaries of that bin. For example, you could have separate bars to show the number of students receiving an A, B, C, D, or F on an exam.

Related Topics

Chart Types


2D Bubble

This chart is similar to a 2D scatter chart differing only in that a third number (z) is used to plot relative sizes of markers at their proper x-y values. Bubble charts are useful for plotting large numbers of samples over a period of time. This allows you to visualize relationships between groupings of data. You can quickly see which pairs of x-y values have the greatest number of occurrences.

Related Topics

Chart Types


Spider Plot

This chart is sometimes called a radar chart and is conceptually an area chart that is bent around the center. Each series is a line, or filled area depending on the users options.

Related Topics

Chart Types


Column/Bar Pictograph

This chart is used in place of a column or bar chart to make a more visually appealing chart. There can be more than one series of data, and each series can have its own pictograph type. You can use a picture that directly relates to the data being charted.

Related Topics

Chart Types

Pictographs


Table

This chart is a structure of rows and columns that make up cells for occupying data. This chart can be used to display a list of records.

Related Topics

Chart Types

Creating Tables from a Datasheet


Combination

This chart is a 2D chart that can use different chart types to represent each series of data. The available chart types are: column, line, area, high-low-close, high-low-open-close, and pictograph. These chart types can be represented in relation to one another. The most common use for this type of chart is to list values as bars and have a line depicting some kind of trend in the value.

Related Topics

Chart Types


Choosing a Chart Type

1.	Click on the Format tab in the Chart Options dialog box.

The Format options are displayed.

2.	Select the chart type you want to use from the Chart Type list box.

A sample chart is created--based on the current data and the selected chart type--and displayed in the preview area if the Show Preview checkbox is enabled.

3.	Set chart appearance options.

In this dialog box you can change the chart format, series settings, plot axes, fill colors and border colors. You can also change the chart type for each series in your chart.

Related Topics

Creating Chart Formats

Choosing Multiple Chart Types for Combination Charts


Choosing Multiple Chart Types for Combination Charts

1.	Select the Combination Chart type from the Chart Types list box in the Format tab.

The Plot As list box is enabled.

2.	In the Series Settings box, select the series you want to specify the chart type of.

3.	Click on the Plot As list box arrow and choose a chart type.

You can select from 2D Column, 2D Line, 2D High-Low-Close, 2D High-Low-Open-Close, 2D Area and Column Pictograph.

4.	Repeat steps 2 and 3 with each series in your chart.

Related Topics

Choosing a Chart Type


Chart Axes Options

You can modify grids, goal ranges and tick marks. You can also set plot ranges for the X, Y, and Z axes.

1.	Click on the Axes tab in the Chart Options dialog box.

The Axes options are displayed.

2.	Select the Axis radio button you want to edit.

You can set attributes for the X axis, the Y1 axis (on the left), Y2 axis (on the right), the Z axis or all axes. The X axis plots horizontal data, the Y1 and Y2 axes vertical data, and the Z axis depth data.

If the Preview checkbox is enabled, the chart in the preview box changes to reflect the settings. As you change the chart attributes, the chart preview changes to reflect the new settings.

3.	Set grid lines on your chart.

The Grid options allow you to display major and/or minor grid lines along the axes. Grid lines help you to identify charted values more easily.

4.	Specify how many divisions you want your data to display in.

5. 	Specify the color and thickness of the major and minor grids.

6.	Choose whether or not you want to display tick marks.

These options allow you to display tick marks inside and/or outside the actual axes.

7.	Specify the length of the tick marks in the Tick Mark Length field.

You can specify the units of measurement for the length of tick marks in the Display Preferences dialog box. To display this dialog box, choose View/Preferences/Display.

8.	Specify the minimum and maximum axes values.

The chart will start plotting between those values. This allows you to see large values that are close together. For example, if you plot 1011 and 1014, there is very little difference if you are plotting from 0, but a larger visible difference if you plot from 1000.

You can set the maximum to be greater than the highest chart value. This allows you to create, for example, a chart of test scores which goes up to 100 even though the highest score is 92.

9.	Define a goal range for the data.

A Goal Range is a highlighted region along an axis showing the desired values for a set of data.

For example, if you want expenses to stay within a certain range every month you can create a monthly column chart to emphasize your performance by defining the range of the chart. You can choose a fill color to highlight the area and make the range more visible.

Related Topics

Charting Options

Setting Display Preferences


Setting Chart Text Specifications

You can add text to your chart in the form of a main title, a subtitle, axis titles, footnote, or a legend. You can control the appearance of the text you use by specifying its font, size, style and color.

1.	Click on the Text tab in the Chart Options dialog box.

The Text options are displayed.

2.	From the Selected box, choose the type of text you want to set attributes for.

You can specify attributes for a main title, a subtitle, a footnote, a legend and the labels and titles for the X, Y1, Y2 and Z axes.

If you want to select several text types, hold the [Ctrl] key and then click your mouse on one or more of the types. If you want to select a range of types hold down the [Shift] key and then drag your mouse through the list, or click on the first item in your range and then hold down the [Shift] key when you click on the last item in your range.

3.	Enable the Preview checkbox.

If the Preview checkbox is enabled, the text in the preview box changes to reflect the settings.

4.	Enable the Show Title checkbox for any selected titles or footnotes.

The status of the Title box changes depending on what is selected in the Selected list box. In this box you can specify whether you want to show the titles or footnote, and also type the titles or footnote the edit box.

5.	Specify the placement of any selected text.

In the Label box you can specify the appearance of the labels for each axis. You can choose Parallel To Axis, Perpendicular To Axis or None. This option is only available when one or more label items are selected in the Selected List box.

6.	Specify text attributes.

You can change the font, point size and style of your text.

Related Topics

Charting Options


Setting Attributes for Numbers on Charts

You can specify the numerical format of numbers displayed along the X, Y, and Z axes or in the cells of a table.

1.	In the Chart Options dialog box, click on the Numbers tab.

The Numbers options are displayed.

2.	In the Selected list box, select the X, Y or Z axis to specify the display format.

3.	If you want to preview your changes, enable the Preview checkbox.

If the Preview checkbox is enabled, the chart in the preview box changes to reflect the settings.

4.	Specify how your numbers should be displayed.

You can specify how to display decimals and thousandths. Your numbers can be displayed as percentages, currency or in general format. Your chart can show data in a negative format. If you have negative value data and you disable the negative format your data will appear with brackets around it.

5.	Choose how many decimal places to display.

You can specify how many decimal places, between 0 and 9 places, are used in your numbers.

6.	If you selected Currency in the Value Type combination box, specify how the currency will be displayed in the Currency Style box.

You can change the symbol of currency, the placement of the currency symbol and the decimal places.

7.	If you want to edit the data, click on the Datasheet... button.

You can click on the Datasheet... button to display the Datasheet window in which you can enter or import the data you want to chart.

8.	Choose which order your data is displayed in.

You can switch the charting of the columns and rows of data. Astound allows you to choose how series and values within series are retrieved from the datasheet. By default, each series is made up of one or more columns of numbers from the datasheet. Checking this option will cause Astound to make up each series from one or more rows of data.

9.	If you want, you can chart your data as a percentage.

10.	If you want, you can chart your data as cumulative.

Data is displayed cumulatively in each successive segment. For example, if a factory produced 1,200 units the first year, and 1,400 the second year, with the Cumulative option enabled, the second year will be charted at 2,600.

Related Topics

Charting Options


Changing Chart Colors

You can change the color of the charts background panels, axes and grids, and individual segments. This allows you to customize the appearance of your chart to coordinate with your slide.

1.	Click on the Format tab in the Chart Options dialog box.

The Format options appear.

2.	Enable the checkbox for the chart element you want to change the color of--either Show Fill for the fill color or Show Border for the Border color.

3.	Click on the corresponding Color palette button.

4.	Click on a color in the palette or use the Eyedropper, Color Mixer or Color Spectrum buttons to locate or create a color.

Related Topics

Charting Options

Creating Chart Formats


Setting Panel Colors

1.	Click on the Arrange tab in the Chart Options dialog box.

The Arrange options appear.

2.	If you selected a 2D chart, enable the checkbox that corresponds to the chart element you want to change the color of--fills, borders or shadows.

3.	Click on the corresponding Color palette button.

You can also click on a color in the palette or use the Eyedropper, Color Mixer or Color Spectrum buttons to locate or create a color.

As you change the color attributes, the chart preview changes to reflect the new settings.

Related Topics

Charting Options

Setting Segment and Panel Attributes


Adding a Legend

When you add a legend to a chart, the legend is automatically constructed to represent the colors used in the chart and any corresponding labels in the datasheet.

1.	Click on the Legend tab in the Chart Options dialog box.

The Legend options appear.

If the Preview checkbox is enabled, the legend in the preview box changes to reflect the settings. As you change the legend attributes, the preview changes to reflect the new settings.

2.	Select where the legend will be placed.

Selecting one of the radio buttons specifies on what side of the chart the legend is placed. You can place the legend at all 8 compass points.

3.	Choose a layout for the legend.

If your legend is being added to either side of the chart, you can specify how many columns are in the legend. If the legend is being added to the top center or bottom center of the chart, you can specify how many rows are in the legend. You have the choice of using single, double or triple rows or columns.

4.	Enable a frame around the legend.

If the Show Frame checkbox is enabled, you can specify whether the frame has rounded or squared corners by selecting the appropriate option.

5.	Specify color options for the frame.

You can specify the color of the Fill, Border and Shadow, if you want these features, and set the Horizontal Shadow Offset, and the Vertical Shadow Offset.

Click on the Fill Color button, the Border Color button, and the Shadow Color button and select a color from the Color Scheme pop-up window.

The Horizontal shadow offset is how far the shadow moves to the left or right, and the vertical shadow offset is how far the shadow moves up or down. The larger the number the wider the shadow, and the smaller the number the thinner the shadow. Negative numbers move the shadow left and up, and positive numbers move the shadow right and down.

Related Topics

Charting Options


Setting Segment and Panel Attributes

Once you have chosen your chart type, there are several attributes that you can change for the chart, including: depth of charted data, space between segments, and space between groups of segments (for most charts). Some charts allow you to change line weight, size, and other options. You can also adjust the panels on 3D charts.

1.	Click on the Arrange tab in the Chart Options dialog box.

The Arrange options are displayed.

Different chart types have different arrangement attributes available, and any attributes not available for the selected chart type will be disabled. Most attributes are set by clicking on a slider bar. In all cases, the left side of the slider bar is the lowest value, and the right side of the scroll bar is the highest value.

2.	Enable the Preview checkbox.

If the Preview checkbox is enabled, the chart in the preview box changes to reflect the settings. As you change the chart attributes, the chart preview changes to reflect the new settings.

3.	Set the attributes.

4.	Set color options.

Click on the Fill Color button, the Border Color button, and the Shadow Color button and select a color from the Color Scheme pop-up window.

Related Topics

Setting Panel Colors

Charting Options


Three-Dimensional Charts
Three Dimensional Charts

If you have selected a three-dimensional chart as your chart type, you can specify the 3D orientation of the chart, and even add perspective to it. These options are not available for 3D Pie charts, but you can set the inclination of a 3D pie from the Arrange tab.

1.	Click on the 3D tab in the Chart Options dialog box.

The 3D options appear.

2.	If you want to rotate the chart, drag the cursor across the trackball, or click on the arrows.

Rotating a chart changes the angle at which the chart is drawn. The face of the chart moves in the same direction you drag the pointer across the trackball. For example, if you place the cursor on the middle of the trackball and drag to the left and slightly downward, the chart will turn to the left and slightly downward.

As you drag or click, the arrows on the trackball blink to indicate the direction in which the chart is turning. Double clicking anywhere inside the trackball returns the chart to its original position.

3.	If you want to add perspective to the chart, enable the Perspective checkbox and click in the Distance Indicator (or drag the arrow) to specify the level of perspective.

If you change the three-dimensional attributes, the wire frame preview of the chart will change to reflect the new settings. This preview is based on the currently selected chart type.

Related Topics

Charting Options


Setting the Chart's Animation
Setting the Charts Animation

You can animate your charts by adding transitions, and by controlling both the order in which chart components appear and their distribution. This adds visual impact to your charts. You can also control the timing of the appearance of the charted data, so that the presenter can discuss data as it appears, rather than after the entire chart is displayed.

You can choose to have your objects appear on and disappear from the screen by category (groups) or by series (colors). You can also specify how closely one chart element follows another in appearing or disappearing by selecting a distribution option.

1.	In the Chart Options dialog box, click on the Animate tab.

The Animation options appear.

The charts timeline is displayed at the top of this group of options. By default, the charts timeline is the same length as the slides timeline, the chart is assigned an entry transition time of one-third the total display time, and the chart is assigned an exit transition time of zero. If you created your chart using a placeholder on a template, your charts timeline may be different. You can set start and end points and transition times according to the scale that is displayed above the timeline.

2.	Set the charts timeline.

This timeline is set the same way as Astounds other timelines.

3.	In the Order box, select two of the four buttons that specify the Entry and Exit order of chart segments.

These buttons display how the entry and exit of the chart segments will occur. You can have the segments appear by series or by category. The buttons use color to display the order in which the segments will appear.

4.	Press and hold on the Entry drop-down list in the Timeline Distribution box.

A drop-down list, containing graphic representations of data element distributions, appears.

5.	Select the Entry distribution you want to use.

The graphic representations show how the entry times of the data elements will be distributed. All of the objects for the first series may appear at the same time, may appear staggered, may appear staggered but finish their transitions at the same time, etc. At the same time, the next series may appear before or after the first is finished.

6.	Select the Exit distribution you want to use.

7.	Select the Pause During Entry criteria.

You can choose to pause Never, After Each Segment, After Each Series/Category or After Entire Chart.

8.	Click on the Transition... button in the Animate tab.

The Object Transition dialog box appears.

9.	Specify the transition you want to use for the chart segments.

Related Topics

Charting Options


Editing Datasheets and Replotting Charts

You can edit a datasheet the same way that you edit most spreadsheets: select the cell you wish to change and type in a new number. You can also select the cell, click within the cell edit area at the top of the datasheet, and make corrections or changes. Click within the cell area or press [Enter] after making corrections or changes to place the changes in the cell.

You can quickly edit a datasheet and apply the changes to an existing chart.

There are three ways to open a datasheet for an existing chart in the presentation:

Select the chart you want to edit the data for, and choose Window/Datasheet/Edit Chart Data.

Choose Window/Datasheet and the datasheet name.

Select the chart you want to edit the data for, and choose Chart/Edit Data...

1.	Double click on the chart or click on the chart and choose Chart/Edit Chart...

The Chart Options dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the Numbers tab.

The Numbers options are displayed.

3.	Click on the Datasheet... button.

The datasheet appears.

4.	Edit your data.

5.	Select the data you want to chart.

If you want to chart all of the data in your datasheet, you do not have to manually select it. Simply choose Automatic Range in the File menu and click on the Replot Data button in the Datasheet window.

6.	Click on the Replot Data button.

Related Topics

Replotting Data

Replotting Charts Automatically

Editing Chart Attributes for Existing Charts

Creating a Datasheet


Replotting Data

Once you edit your data, it is easy to re-chart it. Simply click on the Replot Chart button and the chart selected on the current page is updated to reflect any changes.

Related Topics

Editing Datasheets and Replotting Charts

Replotting Charts Automatically

Editing Chart Attributes for Existing Charts


Replotting Charts Automatically

You can re-chart the data without going through the Chart Options dialog box by selecting the data to chart and clicking on the Replot Data button in the datasheet. The chart selected on the current slide will be updated to reflect any of your changes.

The Chart/Auto-Replot command can be enabled for individual charts. This means that you can create several charts from the same data and have all or some of them automatically update when you change the data and click on the Replot Data button in the datasheet.

If you do not have this command enabled, the chart will remain the same even after you edit the data. The chart will not change unless its replotted. Once the chart is edited, the new data takes over.

1.	Select the chart you want to automatically replot.

2.	Enable Chart/Auto-Replot.

This toggle command is enabled by default. If you do not want a chart to update when you click on the Replot Data button, select the chart and disable this command.

Related Topics

Editing Datasheets and Replotting Charts

Replotting Data

Editing Chart Attributes for Existing Charts


Editing Chart Attributes for Existing Charts

You can change any chart attributes from the Chart Options dialog box. There are two ways to open the Charts Options dialog box and edit a particular chart:

Double click on the chart you want to edit.

Click on the chart and choose Chart/Edit Chart.

The Chart Options dialog box appears and you can make any change that you want. You can edit any of the attributes for the selected chart the same way you would set the attributes when you first create a chart.

Related Topics

Editing Datasheets and Replotting Charts

Replotting Data

Replotting Charts Automatically


Pictographs

If you want to create a chart that helps to convey a theme, or that can add some visual interest to a slide or document, you may want to create a pictograph. Instead of bars, columns, or lines, data on a pictograph is represented by the object of your choice. For example, if you are making up a column chart to illustrate the trend in house building over the past several years, you can create a simple drawing of a house (using Astounds drawing tools) and use it to indicate values on the chart. You can create different types of charts by varying the way in which the pictograph object is defined.

You can use an object that scales or an object that stacks to represent the data. For example, you could have a pencil scale--leaving the tip and the eraser the same size--so that only the middle part of the pencil grows as the value it represents increases.

Related Topics

Loading a Pictograph

Defining a Pictograph Object

Saving a Pictograph Object

Editing Pictograph Objects


Loading a Pictograph

1. 	In the Chart Options dialog boxs Format tab choose Column Pictograph or Bar Pictograph from the Chart Type drop-down list.

The Select a Pictograph dialog box appears telling you to select a pictograph graphic for this chart.

2.	If you want to load a default pictograph, click on the Default Pictograph button.

The pictograph file is loaded. The pictograph will be applied to all the series in the chart without a valid pictograph in them. It will not replace already defined pictographs in the chart. You can now skip to step 7.

3.	If you want to continue, click on the Continue button.

You are returned to the Format options.

4.	If you want to display the Arrange tab, click on the Goto Arrange button.

The Arrange options are displayed allowing you to load a pictograph.

5.	If you want to use a pictograph that you previously saved, click on the Load... button in the Pictograph box.

The Load Pictograph dialog box appears.

6.	Select the pictograph that you want to use.

7.	If you want to create a stacked pictograph, enable the Stacked checkbox.

This will cause multiple objects to be stacked to represent the value.

If you want to have a pictograph in which a single object is modified to show different values, such as a flag on a flagpole, then ensure that this option is disabled.

8.	If you are creating a stacked pictograph, type the number of units you want represented by each object in the Units Per Object box.

For example, you might have each object in the stack represent 100 units of the value. All of the objects will look the same.

9.	If you are creating a stacked pictograph, enable the Crop or Scale radio button to specify how to show values that do not equal full objects.

Cropping keeps the object at its full size, cutting it at the appropriate value. Scaling vertically compresses the object so that it fits into the space between the previous object and the appropriate value.

10.	Click on the Apply button to apply your changes to the current series.

11.	Click on the Apply All button to apply your changes to all series in the chart.

You can click on the Remove button to remove a pictograph object from memory.

12.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics

Pictographs


Defining a Pictograph Object

A pictograph object is a graphic that is modified to specify what it will look like for a value of 0 and what it will look like for the largest value on your chart.

How you define the pictograph object determines the look of your final chart. When you define the object you can scale, crop or move parts of the object to specify the way in which data is represented on the chart.

1.	Create the object you want to use in your chart, or import a piece of clipart.

Objects made up of simple shapes work the best.

2.	Select all of the pieces of the object.

3.	Choose Chart/Define Pictograph...

The Name Pictograph dialog box appears, asking you to name the pictograph object you are about to create.

4.	Type a name for the object.

5.	Click on the OK button.

The Pictograph dialog box appears, containing two versions of the selected object. The left box contains a representation of what the object will look like when it indicates a value of 0 on the chart, and the right box shows what it will look like when it indicates the highest chart value (100%).

6.	Click on either the Vertical or Horizontal buttons.

This allows you to create a bar or a column pictograph. The definition arrows in the preview boxes change to reflect your choice.

7.	Scale, crop or move the object in the first box until it looks like you want it to look when indicating a value of zero on the chart.

You can scale the entire object or only the part that you wish to change. For example, you may want to scale only the middle portion of a pencil, or you may want to scale an entire house.

To crop an object, press the [Ctrl] key while dragging the arrow on the object.

You can also move the object, or a portion of it. For example, you may have a flag on a flagpole, and only want the flag to move as the value of the data changes.

Anything visible in this box will be visible in the chart when a value of zero is plotted. When the object is used in a chart, Astound scales it to represent the charted values.

8.	Move the arrow on the left box to place the line so that it corresponds to the zero line in the chart.

Usually, you will not want to display any part of the object at 0 percent. However, you may have an object that has a base that will be displayed below the 0 line on the chart or above the charted value. For example you may create a glass of water for a pictograph object. The bottom of the glass would always be visible below 0, and the top of the glass would always be visible above the value; only the level of the water in the glass would change.

9.	Scale, crop or move the object in the second box to represent the largest version of the object that you want used in the chart.

If you have changed the vertical scaling of part or all of the object, it will grow taller for larger values in the chart. If you have also scaled the object horizontally, it will grow taller and wider for larger values on the chart.

10.	In the second box, move the arrow so that the line corresponds to the 100% (highest charted value) line in the chart.

11.	Click on the OK button.

NOTE: To remove a pictograph object from memory ensure that the pictograph object you want to remove is displayed in the Currently Loaded combo box in the Pictograph dialog box. Click on the Remove button.

You can remove all unused pictograph objects from memory by choosing the Edit/Purge Unused Resources... command.

Related Topics

Pictographs


Saving a Pictograph Object

Saving a pictograph is useful when you want to use a pictograph object in more than one presentation.

In the Pictograph dialog box, ensure the pictograph file you want to save is displayed correctly in the preview boxes. Then click on the Save... button and type a name for the pictograph object. The pictograph file is saved under the specified file name.

Related Topics

Pictographs


Editing Pictograph Objects

You can edit any pictograph object currently in memory, load a new one from disk and edit it, or edit the object used in a specific chart.

1.	Choose Chart/Edit pictograph...

The Pictograph dialog box appears.

2.	Select a currently loaded pictograph from the Currently Loaded drop-down list.

If you click on the Load... button the Load Pictograph dialog box appears, listing any pictograph object files you have saved. Choose the object you wish to edit, and click on the OK button to return to the Pictograph dialog box.

3.	Make the desired changes to the object.

4.	Click on the OK button.

You can save the pictograph object if you wish to use it in other presentations.

NOTE: To remove a pictograph object from memory ensure that the pictograph object you want to remove is displayed in the Currently Loaded combo box in the Pictograph dialog box. Click on the Remove button.

You can remove all unused pictograph objects from memory by choosing the Edit/Purge Unused Resources... command.

Related Topics

Pictographs

Loading a Pictograph

Defining a Pictograph Object

Saving a Pictograph Object


Creating Tables from a Datasheet

Once you have entered data into a datasheet you can easily place it on your slide in a table format. The table is scaled to fit within the rectangle you dragged out before opening the datasheet, or you can specify that the table be created at the best available size.

1.	Click on the Create Chart button in the Astound Datasheet window.

The Row and Column Layout dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the appropriate radio button to specify what you want the first row and column of your table to contain.

You can choose either Labels or Data Values.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The Chart Options dialog box appears. This dialog box uses a tabular format to provide quick access to all the available charting options. Click on the tab of the elements you want to change.

4.	In the Chart Type drop-down list, select Table.

Related Topics

Automatically Calculating the Best Size for the Table

Editing Tables


Automatically Calculating the Best Size for the Table

When you finish specifying the attributes for your table, it is scaled to fit within the rectangle you specified before opening the datasheet. Since you are not always going to specify the perfect size for the table, you can have Astound calculate the best size. The aspect ratio of the selected range of data, as well as the ratio of cell size from the datasheet, will be maintained. Astound will also take into account your specified fonts and then will create the chart using the smallest possible size, while still ensuring that none of the information is clipped by the grid.

1.	Choose the Arrange tab from the Chart Options dialog box.

The Arrange box is displayed.

2.	Enable the Calculate Best Table Size checkbox to create the best looking table.

If you enable this option, the table maintains the same aspect ratio as the cells have in the datasheet, ensuring that all titles and data fit correctly within the grid.

The table is placed starting in the top left corner of the previously specified rectangle.

If this option is not enabled, the table will be scaled to fit within the rectangle.

Related Topics

Creating Tables from a Datasheet

Editing Tables


Editing Tables

Tables are edited in a manner similar to charts. You can select the table, and enable the Chart/Auto Replot toggle command to have the table updated whenever you update the datasheet. If you do not have this enabled, the table will remain the same even after you edit the datasheet attached to the table.

Related Topics

Creating Tables from a Datasheet

Automatically Calculating the Best Size for the Table


Selecting Objects

Astound follows standard Microsoft Windows object selection conventions, including clicking and dragging marquees (rectangles that define a selection by enclosing it). You can always recognize selected objects by the small, (usually black) squares called handles around the outer edges of the objects.

Related Topics

Aligning Objects

Moving Objects

Removing Objects

Resizing and Reshaping Objects

Cropping Objects

Layering Objects

Fill Options

Selecting One Object

Selecting More than One Object

Deselecting Objects

Selecting Objects that are Part of a Group


Selecting One Object

There are two ways to select an object:

  Select the Pointer tool and click on the object.

Select the Pointer tool, position the pointer outside the boundaries of the object to be selected, drag the pointer until the marquee surrounds the object and release the mouse button. If you hold down the [Ctrl] key while dragging, the marquee only has to touch the object rather than fully enclose it to select it.

NOTE: Grouped objects are treated as one object.

Related Topics

Selecting Objects


Selecting More than One Object

There are several ways to select multiple objects:

Select the pointer tool, position the pointer outside the boundary of the objects to be selected and drag the pointer until the marquee surrounds all of the objects to be selected. If you hold down the [Ctrl] key while dragging, the marquee only has to touch the objects rather than enclose them to select them.

While holding down the [Shift] key, click on each object to be selected.

Choose Edit/Select All to select every object on the slide.

  Double click on the Pointer tool to select all objects on the slide.

Double click on any empty portion of the drawing area to select all objects.

Related Topics

Selecting Objects


Deselecting Objects

There are two ways to deselect objects:

Click anywhere on the background of the document window to deselect all selected objects.

Hold down the [Shift] key and click on the object(s) you want to deselect.

Related Topics

Selecting Objects


Layering Objects

In Astound, the objects on the screen are layered according to the order in which they are drawn or added to the slide. Each object is on its own layer. Objects placed first are at the back of the drawing order, while objects placed most recently are at the front of the drawing order. By changing the location of various objects in the drawing order, you can change the appearance of your slide.

You can move a selected object, several objects, or groups of objects to the very front or to the very back of the drawing order, or you can move them forward or backward one layer at a time.

1.	Select the object(s) you want to change the layer of.

2.	Choose Object/Layer and then choose from one of the following options:

Bring to Front: Moves the selected object(s) in front of all other objects.

Send to Back: Moves the selected object(s) behind all other objects.

The following options are available only if a single object is selected.

Up One Layer: Moves the selected object forward one layer.

Down One Layer: Moves the selected object back one layer.

Related Topics

Grouping Objects

Ungrouping Objects

Selecting Objects


Grouping Objects

You may combine several objects to form a group that is treated as a single object. Any operations you perform on the group are performed on all objects within the group. You can have groups within groups, forming nested groups.

You should group objects together once you have created a complete entity, such as a logo. When you create a group, you help prevent the individual components from being accidentally changed or selected. If you want to change parts of your grouped object, you can still select objects within the group.

You cannot group an object that has interactivity attached to it.

1.	Select the objects you want to group.

The selected objects have handles on their edges.

2.	Choose Object/Group.

This option is only available if more than one object is selected. The objects are now grouped with only one set of handles surrounding the group. You can group objects that are already grouped to create nested groups (one or more groups within a group).

When you group objects with different transitions, Astound disregards the transitions and lets you apply new ones to the whole grouped object. When you ungroup the objects, they will still have their original transitions.

When you group objects with different timelines, Astound uses the earliest possible starting time and the latest possible time to recreate the timeline. When you ungroup the objects, they will still have their original timelines.

Any visual modifications you make on a group modifies all of the objects in the group. For example, if you select the color red, all objects in the group turn red.

Related Topics

Selecting Objects that are Part of a Group

Layering Objects

Ungrouping Objects


Ungrouping Objects

If you do not want the objects grouped together any more, you can separate them again.

1.	Select the group you want to ungroup.

2.	Choose Object/Ungroup.

The objects are ungrouped and each object has its own set of handles.

Related Topics

Layering Objects

Grouping Objects

Selecting Objects that are Part of a Group


Selecting Objects that are Part of a Group

If you have grouped objects together, you can still select specific parts from within that group.

There are two ways to select objects within a group:

Position the pointer on the object you want to select and double click the mouse button. This selects an item one level into the group. Further double clicks will move further into nested groups.

Position the pointer on the object you want to select within the group and hold down the [Alt] key as you click the mouse button. This selects a single object regardless of any groups.

Related Topics

Selecting Objects


Rulers

Astound has two rulers: one across the top of your document window, and one down the left side. You can use rulers to determine the distance between objects, the dimensions of an object, or to locate exact points on your artwork while drawing, reshaping, transforming and moving objects. You can choose to hide or show the rulers and you can choose the units of measurement. You can display or hide the rulers by choosing View/Show Rulers. A checkmark appears beside View/Show Rulers when the rulers are visible.

NOTE: The Show Rulers command is a toggle command that turns the rulers on and off.

Astound allows you to set the units of measurements used. The selected units are displayed on the ruler, and affect all units in Astound.

1.	Choose View/Preferences/Display...

The Display Preferences dialog box appears.

2.	Select the units of measurement you prefer.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The rulers are displayed in your specified measurement units.

Related Topics

Grids

Enabling the Snap to Grid Option

Setting Display Preferences

Setting Margins

Setting Tabs


Grids

Grids are a series of equally spaced dotted lines that run horizontally and vertically across your screen. Each row or column of dots represents a grid line. You can use grid lines to help guide you when you are placing objects on your slide, or you can have Astound automatically snap objects to the grid. When you choose Snap to Grid, Astound automatically places your object so it lines up with the grid lines. You can adjust the spacing between grid lines. You can display or hide grid lines by choosing View/Show Grid. A checkmark appears beside View/Show Grid when it is visible.

NOTE: The Show Grid command is a toggle command that turns the grid on and off. You can also enable or disable the Snap To Grid option in the Display Preferences dialog box.

Related Topics

Rulers

Enabling the Snap to Grid Option


Enabling the Snap to Grid Option

Using grid lines and the Snap to Grid function, you can draw, reshape, transform and move objects more accurately. When you enable the Snap to Grid command and move your objects, the objects handles automatically align themselves with the nearest grid lines. The grids do not need to be visible in order for you to use the Snap to Grid option. You can enable or disable grid snapping by choosing View/Snap To Grid. A checkmark appears beside View/Snap to Align when snap to grid is enabled.

NOTE: The Snap to Grid command is a toggle command.  You can also enable or disable the Snap To Grid option in the Display Preferences dialog box.

1.	Choose View/Preferences/Display...

The Display Preferences dialog box appears.

2.	Enter values for the spacing between grid lines in the Horizontal Spacing and Vertical Spacing fields.

Spacing is measured in the units you specified in the Units box in the Display Preferences dialog box.

You can also enable Show Grid and Snap to Grid from within this dialog box.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The grid lines are now spaced to your specifications.

Related Topics

Rulers

Grids


Aligning Objects

1.	Select the objects you wish to align.

2.	Choose Object/Align

A submenu appears.

3.	Choose the desired option.

Both Axes: Aligns the vertical and horizontal axes of the selected objects.

Vertical Axes: Aligns the vertical axes of the selected objects.

Horizontal Axes: Aligns the horizontal axes of the selected objects.

Top Edges: Aligns the top edges of the selected objects.

Bottom Edges: Aligns the bottom edges of the selected objects.

Left Edges: Aligns the left edges of the selected objects.

Right Edges: Aligns the right edges of the selected objects.

Related Topics

Selecting Objects

Centering Objects


Centering Objects

1.	Select the object(s) you wish to center.

2.	Choose Object/Center on Slide.

A submenu appears.

3.	Choose the desired option.

Both: Centers the selected object(s) both horizontally and vertically on the slide.

Vertically: Centers the selected object(s) vertically on the slide.

Horizontally: Centers the selected object(s) horizontally on the slide.

Related Topics

Aligning Objects


Moving Objects

To move objects around a slide, position the pointer on the object, and drag it to a different location.

Related Topics

Selecting Objects

Nudging Objects


Nudging Objects

You can precisely align objects by nudging them a pixel at a time. Use the [Up] and [Down] cursor keys and the [Left] and [Right] arrow keys to specify the direction.

To nudge an object, select the object you wish to nudge and press the arrow cursor keys. The object moves one pixel in the direction of the arrow key each time you press the key.

Related Topics

Moving Objects


Removing an Object

There are three ways to remove an object:

 Select the object and choose Edit/Cut or click on the Cut button.

This option places the object on the Clipboard so it can be pasted to another location, slide, or application.

Select the object and choose Edit/Clear.

This option clears the object without placing a copy on the Clipboard.

Select the object and press [Del].

The object is cleared.

You can recover the most recent editing action by selecting Edit/Undo.

Related Topics

Copying Objects

Pasting Objects

Duplicating Objects

Undo Command


Copying Objects

  You can choose Edit/Copy or click on the Copy button to copy selected objects to the Windows Clipboard.

Related Topics

Removing an Object

Pasting Objects

Duplicating Objects

Undo Command

Selecting Objects


Pasting Objects

  You can choose Edit/Paste or click on the Click button to paste the contents of the Windows Clipboard onto your slide. If you are pasting an object that already exists on the slide, it may be placed on top of the original object. If this occurs, select the top copy and drag it to the desired location.

Related Topics

Removing an Object

Copying Objects

Duplicating Objects

Undo Command


Duplicating Objects

You can duplicate objects so that a copy is made and pasted beside the original. There are two ways to duplicate an object:

Select the object you want to duplicate and choose Edit/Duplicate.

Press and hold the [Ctrl] key and drag a copy to a new location.

The new copy appears on the screen. After you duplicate, you can move the new item and select Duplicate repeatedly to keep duplicating with the same offset.

Related Topics

Removing an Object

Copying Objects

Pasting Objects

Undo Command


Resizing and Reshaping Objects

You can adjust the width and height of your object, making it bigger or smaller, taller or shorter, wider or thinner.

Cropping objects allows you to square off edges and show only the portion of the object you need.

  Astound allows you to resize objects using the Pointer tool or the Resize... command. Multiple objects can be resized with the same ratio by selecting all objects to be altered and then resizing them the same way.

Related Topics

Resizing Objects Using the Pointer Tool

Resizing Objects Numerically

Selecting Objects


Resizing Objects Using the Pointer Tool

1.	  Position the Pointer tool on one of the handles of the selected object(s).

The pointer changes to a two-headed arrow.

2.	Drag the handle to a new position.

An image of the objects bounding box follows the cursor.

To retain the original proportions (aspect ratio) of the object, press and hold the [Shift] key as you drag the pointer.

3.	Release the mouse button when the object is the correct size.

The object is redrawn at the new size.

Related Topics

Resizing and Reshaping Objects

Resizing Objects Numerically


Resizing Objects Numerically

1.	Select the object you want to resize.

2.	Choose Object/Resize...

The Resize Object dialog box appears.

The current width and height, in the selected units, are displayed at the top of the dialog box.

3	If you want your width and height to stay proportional, enable the Maintain Aspect Ratio checkbox.

This will prevent your object from getting stretched vertically or horizontally when it is resized.

4.	Select the option you want for resizing your object.

You can maintain your original shape or resize your object in units or a percentage. Enable the  Maintain Aspect Ratio checkbox if you want the object to remain proportional.

5.	Enter the appropriate values for your chosen method.

You can change the width or height the object is resized to, and then shrink or enlarge it further by changing the percentage values.

6.	Click on the OK button.

Your object is resized to your specifications.

You can always choose the Best Size option in the Resize Object dialog box to return an image, actor, video, or shape to its original size.

Tip:	You can return an object to its original size without opening this dialog box by selecting the object and pressing [Ctrl][B].

Related Topics

Resizing and Reshaping Objects

Resizing Objects Using the Pointer Tool


Cropping Objects

If you only want a portion of an object to show, you can crop the object. Cropping allows you to select a portion of an object to display and hide the parts you dont want showing. For example, you may have imported a picture of a bird but you only want the head to show on your slide. You can crop the picture so that only the head is displayed.

1.	Select the object you want to crop.

2.	  Place the Pointer tool on the handle at the edge or corner from which you want to crop.

Make sure the pointer turns to a two-headed arrow.

3.	Hold down the [Ctrl] key.

4.	Drag a handle inward to crop your object.

An outline of the new bounding box moves across the object showing you the boundaries of the cropped area.

5. 	Release the mouse button and the [Ctrl] key.

The object is cropped.

An outline of the original shape appears whenever you drag the object to remind you of the original size.

Related Topics

Selecting Objects

Distorting Shapes

Flipping Shapes


Distorting Shapes

You can stretch and change freehand shapes, polygons, speech balloons, regular polygons, stars, parallelograms, right triangles, and arrows by grabbing a point and using modifier keys while you drag them. For example, you can lengthen points to give your shapes spikes, or stretch your shapes.

NOTE: You cannot use this feature with the rectangle, rounded rectangle, oblong, ellipse, arc, or line tools.

1.	Select the shape you want to modify.

2.	Position the pointer on a point of your shape.

Make sure the pointer is on a point of the shape, not the handles. The pointer changes to a crosshair.

3.	Hold down a modifier key and drag the point to reshape the object.

No Modifier: Repositions the point. You can make your shape look like it has spikes on it. You can reposition the point on a speech balloon to show different speakers.

[Alt] key: Stretches your whole shape starting with the point you selected and then pulling the points closest to it until the whole shape changes.

[Shift] key: Keeps the same edge shape while elongating the shape. You can make a many-sided polygon look like a cylinder. This option pulls out a portion of a shape without distorting it.

[Ctrl] key: Pulls the point and a few points around it, but it does not alter the other points in the shape. You can make a many-sided polygon look like a round speech balloon.

[Shift][Ctrl] keys: Stretches the shape and starts to pull all the points with it, moving the X coordinates and Y coordinates independently.

Since these are not precise distortion modifiers, you may want to experiment with them to see what types of effects you can create.

4.	Release the mouse button to set the shape.

Related Topics

Cropping Objects

Flipping Shapes


Flipping Shapes

You can flip any shape drawn with the drawing tools to change its direction. A shape can be flipped upside down (vertically) or from side to side (horizontally).

1.	Select the shape.

2.	Choose Object/Flip/Vertically or Object/Flip/Horizontally.

Your shape is flipped the way you specified.

Related Topics

Cropping Objects

Distorting Shapes


Converting Objects to Bitmaps

If you have drawn or imported a complicated piece of artwork that takes a long time to redraw, you may want to convert it to bitmap format. Changing to a bitmap converts the artwork to the environment your monitor is using. For example, gradients can take a long time to redraw in presentations. Converting them to bitmaps can make the redrawing process faster. Or, you may have imported a picture that redraws slowly. If you convert it to bitmap format, it will help your object redraw quickly and smoothly. Objects that are converted to bitmaps are no longer structured and may print with jagged edges. You should size your objects before converting them to bitmaps. Converting to bitmaps is best for on screen presentations that you want to redraw quickly.

You can also use the Convert to Bitmap command to create a transparent color in a bitmap.

NOTE: Conversion should only be performed on objects that are final because bitmap objects cannot be converted back to their original format. As well, you should not use the Convert to Bitmap command on any object for which you want to use the Rotation transition.

1.	Select the object(s) you want to convert.

You can select more than one object, but if you are selecting many separate parts and you want to join them into a single bitmap, be sure to group the objects first.

If you have a group of objects and you want individual objects to animate separately, you should ungroup them so that each one has an individual bitmap.

2.	Choose Object/Convert To Bitmap...

The Convert Object to Bitmap dialog box appears.

3. 	Select the display option you wish to use.

You can select Opaque, Solid or Transparent.

4.	Click on the OK button.

Your object is now a bitmap.


Undo Command

In most cases, you can undo the last editing action you performed by using the Undo command. For example, if you moved an object by mistake and you want to return it to its original position, you can undo the move. Some edits, such as bitmap conversions, cannot be undone.

1.	  Before performing another operation, choose Edit/Undo or click on the Undo button.

Your document returns to the previous state.

After you use the Undo command, it changes to the Redo command. You can reverse the undo by choosing Edit/Redo.

Related Topics

Removing an Object

Copying Objects

Pasting Objects

Duplicating Objects


Timelines

Not only can you create standard presentations with overheads or 35mm slides, you can create presentations to be played back on a computer. On-screen presentations allow you to use motion, interaction, sound and transitions to create captivating effects.

Object timelines are displayed in the Timeline window, and are also visible in the Object Transition dialog box and Object Path Animation dialog box. Chart timelines can be set in the Chart Options dialog box as well as in the Timeline window and Sound timelines can be set in the Select Sound dialog box as well as the Timeline window.

The Timeline window controls the sequence and timing of events and transitions within an individual slide. Each object on the slide has its own timeline. Timelines synchronize the animation of each object in relation to other objects.

Timelines are used throughout Astound. You can find timelines in sound, transition, path and chart animation dialog boxes. Sound timelines allow you to fade sound in and out. Chart animation timelines allow you to set entry and exit periods for the charted data.

Timelines are divided into Entry, Static and Exit periods. The entry period is the length of time the object takes to appear on your screen. The static period is the length of time the object stays in one place, without any transitions. The exit period is the length of time the object takes to disappear from the screen. Transitions and paths occur only during the defined entry and exit periods.

A new timeline appears as a solid line, which represents the Static period. This Static period will span the full duration of the slide. It is up to the user to set Entry and Exit periods, which appear as lighter, striped portions of the timeline.

Timelines use different kinds of pointers to indicate different actions. The pointer makes it easy to determine which part of a timeline you are grabbing.

A grabber hand for shifting entire timelines or entry and exit periods

An arrow with a white rectangle attached for changing the total length of the timeline

An arrow with a black rectangle attached for changing the divisions in the timeline for entry, static, and exit periods

You can change the duration of a timeline by dragging either end of it, thereby specifying its starting and ending points. For example, if you want an object to appear after the third second and disappear before the tenth second of the slide, you can set the duration to cover the seven seconds that you want the object to be displayed.

You can view timelines in either seconds, or as a percentage of the slides duration.

Related Topics

Slide Duration

Changing the Duration of a Timeline

Adding Entry or Exit Periods to a Timeline

Shifting a Timeline

Snap Timelines to Other Actions

Timeline Markers

Timeline Window


Slide Duration

You can specify the length of time each slide is displayed on-screen to suit your needs and create the desired effect. This is only the basic length of the slide, and it determines the maximum time available for any of the effects on a slide. You can also add interactive pauses to a slide so that it continues playing only after the presenter clicks on screen or presses a keyboard key.

1.	Go to the slide that you wish to set the slide duration for.

2.	Choose Slide/Duration...

The Slide Duration dialog box appears.

3.	Enter the length of time in seconds that you want to display the slide.

4.	Click on the OK button.

When you preview or play the presentation, the current slide runs for the specified time.

Any existing object timelines will be scaled to the new slide duration. For example, a 5 second transition on a 10 second slide will become a 10 second transition on a 20 second slide.

Related Topics

Timelines


Changing the Duration of a Timeline

1.	Move the pointer over the beginning of the timeline.

When the pointer is on top of the white handle, an arrow with a white rectangle attached appears indicating that you are changing the entire duration of the object.

2.	When the correct cursor appears, drag the timeline so that the line begins at the time you want.

3.	Release the mouse button.

4.	Repeat steps 1 to 3 using the white handle at the end of the timeline to set the objects end time.

The timeline represents the length of time that the object is visible on the slide. If the length of a timeline is shorter than the duration of the slide, you can drag the timeline from its middle to reposition the objects timeline within the slides duration.

Related Topics

Timelines


Adding Entry or Exit Periods to a Timeline

If you want to use a transition, or a path, or fade a sound in or out, you must set entry and/or exit periods on that objects timeline. The entry and exit periods define the length of the transition, path or fade.

1.	Move the pointer onto the black handle at the beginning of the line.

The cursor changes to an arrow with a black rectangle attached.

2.	When the cursor appears as an arrow with the black rectangle, drag the solid part of the timeline toward the center of the timeline.

The striped line that appears is the objects entry time.

3.	Release the mouse button.

4.	Repeat steps 1 to 3 using the right side of the line to set the exit time.

Related Topics

Timelines


Shifting a Timeline

If you want to keep the attributes the same but want to shift the timeline so that an object appears at a different point during the slides duration, you can move the entire timeline. For example, if your timeline spans from the first second to the eighth, you can shift it so it goes from the third second to the tenth.

1.	Position the cursor over the center of the static period of the timeline.

The cursor turns into a grabber hand.

2.	Press and hold the mouse button.

3.	Drag the timeline to the desired location.

4.	Release the mouse button.

The timelines entry, exit and static periods remain the same but the action happens at a different time within the slides duration.

You can also shift the entry and exit times to make the timeline shorter or longer. To do this, place the cursor on the middle of the entry or exit portion of the timeline. The grabber hand appears. Drag the entry or exit portion of the timeline to a new position within the slides duration.

NOTE: When you shift the entry or exit period, you will also be changing the duration of the static period and consequently, the total length of the timeline.

Tip: 	You can reposition a timeline by placing the cursor over any empty portion of the track containing the timeline. The cursor will change to a grabber hand when you click in an empty portion and you will be able to drag the timeline. This is especially useful if the static period of the timeline is too short for the grabber hand to appear when you place the cursor on top of it.

Related Topics

Timelines


Timeline Window

The Timeline window lets you view and set timelines for all the objects on your slide at once. You can insert and delete time from the slide duration, as well as add pauses and synchronize groups of objects. The Timeline window stays on top of the main window so you can adjust the timelines while you work on the slide. The menus and tools are all accessible while the Timeline window is open. If you move to another slide, the timeline changes to reflect the new slide.

Each object has only one timeline. Any actions you perform on the timeline in the Timeline window will be reflected in every dialog box in which that objects timeline appears. If a slide has an associated master slide, the objects on the master appear disabled at the bottom of the timeline window object list.

1.	  Choose Window/Timeline or click on the Timeline button in the tool bar.

The Timeline window appears with each object on your current slide represented by a button on the left side of the window. The representations are iconic. They may show a circle, or a regular polygon, but not the exact object that is on your slide. You can select objects by clicking on their buttons.

Tip: 	Selecting an object on your slide also selects it in the timeline window, and vice versa. Sometimes, when you have many objects layered on your slide, it can be hard to select an object that is behind another object. In that case, it may be easier to select the object using the Timeline window.

Related Topics

Changing the Timeline to Display Seconds or Percentages

Editing a Timeline

Inserting Time in a Timeline

Removing Time from a Timeline

Grouped Objects and Timelines

Distributing Timelines

Timeline Markers

Timeline Tool Bar

Timelines


Changing the Timeline to Display Seconds or Percentages

  You can click on the Percentage/Seconds button in the Timeline window to change the ruler display. The Percentage/Seconds button is a toggle switch that allows you to display the timeline in seconds, or as a percentage of the slides duration. The button displays a percent sign when the timelines are being measured as a percentage of the slides duration, and displays a clock when the timelines are being measured in seconds.

Related Topics

Timeline Window


Editing a Timeline

With the Timeline window open, you can perform timeline editing actions as well as all of the regular editing options.

The default timeline for all new objects, except sounds, spans the duration of the entire slide. Sound timelines default to the length of the sound. Astound allows you to customize a timeline for each object on your slide.

If you drop an object into a placeholder on a master slide, the placeholder may already have a timeline. In this case, the object adjusts to the timeline of the master slide.

You can edit multiple timelines at the same time by holding down the [Ctrl] key and selecting the icons for the timelines you want to edit. You can select a range of timelines by holding down the [Shift] key and clicking on the first and last button for the range of objects whose timelines you want to select. You can also select items directly on your slide, and they will be selected in the timeline window as well.

1.	  Choose Window/Timeline or click on the Timeline button in the tool bar.

The Timeline window appears.

Representations of the objects on your slide appear in the left margin in the order or layer they are on. Each object has its own timeline, and appears in the timeline window, with its backmost layer first. This is also the order we cycle through at playback time. If you have many objects on your slide, you may need to use the scroll bar to view all of their timelines.

2.	Select the object for which you want to change the timeline by clicking on its icon in the left margin of the Timeline window, or by clicking on the object in the Slide View window.

The objects icon is highlighted and its relative location on the slide is displayed in the preview window and the object is selected on the slide.

You can also select multiple objects by holding down the [Ctrl] or [Shift] key while you click on the objects buttons in the Timeline window, or by holding down the [Shift] key while you click on the objects in the Slide View window.

If you cant see the timeline you need in the Timeline window, you can either enlarge the timeline window or use the scroll bar to display more object timelines.

3.	Adjust the timeline.

You can adjust the duration, entry, and exit times for each timeline by dragging parts of the timeline or by entering new values in the edit boxes.

If you adjust the timeline, different cursors appear to indicate different actions:

If multiple timelines are selected, all of the corresponding handles on the selected timelines will snap into the same position when you drag a handle on any one of the timelines.

You can also set timeline options in the value boxes. The Value boxes show the exact numerical value of all the timeline settings. Each of the value boxes point to the timeline handle that it modifies. The values are entered in whichever units the timeline ruler is displaying; seconds or a percentage of the slides duration.

Duration: This box shows the duration of the slide. If you click on this box you can type a new time for the duration of the slide in seconds.

Beginning: This box shows the beginning of the object timeline. If you click on this box you can type a new time for the object to begin appearing on the screen.

Ending: This box shows the end of the object timeline. If you click on this box you can type a new time for the object to completely disappear from the screen.

Entry: This box shows the time at which the objects entry is complete. If you click on this box you can type a new time for the selected objects entry to be completed and for the static period.

Exit: This box shows the time at which the objects exit starts. If you click on this box you can type a new time for the selected objects exit to begin and for the static period to end.

4.	Once you have adjusted the timelines, you can double click on the Close box to close the Timeline window.

Related Topics

Timeline Window


Snap Timelines to Other Actions

You can snap your timelines movement to other points on the slide that have a timeline setting or marker attached. For example, you could snap the start of an object to the end of the entry time of another object, or to a sound marker.

1.	Select the timeline you want to adjust.

2.	Hold down the [Ctrl] key as you adjust the timeline.

The timeline snaps to other events such as markers, entry, exit, start, and end times as you drag.

Related Topics

Timelines

Slide Duration

Changing the Duration of a Timeline

Adding Entry or Exit Periods to a Timeline

Shifting a Timeline


Timeline Markers

If you set Markers for sounds, they appear in the Timeline window. A box or a line appears on the sounds timeline to represent where you set a marker. A box appears on the timeline to indicate a range marker and a straight line appears to indicate a single point marker. This also happens when you set transition markers. These little red markers allow you to align other events with a specific point or portion of a sound. For example, you can align the end of a charts entry transition with a sound crescendo.

NOTE: You can preview a sound in the Timeline window by selecting the sound and clicking on the Play button in the Preview window.

Markers appear on an objects timeline and indicate when each object appears on the screen.  For example, if you have a text transition separated by words, there would be one marker on the timeline for each word that appears on the screen.

You can also add slide markers to the slide, and cause the presentation to pause at these markers. Slide markers can also be used when you are creating interactive events and you want to play a portion of a slide again. The marker can be set and then the interactive trigger can cause the slide to be played again starting at the marker.

Related Topics

Timelines

Timeline Window

Placing a Slide Marker and Adding a Pause

Moving Markers

Removing Markers


Placing a Slide Marker and Adding a Pause

1.	  In the Timeline window, click on the Slide Marker button.

The cursor changes and snaps to the timeline ruler.

2.	Click on the timeline ruler where you want to insert the marker.

The Slide Marker dialog box appears.

3.	In the Name field, type a name for the marker.

4.	Specify exactly when to insert the marker in the At field if the number shown is not correct.

5	If you want to add a pause, enable the Pause checkbox.

6.	Specify the length of the pause.

The pause can last for a specified amount of time or indefinitely. The pause will only be ended if you click on an object with interactivity.

7.	Enable the Continue on mouse click checkbox if you want the slide to continue playing after a mouse click.

8.	Click on the OK button.

A marker appears in the line above the scale of the timeline to remind you that there is a slide marker at that point.

You can edit a slide marker by double clicking on its marker in the Timeline window.

Related Topics

Timeline Markers


Moving Markers

You can change the point of a marker by dragging the marker to a new location.

1.	When the cursor changes to a Marker cursor, press and hold on the marker in the timeline ruler.

2.	Drag the marker to a new location in the timeline ruler.

If you double click on the marker, the Slide Marker dialog box appears, allowing you to specify the exact location of the marker.

Related Topics

Timeline Markers


Removing Markers

You can remove a marker by dragging off either end of the timeline ruler.

Related Topics

Timeline Markers


Inserting Time in a Timeline

When you insert time into a slide, you also insert time into each of the object timelines on that slide. You can specify where you want the extra time to appear in the slide so that you can lengthen the middle of your slide instead of just adding time to the end or the beginning. Each of the object timelines maintain their same state during the inserted time. Thus, if you insert 2 seconds in the middle of a 5 second entry period, the entry period for that chart will be 7 seconds.

1.	  In the Timeline window, click on the Insert Seconds button.

The cursor changes and snaps to the timeline ruler.

2.	Click on the timeline ruler where you want to insert the time.

The Insert Time dialog box appears.

3.	In the Insert field, type the number of seconds you want to add.

4.	Specify exactly where to insert the time in the Insert At field if the number shown is not correct.

5.	Click on the OK button.

The time is inserted in the slide in the place you specified.

Related Topics

Timeline Window


Removing Time from a Timeline

When you remove time from a slide, you also remove time from each of the object timelines on the slide. You can specify where you want time to be removed from a slide to shorten the slides playback time.

1.	  In the Timeline window, click on the Remove Seconds button.

The cursor changes and snaps to the timeline ruler.

2.	Click on the timeline ruler where you want to remove the time.

The Remove Time dialog box appears.

3.	In the Remove field, type the number of seconds you want to delete.

4.	Specify exactly where to remove the time from in the Remove At field if the number shown is not correct.

5.	Click on the OK button.

The time is removed from the specified place. All the slide timelines are pulled to the point in the timeline where you removed time. No time before this point is affected.

Related Topics

Timeline Window


Grouped Objects and Timelines

You can group objects and create a single timeline for all of them, or you can ungroup objects to set timelines for individual parts. Astound allows you to synchronize a group of objects to accurately bring the group on and off screen without having to customize each timeline separately. You can select multiple objects in the Timeline window and group them, or access objects within a group to set timelines individually.

If you have a group of objects for which you want to set individual timelines, you can view the individual timelines for them in the Timeline window by double clicking on the Grouped Object icon in the left margin of the window.

The objects separate into individual parts, each having its own timeline, but remaining grouped on the slide. Each objects icon appears indented from the other icons in the Timeline window.

You can display the objects as one timeline by double clicking on the groups icon again.

Related Topics

Timeline Window


Distributing Timelines

Distribution allows you to set the timing between the appearance or disappearance of more than one object. For example, you can have a series of objects appear on screen, one after the other, and set the amount that their transitions overlap automatically. If you click on the first distribution button in the Distribute Timelines dialog box, the entry transition of the selected objects follow one another, beginning as soon as the previous entry transition ends.

The Distribution option is only available when more than one object is selected. You can choose from a variety of distributions. Once you pick the type of distribution and exit or entry periods, all selected objects enter or exit accordingly. You dont have to set separate timelines for each object after you pick the distribution.

1.	Select the objects you want to distribute.

2.	  Click on the Distribution button.

The Distribute Timelines dialog box appears.

3.	Enable the Entry radio button.

You can set the entry for the selected objects so that each appears immediately after the previous object is in place. You can also set the entry so that each object appears just before the previous object or overlaps it.

4.	Adjust the timeline so there is an appropriate entry time present.

The Entry time you set is the combined time it will take all of the selected objects to appear.

5.	Select the type of distribution you want.

You can tell how the objects timelines will be spaced by the icons on the buttons. When you click on one of the buttons, you can immediately see the effect in the Timeline window list.

6.	Repeat steps 3 to 5 using the Exit radio button, to set an exit distribution.

7.	Click on the Close button.

The timelines in the Timeline window reflect your settings.

NOTE: Objects will be sequenced from top to bottom in the timeline window.

The Undo command will not work on timeline distributions.

Tip:	When objects are layered, and the back object moves, the front object must be redrawn as well. In order to speed up the presentation, ensure that, when possible, objects appear in the same order as they are layered (back to front), so that every time an object animates, it will not cause the front object to redraw and slow down the presentation. Check the timeline window to make sure that the transition times move from left to right in the order of the list. Optimizing your animation this way will create a smoother, faster, and better looking presentation.

Related Topics

Timeline Window


Transitions

A transition is a special effect added to the beginning of a slide, or to an objects entry or exit. For example, a slide can roll down onto the screen, followed by objects which dissolve onto the slide in a zigzag pattern and then dissolve off in a flurry of random pixels. Transitions appear according to the entry and exit periods you set in the object timeline. For example, you can have an object zoom in for three seconds, stay in place for ten, then dissolve out of a slide for one second, and finally have the next slide fade in.

A path specifies exactly where and when an object travels across an Astound slide. You can specify where the object moves onto the slide or moves off of it, or have an object start at one point on the slide and move to its final position. The object travels along its entry and exit paths for the time specified by its entry and exit periods.

Related Topics

Transitions Between Slides

Object Transitions

Changing Single Transition Attributes

Adding or Editing a Rotation Transition

Animated Text Transitions

Object Path Animations


Transitions Between Slides

You can add or edit an entry transition for each slide in your presentation. There are a variety of transitions to choose from. If you dont set a transition, the slide disappears and the new one appears normally (like cutting from scene to scene in a movie). The transition is attached to the beginning of the slide, so to specify a transition between your first and second slides, you should attach the transition to the second slide.

1.	Choose Slide/Transition...

The Slide Transition dialog box appears.

2.	Choose a transition from the Transitions list box.

The transition options associated with the chosen transition appears in the Transition Options box. For all transitions except Snake In and Roll Down, the Constrain to Time checkbox and Seconds field appear as well.

By selecting (None) from the Transitions list box, you can remove the previously selected transition.

3.	If you want the transition to be completed over a specific amount of time, enable the Constrain to Time checkbox, and enter a value in the Seconds field.

If you do not enable the Constrain to Time option, the time required for the transition is determined by the speed of your system.

4.	If you want to see what the transition looks like, enable the Preview checkbox.

A sample of the transition appears in the Preview box.

NOTE: Not all transitions have previews available. If there is no preview, the words No Preview appear in the Preview box.

5.	In the Transition Options box, specify the options to further define the transition.

When you select a transition from the Transitions list box, any options that go with it appear in the Transition Options box. Not all transitions have options.

6.	If you want to add a sound along with the transition, click on the Select button in the sound box.

This displays the Select Sound dialog box from which you can load and select sounds.

The selected sound will be triggered as your slide transition begins.

7.	Click on the OK button.

The transition you selected is used for the current slide.

NOTE: To view the presentation with your transition, click on the Play Current Slide button in the tool bar.

Related Topics

Transitions


Object Transitions

For each object on a slide, you can add a transition that takes place during the objects entry to or exit from the slide. The entry and exit periods you set in the timelines dictate how long the transitions take on your slide. If you do not specify entry or exit periods, selected transitions will not take place.

1.	Select the object you want to add a transition to.

2.	  Choose Object/Transition or click on the Object Transition button.

The Object Transition dialog box appears.

3.	Enable either the Entry or Exit radio button.

Enabling the Entry radio button allows you to select a transition for the objects entry. Selecting the Exit radio button enables the Exit list box, allowing you to select a transition for the objects exit.

4.	Select a transition from the list box you have just enabled.

5.	In the Transition Options box, specify the options to further define the transition.

When you select a transition, any options that go with it appear in the Transition Options box. Not all transitions have options.

6.	If you want to modify the timeline for the selected object, ensure the On checkbox in the Timeline box is enabled.

If you do not enable this checkbox, any changes made to the timeline in the Object Transition dialog box will not be applied to the selected object.

In order for your transitions to take effect, you must have specified entry/exit times on the objects timeline. If you have not, the selected transition will have no effect on the display of the object.

If you are replacing a transition that you have already placed on the slide, you may want to use the same entry/exit transition time you have already specified. When only a single object is selected, the timeline in the Transition dialog box initially matches that of the object. Therefore, you can leave the On checkbox enabled even if you dont plan to make changes.

When multiple objects are selected, only one timeline can be displayed in the dialog box. Unless you want to reset all selected objects to the displayed timeline, make sure the On checkbox is disabled.

7.	Edit the timeline in the Timeline box to set the desired entry, exit and static periods.

The transition timeline you set will tell Astound how much time you want the transitions to take.

8.	If you want both an entry and an exit transition, repeat steps 3 to 7 to set the other transition for the selected object(s).

9.	If you want to see what the transition looks like, enable the Preview checkbox.

If you have enabled the Preview checkbox, but your object or objects are not moving in the Preview box, you may have forgotten to specify an entry and/or exit period for the specified transition in the Timeline box. Once you set entry/exit period(s), the preview begins to animate.

10.	In the Apply box, ensure that the Entry and/or Exit checkbox(es) are enabled.

This indicates to Astound that you want the chosen transition(s) applied to the selected object(s). You can apply the specified entry transition, exit transition, or both.

11.	Enable the Independently to Grouped Objects checkbox in the Apply box if you want the transition to individually effect each of the grouped objects.

If you do not enable this option, the transition affects the group as a whole. You can have transitions affect grouped objects as a whole or have each object in the group transition separately. They can still all use the same timeline. For example, three grouped objects can transition as one big set of vertical blinds or three separate sets of vertical blinds.

12.	Click on the OK button.

If you have added a transition, but forgotten to specify an entry/exit time, a message box appears asking you if you want to proceed. If you want to add an entry time to your transition, click on the No button, to return to the Object Transition dialog box, where you can set an entry transition time.

Tip:	If you want to set the same transition attribute for several objects at once, but dont want to affect any other attributes, make sure the checkboxes for the attributes you want to leave untouched are disabled. For example, if you want to set an exit transition for three selected objects that have different timelines and entry transitions, disable the On checkbox in the Timeline box, and the Entry checkbox in the Apply box before clicking on the OK button. If these checkboxes are enabled, all of the selected objects are given the attributes specified in the respective boxes.

Related Topics

Transitions

Changing Single Transition Attributes


Changing Single Transition Attributes

You can select multiple objects and then set one aspect of their transitions. For example, if you set entry transitions for three individual objects (one Wipe, one Vertical Blinds, and one Cover) and you want to keep them as different starting transitions, but you want to give all selected objects the same exit transitions, you can do so by disabling the Entry checkbox in the Apply box.

NOTE: If you want to set the timelines only, use the Timeline window.

1.	Select the objects for which you want to modify the transition settings.

2.	  Choose Object/Transition or Object Transition button.

The Object Transition dialog box appears.

3.	In the Apply box and the Timeline box, disable the checkboxes for the options you do not want to affect.

The objects retain their own settings for these options.

For example, if you do not want to apply the specified entry transition or the timeline, disable the Entry checkbox in the Apply box, and the On checkbox in the Timeline box.

4.	In the Apply box and the Timeline box, enable the checkboxes for the options that you want to affect.

Any options you enable will be applied to all selected objects.

For example, if you want to apply the timeline and the selected exit transition, enable the On checkbox and the Exit checkbox.

5.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics

Transitions

Object Transitions


Adding or Editing a Rotation Transition

You can apply a rotation transition to Astound charts, any shape drawn within Astound, and any single component of a CGM file that has been broken apart using the ungroup option. Not only will the object rotate onto the screen, but you can choose the axes and angles it rotates around, and add special effects like bouncing or zooming onto the screen. You cannot set rotation transitions for text, most pictures or other imported objects.

1.	Select the object(s) for which you want a Rotation transition.

2.	  Choose Object/Transition...

The Object Transition dialog box appears.

3.	Enable either the Entry or Exit radio buttons.

4.	Select Rotation from the active list box.

The rotation transition options appear in the Transition Options box

5.	Enable the checkbox(es) corresponding to the axes around which you want the object to rotate.

You can enable any or all of the X, Y, and/or Z checkboxes, depending on which axis or axes you want the selected object(s) to rotate around.

6.	Set the angle of rotation for each axis you have chosen.

Each of the axis groups has a field. In them, you can specify how much of a rotation you want the selected object(s) to make around the specified axis.

The angle of rotation is how far the object rotates to reach its final position. For example, a 360° rotation causes the object to complete a full revolution, and a 720° rotation completes two revolutions.

7.	From the Center of Rotation combo box, select the point around which you want the object to rotate.

You can select the point on the object that is used as the center of rotation.

8.	From the Enter Slide From combo box, select a point of entry for your object.

This is the point on the slide from which your object enters.

You can select the point on the slide from which you want the object to begin its rotation.

NOTE: When setting an Exit transition, this option is called Exit Slide To.

9.	From the Effect combo box, select the effect you want to add to the object rotation.

Not only does your object rotate onto the screen, but you can add other transition effects. For example, your object can bounce or rebound onto the screen.

You can select a special effect to add to the rotation, for example bounces or rebounds.

10.	If you have selected grouped objects, you can have them rotate separately by enabling the Independently to Grouped Objects checkbox in the Apply box.

If you do not enable this option, the grouped objects rotate as a group.

If you have selected multiple objects, they will still rotate separately. If you want them to rotate as a group, you must group them and disable the Independently to Grouped Objects checkbox before specifying a rotation transition.

11.	Set entry and exit periods on the Timeline.

The Timeline you set tells Astound how much time you want the entry and exit to take. For example, you can set the timeline so that an object takes 3 seconds to rotate onto the screen. If you dont specify entry and exit periods on the timeline, then your transition will not occur. Astound will assume you want the object in static position the whole time.

If you forget to set entry and exit periods, a message box appears and asks you if you want to proceed. If you want to add entry and exit periods to your transition click on the No button to return to the Object Transitions dialog box where you can specify entry and exit periods.

12.	If you want the timeline you have set to be applied to the specified transition, enable the On checkbox in the Timeline box.

If you do not enable this checkbox, any timeline changes that you have made are not applied to the selected object.

13.	In the Apply box, select the attribute(s) that you want applied to the selected object(s).

You can apply either or both of the Entry and/or Exit options, and you can choose to apply the specified transitions Independently to Grouped Objects.

14.	Click on the OK button.

The specified transitions are applied to the selected objects.

If you have enabled the On checkbox in the Timeline box, the timeline, as it stands when you click on the OK button, is applied to the selected object(s). If you have not enabled the On checkbox in the Timeline box, the timeline(s) of the object(s) is unaffected.

Related Topics

Transitions


Animated Text Transitions

You can choose special transitions for text that differ from object transitions. Text can appear on the screen line by line, character by character, word by word, or all at once from any edge of the screen.

From the Object Transition dialog box, you can select text transitions as entry and/or exit transitions, and apply them to objects separately, or at the same time. You can specify which type of transition is applied in the Apply box.

1.	  With the Pointer tool, select the text block by clicking on it.

2.	  Choose Object/Transition or click on the Object Transition button.

The Object Transition dialog box appears.

3.	Enable the Preview checkbox if you want to see what the transition will look like in the Preview box.

4.	Enable either the Entry or Exit radio button.

Selecting the Entry radio button will make the Entry list box active, so you can select a transition for the texts entry.

Selecting the Exit radio button will make the Exit list box active, so you can select a transition for the texts exit.

5.	Select Text Transition as the default transition type.

6.	Select the Direction button that corresponds to the point from which you want the text to enter/exit.

You can cause the text to slide in from or out to any corner of the screen or the middle of any edge. You can also have it appear in place, without any animation, by clicking in the center direction button.

7.	From the Separation drop-down list, select the portions of the text block that you want to appear together.

You can have the selected text appear a letter, word, line or paragraph at a time, or all at once.

8.	From the Effect pop-up list, select any effects you may want to add to the texts entry.

You can have the text rebound off the edge of the screen and back into position, or bounce as it settles into place.

9.	Enable the Pause In Between checkbox if you want to pause after each portion of text appears, and resume playing when the mouse is clicked.

This feature gives you more control over the flow of information and the presentation. It is most useful when you choose paragraph as your separation option, because it allows you to pause after each bullet point.

10.	Enable the Highlight Color checkbox if you want to accent the segments of text that are in transition.

As the text moves on to or off of the screen, it appears in the highlight color. When the text stops moving, it changes to the original color you specified. If the Pause Between option is enabled, the text will not change color until you click on the mouse button.

11.	Click and hold on the color button to see a pop-up color palette and select the color you want as the highlight color.

You can also use the Eyedropper, Color Mixer or Color Spectrum buttons to choose other colors.

12.	Repeat steps 4 to 11 if you want to set the other transition (Entry or Exit).

13.	Set the desired entry and exit periods on the timeline.

The timeline you set tells Astound how much time you want the entry and exit to take. For example, you can set the timeline so that an object is uncovered over a span of 3 seconds. If you dont specify entry and exit periods on the timeline, then your transition will not take place. Astound will assume you want the object in a static position the whole time.

If you forget to set entry and exit periods, a message box appears and asks you if you want to proceed. If you want to add entry and exit periods to your transition, then click on the No button to return to the Object Transitions dialog box where you can specify entry and exit periods.

14.	Enable the checkboxes (Entry and/or Exit) in the Apply box for the transitions you have changed.

15.	Click on the OK button.

When you play the slide, your text will appear on the screen and disappear from the screen in the way you specified.

Related Topics

Transitions


Object Path Animations

An objects path is the route that an object takes as it moves on or off a slide. You can add object paths in any direction. For example, you can have an actor walk from right to left across the screen as the slide is played. If you want to see the objects path on the slide, make sure that View/Show Paths is enabled. Otherwise, the path is visible only in the preview window of the Object Path Animation dialog box. Both the transition effect and the path use the same timeline.

You can apply both a transition and a path animation to the same object. When you do this, the transition effect is applied as the object moves into or out of place.

Related Topics

Showing Object Paths on the Slide

Creating a Path


Showing Objects Paths on the Slide
Showing Object Paths on the Slide

Enable View/Show Paths. The object paths appear on the slide, but will not appear if you print, play or preview the slide.

Related Topics

Object Path Animations

Creating a Path


Creating an Object Path Animation
Creating a Path

1.	Select the object(s) that you want a path animation for.

2.	  Choose Object/Path Animation or Object Path Animation button.

The Object Path Animation dialog box appears.

3.	Enable the Show Slide checkbox if you want to see all the objects on your slide in the Preview box.

A miniature version of your slide with your selected object(s) is displayed.

4.	Enable the Entry Path checkbox.

The entry path icon and an image of the entry path routing appears in the Preview box.

5.	Drag the entry path icon in the preview to the point at which you want the object to enter.

An image of the path routing follows the icon as you drag.

6.	If you want the object to exit before the slide ends, enable the Exit Path checkbox.

The exit path icon and an image of the exit path routing appears in the Preview box.

7.	Drag the exit path icon in the preview to the point at which you want the object to exit.

An image of the path routing follows the icon as you drag.

8.	If you want to change the location of the object during its static time, drag the object preview to a new location.

9.	Enable the On checkbox in the Timeline box.

The timeline reflects the objects current timeline, so you can edit it further.

10.	Set the timeline.

The timeline you set tells Astound how much time you want the entry and exit to take. If you dont specify a timeline, then your path animation entry or exit will not take place. Any actions you perform on the timeline in this dialog will be reflected in every other dialog box or window that the timeline appears in.

11.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics

Object Path Animations

Showing Object Paths on the Slide


Creating Buttons

You can create buttons in various shapes and customize the look of each button. You can also include text on buttons so that people know what each button does.

1.	  Click on the Button tool in the Tool palette.

2.	Position the pointer anywhere in the document window.

3.	Drag out a rectangle to set the dimensions and location of the button.

The button boundary contains a text cursor, so that you can enter the text that appears on the face of the button.

4.	Type the text you wish to appear on the button.

You may need to resize the button afterward so the text fits properly. You can resize the button, set the style and color, or move it just like a normal object. For more information, see Editing Buttons later in this chapter.

5.	  Click on the Pointer tool.

The button is displayed with the text centered on it.

6.	Double click on the button to add interactivity to it.

Related Topics

Assigning Interaction

Button Text

Selecting a Button Type

Editing a Button's Text Attributes

Coloring Buttons


Selecting a Button Type

Changes made in the Button Options dialog box are applied to all buttons that are currently selected. If no button is selected when you specify button options, the default button style for subsequently drawn buttons is defined. You can choose from different button types that Astound provides, or create your own custom buttons using the controls in the dialog box.

1.	Select the button(s) you wish to change.

If you do not have a button selected, the settings define the default for subsequently drawn buttons.

2.	  Double click on the Button tool.

The Button Options dialog box appears.

3.	In the Shapes box, select one of the shapes for your button.

You can choose a rectangle, rounded rectangle, oblong or oval shape for your button.

All changes to the shape and depth of the button are displayed in the Preview box on the right side of the dialog box.

4.	Select the depths for the beveled edges of the button.

If you select one of the depth buttons in the Presets box, the displayed values and handle positions on the sliders change to correspond to the depth you chose. You can customize the depth settings by dragging the slide handles in the Customize box. You can create indented, or raised buttons, and can add ridges around them. Dragging the handle to a positive value causes a section of the button to raise, and dragging it to a negative value indents a section of the button.

Each of the sliders works on the setting of the previous slider. So, if the first slider is set to 5, the second slider indents or raises a portion of the button starting at the raised border, caused by the first slider. You will generally want to alternate the sliders between negative and positive numbers. For example, placing the first slider at 4, the second slider at -1, and the third slider at 1 creates a raised button that has a small ridge around its face.

The easiest way to understand how the sliders work is to experiment with them until you create a button that pleases you. Any changes you make are reflected in the preview box.

5.	Click on the OK button.

The dialog box disappears and any selected buttons are displayed with the selected shape and depth specifications.

Tip: 	You may want to use the Button tool to create a raised plaque or an inset area in your slide. You can experiment with the slider controls to create designs that dont necessarily look like buttons.

Related Topics

Creating Buttons

Editing a Button's Text Attributes

Coloring Buttons


Editing a Button's Text Attributes
Editing a Buttons Text Attributes

You can change texts color, size, font, and style.

1.	  Select the Text tool.

2.	Click on the button with the text you want to edit.

The button displays the text, which you can then edit. You can type new text, change the existing text or change the attributes.

3.	Select the text you want to modify.

4.	Choose the attributes you wish to add from the Text menu or from the horizontal tool bar.

5.	  Select the Pointer tool.

The button appears with the edited text and new attributes.

You can resize or edit buttons in the same manner as any other drawn shape

Related Topics

Creating Buttons

Selecting a Button Type

Coloring Buttons


Colors Buttons
Coloring Buttons

You can select a solid color or any pattern fill for your buttons in the same way you would choose a color for any other objects.

Astound automatically sets the highlight and shadow on the face of the button based on the color you have selected.

NOTE: You cannot apply gradients or texture fills to buttons.

Related Topics

Creating Buttons

Selecting a Button Type

Editing a Button's Text Attributes


Interactivity

Interactivity can be assigned to buttons, text blocks, pictures, and other objects on your slides. User input (triggers) that cause interactive options to occur can be either mouse clicks or keyboard keys. When a specific object is clicked on, or when a specific key is pressed, three types of interactive response can occur: sounds, actions and flow controls. You can assign any or all of these types of interactive responses to any object.

Often, youll want to use sound as an interactive response so that the user gets immediate feedback that the button was pressed. This type of interactive response, called an action, results in a specific object, such as a picture, actor or video to play or be displayed. You can choose to play or display any object recently placed on the slide. When these objects play or are displayed, their attributes, including transitions, path animations, locations, and timelines, are used as a basis for their playback or display.

If the object has a flow control specified for it, a specific slide or range of slides can be played in response to the interactive trigger. You can also redirect the playback order of the presentation, specifying a playback order for the slides other than the natural playback order. You can even jump to a predefined point of a slide in progress by making use of slide markers in the timeline.

Related Topics

Assigning Interaction

Removing Interactivity

Interactive Responses


Assigning Interaction

1.	Select the object you want to add interactivity to.

2.	  Choose Object/Interaction or click on the Object Interaction button.

The Object Interaction dialog box appears.

3.	If you want a mouse click trigger, select a mouse button action to trigger the interactive response, in the Trigger drop-down box.

4.	If you want a keyboard key trigger, type the keyboard key, or combination of keys in the Keystroke field.

You can use many keys or keyboard combinations. Some keystrokes, are reserved for Windows and Astound use. If you want to use multiple keys as the interactive trigger, press the keys at the same time.

Interactivity is always triggered by either a keystroke or by clicking in the objects rectangle, however, you can set one of each, and then use either when you play the presentation.

5.	Enable the Finish Slide Before Flow Control checkbox if you want the slide to play through its timeline before any flow control response is triggered.

Selecting this checkbox will cause the slide to play normally and then execute the flow control.

If you do not enable this option, the response will occur as soon as the sound and action responses are finished. For example, if you clicked on your interactive trigger and you wanted a checkmark to appear briefly before the flow control took place, the checkmarks entire timeline will be used, you should ensure that the checkmark has a very short timeline.

NOTE: If flow control isnt enabled and you want to briefly display an object or sound, make sure its timeline is short. An action or sound is not done until its timeline is finished.

6.	Select a pause option from the Pause box.

You can choose to have the slideshow pause and wait for the input once the interactive object has completed its entry. The pause can be ended when the user triggers an interaction or presses a specified key or clicks on the mouse button. You can also select an option that does not pause the slide.

7.	If you want a sound to play in response to the interactive trigger, select the sound from the Sound drop-down list.

The sounds displayed in this list are the sounds already on the slide. If you have not added any sounds to the slide, the list will only include the standard system beep.

8.	From the Action and/or Flow Control drop-down list(s), select the interactive response(s) that you want to occur when the specified triggering input is executed.

Your button can trigger the appearance of a movie, actor, picture or OLE. You can determine the timeline of objects and the order of their entry in these options.

9.	Select or specify any options that appear in the Setup area when you select the interactive actions.

10.	Click on the OK button.

The selected interactive responses are assigned to the selected object or objects.

Related Topics

Interactivity

Removing Interactivity


Removing Interactivity

Once you have specified an interactive option for an object, you can remove it if you wish.

1.	Select the object from which you want to remove interactivity.

2.	  Choose Object/Interaction or click on the Object Interaction button.

The Object Interaction dialog box appears.

3.	Click on the No Interaction button.

This disables the previously selected interactive options. The Object Interaction dialog box disappears.

Related Topics

Assigning Interaction

Interactivity

Interactive Responses


Interactive Responses

An interactive response is the result of an interactive trigger. When the person clicks the mouse button on a specific object, or presses a particular key on the keyboard, some event is initiated. Interactive responses can be actions, such as the display or playback of objects, videos, sounds, actors, pictures, or OLE objects. They can also be flow controls, which initiate the playback of specific slides or ranges of slides in the presentation.

Interactive responses are divided into three groups: Sound, Action and Flow Control.

Sound involves the playback of any sound object. Sound can be used as cue that the right or wrong thing has been clicked on. For example, an interactive button may be used to advance a slide. A sound may indicate that the button has been clicked on. Actions involve the playback or display of specific objects, actors, videos, or animated movies. Flow controls involve directing the order of slide playback in the presentation. You can assign any or all types to an object.

Some of the interactive options in the drop-down lists in the Object Interaction dialog box have their own options that you can use to further define the responses. When you select one of these interactive responses from either the Sound, Action or Flow Control drop-down lists, the Setup area displays the options that accompany it.

Interactive actions can play or display objects that are already part of the slide. Before you add interactivity to an object, such as a button, that will cause another object, such as an actor or chart to appear, you must add the second object to the slide as you would normally, including specifying its timeline. When the slide is played back, the second object has a specified location and timeline to govern its display. You can choose to hide the second object until the interactive trigger is detected. If it is not detected, the second object will not be displayed. This second objects timeline is used to specify the entry, static, and exit times, but the starting point of the timeline will depend on the interactive trigger of the first object. If the interactive trigger occurs too late in the slides duration to complete the second objects timeline, the second objects timeline is compressed to fit in the time allowed.

Related Topics

Redirecting Playback Order


Redirecting Playback Order

You can make changes to the playback order of the slides in a presentation using the Play Next... command in the Slide menu. This function allows you to specify where to go next when the current slide is finished playing. The natural playback order of the slides in a presentation is: first slide, second slide, third slide, and so on to the last slide. Using the Play Next... command, you can redirect any slide to play any slide in the presentation next. This redefines the natural playback order of the slides. For example, if you redirect the second slide in a presentation to play the fourth slide next, and you redirect the fourth slide in the presentation to play the third slide next, the playback order of the presentation is redefined as: first slide, second slide, fourth slide, third slide, fourth slide, third slide. The third slide has not been redirected, so it continues to play the fourth slide next, and since the fourth slide has been redirected, it continues to play the third slide next. Your presentation will loop until you exit from it.

This function can be used to set up a presentation that has one or more introduction slides at the beginning, followed by a menu slide that viewers can use to display ranges of slides on various topics. You can place interactive buttons or objects on the menu slide that direct the playback to the specific slides or ranges that deal with a specific topic. You can then redirect the slides, or the last slide in a range, to return automatically to the menu slide, from which viewers can click on the other interactive buttons to display slides or ranges covering other topics.

In addition to jumping to the beginning of a slide, you can jump to any slide marker. This allows you to jump to a slide in progress. You can even jump to a marker on the current slide, creating a short looping region at the end of the slides timeline.

You can remove the redirections from slides at any time, and even remove all of them from all slides at once. This restores the natural playback order of the slides.

Related Topics

Flow Control

Interactive Responses

Redirecting a Slide


Redirecting a Slide

1.	Display or select the slide you want to redirect.

2.	Choose Slide/Play Next...

The Play Next dialog box appears.

3.	Enable the radio button corresponding to what you want to play after the current slide in the playback order.

You can play the slides in their natural playback order or stop the slideshow after the current slide finishes playing. You can also select a particular slide to play after the current slide or play a slide according to its marker. If you choose to play a slide by selecting its marker, the slide will follow the current slide at the point in the timeline specified by the marker.

4.	If you enabled Slide or Marker, select the slide or marker attached to the slide that you want to play next.

5.	To remove the redirection from all slides in the presentation, click on the Reset All Slides button.

6.	Click on the OK button.

The playback order is redirected as specified.

Any object interactivity involving the slide playback order automatically plays the slides in linear order. For example, a Play Range 2-4 interaction will play slides 2, 3 and 4. A Play From 2 interaction will play slides 2, 3, 4 and so on.

You can redirect the playback order in a non-linear fashion using the Next Played Slide command. Using this command, you can have the interaction play slides out of numerical sequence, for example, jumping from slide 4 to slide 8. As well, the Last Played Slide command plays the previously played slide.

Related Topics

Timeline Markers

Timelines

Redirecting Playback Order


Importing

If you have a slide that you use frequently, such as a title slide with your company name and logo on it, you can save the slide and import it into many different presentations. Or, if you have created a presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint or Lotus Freelance, you can import your presentation to use with Astound.

You may also have an existing presentation that you want to import into your current presentation. You can then use the Slide Sorter to rearrange your slides.

Most of the dialog boxes used to import objects will have a Media Mgr button that can be used to display the Media Manager so that you can select a file to import from one of your libraries.

1.	Choose File/Import/  and the type of object you want to import.

You can import, presentations, slides, master slides, objects, datasheets, text, pictures, actors, movies, datasheets and sounds.

The Open dialog box for the selected type of object appears. Depending upon what type of object you are importing, this dialog box may have a Media Mgr button which will access the Media Manager so that you can select an object to import from a library, and it may also have a preview of the selected object.

2.	Select the file you want to import.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The object you selected to import will be added to your current presentation. Presentations will be added starting at the current slide; objects, sounds, movies, pictures and text are added to the current slide.

Related Topics

Importing Text

Text Interpretations

Importing Sounds Directly to a Slide

Importing Pictures

Importing Actors

Importing Slides and Master Slides

Importing Objects

Importing Datasheets

Importing Text in the Slide View

Importing Video and Animated Movies


Importing Slides and Master Slides

If you have a slide in another presentation that you want to use in the presentation you are working on, you can import it. The slide must have previously been exported as a slide.  Master slides are imported in the same way except using the Master Slide... command to ensure that the slide is recognized as a master. You can also drag and drop slides from the Media Manager to the Slide Sorter.

Related Topics

Importing


Importing Objects

You can import an object in another file that you want to include on your slide. Importing objects is handy when you have an item that you use in many different presentations. The object(s) must have been previously exported before they can be imported.

Related Topics

Importing


Importing Datasheets

You can import data for your charts from a datasheet in another presentation, from a spreadsheet created in Lotus 1-2-3, or Microsoft Excel, or from a tab-and-return-delimited text file.

There are four types of files that you can import as datasheets:

Astound Datasheet: Allows you to import data contained in another datasheet. The datasheet must have been saved to disk from within Astound before it can be imported.

Excel: Allows you to import spreadsheet data created in Microsoft Excel.

Lotus 1-2-3: Allows you to import spreadsheet data created in Lotus 1-2-3.

Tab/Return Delimited: Allows you to import spreadsheet data that has been saved in a tab and return delimited format.

Related Topics

Importing


Importing Text in the Slide View

When you import text in the slide view, no format levels are set, and all of the text is imported as one block of text. RTF text will retain some of its formatting attributes (bold, italics etc.) when imported into the Slide View.

1.	Choose File/Import/Text...

The Import Text File dialog box appears.

2.	Select the text file that you want to import.

You can import ASCII and RTF text files. ASCII files retain only the text, while RTF files retain some of the text formatting, such as bolding, italicizing and fonts.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The text is placed in a single text block on the current slide. You can apply format levels to the text, and use the Outline View to move the text between slides and break it into text blocks.

Related Topics

Importing Text

Importing


Exporting

In Astound, you can export slides and objects for use with other presentations.

Master slides are saved by exporting them as a slide using the File/Export command.

1.	Choose File/Export/Current Slide... or Selected Objects...

The Save Slide As dialog box or Save Object As dialog box appears.

2.	Specify where to export the file to.

3.	If you want to save with resources embedded, enable the Make Self-contained option.

This checkbox causes your slide or object file to include all the resource files that are used in the slide or object. Resources are external files including sounds, actors, movies and pictures.

4.	Choose the format you want your file exported as from the File Types list box.

5.	If you are going to use your slide with the Macintosh version of Astound, enable the Save for Astound Mac checkbox.

Save for Astound Mac: Enabling this checkbox will save the slide as a file that can be read by Astound Macintosh 2.0 or later. You will need to use a file exchange program like Apple File Exchange to open the file on the Macintosh computer.

6.	Click on the OK button.

Your slide or object is saved under the name you specified and you can now import it into another presentation as a slide, a master or an object.

Related Topics

Exporting a Self-Running Presentation


OLE: Object Linking and Embedding

OLE stands for Object Linking and Embedding. OLE allows you to insert information such as pictures, animations, or sounds created by other applications into any of your documents. Through OLE, your document remembers the connection between the information and the application which created it. OLE allows you to edit and manipulate the information from within the document or from within the original application. This shared information is called an OLE object. OLE requires Windows 3.1 or higher.

Applications that receive information are called OLE client applications. Applications that create the objects or information to insert in client documents are called OLE server applications. Astound is an OLE client application. One common use of OLE is linking spreadsheet data to a graph, so that every time the data is updated, the graph reflects these changes. OLE is also very useful when you want to embed or link graphic, sound or animation files.

Related Topics

OLE Objects

OLE Datasheet Links

Astound as an OLE Client

Embedding Objects

Linking Objects


OLE Objects

An object is any piece of information that is created in an OLE server and placed in a client document. There are two ways to place an object into a document. You can embed an object by placing a copy of it into the client document. If you do this, you can edit the object without affecting the original. You can also link the object by telling the client document where the information is located. No copy of the original object is created, so every time you make a change to your linked object, you are also changing the original. Linking can be useful if you plan on continually updating information.

Related Topics

OLE: Object Linking and Embedding


Astound as an OLE Client

Applications which can receive objects through OLE are called clients. Clients are not responsible for any special handling of inserted information. The information is handled by the server application, or the application that created the object. For example, as an OLE client, Astound can receive PC Paintbrush pictures, graphic objects, Windows metafiles, datasheets, text, graphs, and bitmaps from other applications. Astound can also link or embed animations and movies from Gold Disks  Animation Works Interactive 2.0, and AddImpact!

Related Topics

OLE: Object Linking and Embedding


Embedding Objects

If you embed an object in your document, a copy of the object is made to transfer to the client document. After you embed an object, there is no longer any connection to the original object. Therefore, when you edit that object from within the client document, you are not changing the original object in any way. However, there is still a connection to the application that created the object.

An embedded object is contained within the client document, so you only need to distribute one document file. This is very useful when you want to distribute the client document to other people.

Related Topics

Embedding Objects in Astound Using the Insert OLE Object Command

Embedding Objects Using the Paste Special Command

OLE: Object Linking and Embedding

Editing Embedded Objects


Embedding Objects Using the Insert OLE Object Command

1.	Choose Edit/Insert OLE Object...

The Insert OLE Object dialog box appears with a list of object types (applications) that can be embedded in your document.

2.	Select the desired file type.

3.	Click on the OK button.

The selected application opens.

4.	Create or open the object that you want to embed in Astound.

5.	Choose Update or a similar command from the File or the Edit menu of the server application.

6.	Choose File/Exit from the server application.

You will return to your Astound document, where the embedded object will appear. When this object is selected, it is listed as an embedded object in the status bar.

Related Topics

Embedding Objects


Embedding Objects Using the Paste Special Command

1.	Cut or copy the desired object to the clipboard.

2.	Choose Edit/Paste Special...

The Paste Special dialog box appears, listing the various formats available on the clipboard.

3.	Choose the format you want to use for the OLE object currently in the clipboard.

4.	Click on the Paste button.

The specified object is embedded in your Astound document.

Related Topics

Embedding Objects


Editing Embedded Objects

Every time you edit your embedded object, the server application is automatically opened. However, only the embedded object is changed, not the original object.

1.	In Astound, select the object you wish to edit.

2.	Choose Edit/Edit Object.

This command changes depending on what server the selected OLE object was created with. If the OLE object can be played, then both a Play and Edit command will be available. The command will change to have a sub menu and will be something like Edit/AddImpact! Object/Edit.

The server document opens with the object displayed.

3.	Edit the object.

4.	Choose Update or a similar command from the File or the Edit menu of the server application.

When you return to Astound, your changes are made.

Related Topics

Embedding Objects


Linking Objects

If you link an object to your document, no copy of the object is made. Instead, you are creating a link that tells the client document where the original object is kept. This means that when you edit a linked object, you also update the original object. You can create several links from several documents to the same object and automatically update all of the documents by changing the original.

Linking is useful when you are using an object that changes frequently, or one that is used in more than one client document. The dynamic link updates the object in every document whenever you change it in one. For example, if you have spreadsheet data linked to an Astound chart, your chart is automatically updated if you alter the spreadsheet data. Embedding is more practical if you want to change objects separately, as you will not accidentally alter an object in one document by editing it in another.

Linking is not a good option when you want to distribute your presentation, because it requires that the OLE objects file and the server application be found on any system you play the presentation from.

You can only link objects from saved documents.

Related Topics

OLE: Object Linking and Embedding

Embedding Objects

Linking Objects to Astound from another Application

Editing a Linked Object

Updating Linked Objects

Updating a Manual Link

Creating Multiple Links

Breaking a Link

Deleting a Link

Fixing a Broken Link


Linking Objects to Astound from another Application

1.	Open the server application and copy the desired object to the clipboard.

The file from which you are selecting objects must be saved before you can link objects.

2.	From Astound, choose Edit/Paste Special...

The Paste Special dialog box will appear, listing the available formats.

3.	Choose the format you want to use for the OLE object currently in the clipboard.

4.	Click on the Paste Link button.

The object is now linked to your Astound document and appears in your document.

Related Topics

Linking Objects


Editing a Linked Object

1.	Select the linked object.

2.	Choose Edit/Edit Object.

This command changes depending on the type of linked object you have selected.

The server document containing the linked object opens.

3.	Edit the linked object as necessary.

The linked object is updated as you make your changes.

4.	Save the server document.

5.	Exit the server application.

You return to Astound.

Related Topics

Linking Objects


Updating Linked Objects

You can update a linked object automatically or manually. By default, linked objects are updated automatically.

Objects that are linked and updated manually do not change when the object in the original document changes. The object is updated only when you choose to update it.

1.	Choose Edit/Links...

The Links menu item is available as long as you have linked objects in your document. From the Links dialog box, you can choose how to update links, cancel links or change links.

2.	From the list in the Links box, select the link(s) whose update options you want to change.

3.	Select the Automatic or Manual radio button.

This change applies to the linked objects you selected.

4.	Click on the Done button.

Related Topics

Linking Objects


Updating a Manual Link

1.	Choose Links... from the Edit menu.

The Links dialog box appears.

2.	Select the link(s) you want to update.

3.	Click on the Update Now button.

4.	Click on the Done button.

All of the selected links are updated.

Related Topics

Linking Objects


Creating Multiple Links

There are two ways to create more than one link to a server document. You can create a link by linking an object to Astound from another application or you can simply copy an existing link using Edit/Copy. You can then change the object from within any document that contains a link to the original, or you can change it in the original document itself. Either way, you are changing the original object, and the changes are reflected in all of the documents that contain the linked object.

Related Topics

Linking Objects


Breaking a Link

You can break a link so that an object can no longer be changed from within the client document. This breaks the connection between the original object and the linked object, but the original object still exists. After you break the link, you must make any changes in the server document and copy and paste the object back into the client document.

1.	Choose Edit/Links...

The Links dialog box appears.

2.	Select the linked object(s) you want to break.

3.	Click on the Cancel Link button.

4.	Click on the Done button.

The object remains in the client document, but the link has been removed.

Related Topics

Linking Objects


Deleting a Link

Deleting a link is different from breaking a link. When you break a link, the object still exists in the client document. When you delete a link, the object is deleted at the same time. You can delete a link using Edit/Cut or Edit/Clear.

Both the link to the object and the object are removed from the document.

Related Topics

Linking Objects


Fixing a Broken Link

If you change the name of a server document that contains linked objects, the links to those objects automatically break because they are connected to a filename that no longer exists. In the client document, you must change the name of the document that the object is linked to so that the link will work properly again.

1.	Choose Edit/Links...

The Links dialog box appears.

2.	Select the linked object you want to fix.

3.	Click on the Change Link button.

The Change Link dialog box appears.

4.	In the Files list, select the server document you want the object to link to.

5.	Click on the OK button.

The Links dialog box reappears with the name of the new server document selected.

6.	Click on the Done button.

The Links dialog box closes. If you changed the link so that it is pointing to a different document, the new object will appear in the destination document.

Related Topics

Linking Objects


Optimizing Your Presentation

Many things can affect the speed of a multimedia presentation, and not all of them are obvious. Astound contains an optimization feature that will analyze your presentation and give you suggestions for ways that its playback performance can be improved. You can then choose which options you want to use and Astound will automatically update the presentation.

Every presentation is different and there are few hard and fast rules concerning how your presentation should be formatted. The Optimize Slideshow function suggests ways to improve the efficiency with which your presentation plays on-screen. If a suggested change would alter something that is important to the overall design of your presentation, you might elect not to perform that change. In some cases, the best way to use the optimize may be to use it only when you want help improving a slides performance.

1.	Choose File/Slideshow/Optimize...

A warning appears telling you that optimizations cannot be undone, and giving you the option of saving your presentation.

2.	Click on the appropriate button to save or not save your presentation.

Astound analyses your presentation, and then the Optimize Slideshow dialog box appears.

This dialog displays a list of optimizations that you can apply to your presentation to ensure that it run as smoothly as possible. If you select an optimization option, a detailed description will be displayed at the bottom of the dialog box.

3.	Enable the checkboxes for the options that you want used to optimize your presentation.

You can click on the Select All button or the Clear All button to select all or deselect all of the optimization suggestions.

4.	Specify whether you want the optimizations applied to the current slide or to the entire presentation by enabling the appropriate radio button.

5.	Click on the Apply button.

The presentation will be optimized. These changes cannot be undone.

6.	If you want to analyze the presentation to look for any additional optimizations, click on the Scan button and repeat steps 3 to 5.

Depending on the nature of your presentation, it is occasionally possible that performing an optimization change will introduce something new that can be optimized. Performing an additional scan will check for new items.

7.	Click on the Close button when you are done.

Related Topics

Preparing Presentations for Playback


Preparing Presentations for Playback

You can view presentations on your monitor in three ways.

You can play the presentation from within the main Astound application.

You can play the presentation using the Player application.

You can create a self-running presentation that can be played on its own.

Astound lets you choose how you want your presentations played. For example, you can specify if and how you want the cursor shown, if you want animation options used or ignored and how you want to advance slides.

While you play a presentation, you can use the mouse to draw on the slides in a way similar to using a marker on an overhead. You may want to circle something on the slide to emphasize a point or draw an arrow pointing to important data while giving a presentation. These annotations disappear when you finish with the slide and do not reappear the next time you show the presentation.

Related Topics

Optimizing Your Presentation

Setting Playback Options

Distributing Presentations

Windows Command Line Options

Using the Player Application

Distributing Presentations on CD-ROM


Setting Playback Options

You can set options for playing your slides within Astound using the File/Slideshow/Options... command, or by clicking on the Options button in the Player application. You can specify how long each slide is displayed, if the animation is played, whether or not the cursor is displayed and how the presentation advances from one slide to the next.

Any options set in this way override settings made within the presentation.

1.	Choose File/Slideshow/Options...

The Slideshow Options dialog box appears.

2.	In the Play box, select the portion of the presentation you want to play.

You can play the entire presentation, the current slide only or from the current slide to the end of the presentation.

3.	In the Options box, you can specify the animation, sound, looping, and pen options.

4.	Specify whether you want OLE objects that play (animations, videos etc.) to be displayed before they are played.

5.	In the Slide duration box specify how long the slides are displayed for.

You can maintain the duration set for each slide or specify how long you would like each slide to play for. If you specify a time , all animation is scaled to fit the new timeline and any individual durations set will be ignored.

6.	In the Advance Slides box, specify how you want the slides to advance during playback.

Slides can be advanced whenever the mouse is clicked, [Enter] is pressed. You can specify whether to move to the next slide only when input is entered or when the slide plays through its full duration or input is entered.

7.	In the Show Cursor box, select when you would like the cursor to be displayed during playback.

The cursor can always be shown or never shown. You can also specify whether the cursor is displayed during mouse movement or on slides with interactivity.

8.	Click on the OK button to accept your settings, or on the Play button to play your presentation using these settings.

Clicking on either of these buttons will save the changes you made in this dialog box.

NOTE: When you export a self-running presentation, any options you set in the Slideshow Options dialog box will be saved as the default settings for the self-running file.

Related Topics

Preparing Presentations for Playback


Setting Notation Pens

Astound has a playback notation feature similar to drawing with a marker on an overhead. This feature allows you to use the mouse to draw on your slides to emphasize important points while a presentation is playing. You can choose any of the four pens to draw on your slides while they are playing or paused. You can also switch between pens or remove any marks you have made on your slide while it is playing.

Astound provides four different pens that you can use while showing a presentation. For each pen, you can set the color, size, and effect.

1.	Choose File/Slideshow/Options...

The Slideshow Options dialog box appears.

2.	Enable the Notation Pens option.

This allows the pens to be used during playback.

3.	Click on the Set Pens... button.

The Set Notation Pens dialog box appears. You can choose different colors, sizes and effects for the pens.

4.	Select the first pen by clicking on the pens color preview box.

5.	Click on the color you want for that pen in the Quick Color bar.

The selected preview box displays the color you choose.

6.	Choose the pen size.

Drag the pen size in the Pen Size preview box or type a number in the Pen Size field.

7.	Select the effect for the pen.

You can choose between Solid and Highlight.

8.	Repeat steps 4 to 7 for the other pens.

9.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics

Drawing on a Slide during Presentation Playback

Switching Pens

Clearing the Screen of Pen Notations

Disabling the Notation Pens during Playback


Drawing on a Slide during Presentation Playback

While the presentation is playing:

1.	Press the corresponding keyboard key (1 through 4) for the pen you want to use.

2.	Position the pointer where you want to start drawing.

3.	Drag the pointer to draw a freehand line.

The slide pauses while you have the mouse button pressed, resuming between drawing actions. You can press the [Spacebar] to pause the presentation while you are drawing and discussing a point. Press the [Spacebar] again to resume the presentation.

The drawing is visible for the duration of that slide and will disappear when the slide does.

NOTE: When you draw translucent lines that highlight, the color underneath the part you highlight will affect the color of the overall highlight, just like with a real highlighter. For example if you use a yellow highlighter over a blue object, the object will appear green underneath the highlight.

Related Topics

Setting Notation Pens

Switching Pens

Clearing the Screen of Pen Notations

Disabling the Notation Pens during Playback

Options Available during Playback


Switching Pens

Switching pens during presentation playback is just a matter of pressing the number on your keyboard that corresponds to the notation pen you want to use. For example if your third pen is a pink highlight, press [3] before drawing to highlight in pink.

Related Topics

Setting Notation Pens

Drawing on a Slide during Presentation Playback

Clearing the Screen of Pen Notations

Disabling the Notation Pens during Playback

Options Available during Playback


Clearing the Screen of Pen Notations

If your slide becomes too cluttered with notations, you can clear all of your notation marks. To clear the screen of notations while your presentation is playing, press the [Delete] key or the [Backspace] key. The notation marks clear from that slide.

Related Topics

Setting Notation Pens

Drawing on a Slide during Presentation Playback

Switching Pens

Disabling the Notation Pens during Playback


Disabling the Notation Pens during Playback

If you want to temporarily disable the notation feature during playback, press the [0] key on your keyboard. Press one of the number keys assigned to the pens (1 through 4) to use the pens again.

Related Topics

Setting Notation Pens

Drawing on a Slide during Presentation Playback

Switching Pens

Clearing the Screen of Pen Notations


Distributing Presentations

You can play normal Astound files from within the main program or using the Player application. You can also save self-running presentations that can easily be distributed and played. If you have external resources, or other files embedded in your presentation (e.g. imported actors), then you can tell Astound to save them with your presentation so you dont have to copy all of the files that accompany your presentation when you distribute it.

NOTE: You cannot play a self-running presentation that includes TIFF files.

Related Topics

Options Available during Playback

Troubleshooting

Resources

Opening a Presentation

Saving a Presentation for Distribution

Exporting a Self-Running Presentation

Windows Command Line Options

Using the Player Application

Preparing Presentations for Playback


Resources

Some presentations contain external resources. External resources are objects with their own files, such as actors, sounds, or pictures that you use within your presentation. Normally, a presentation contains pointers to any external files used in your presentation to keep the presentation file as small as possible. However Astound allows you to save your presentation with resources embedded, so you wont have to worry about distributing the resources when you play the presentation on another machine. Your presentation will be self-contained.

Related Topics

Distributing Presentations

Purging Unused Resources


Purging Unused Resources

Once you load an object into your presentation using the Open... dialog box, it will remain available as a resource in memory even if it is not used on any of your slides.

Before saving self-contained presentations, you should remove from memory any resources not used in the presentation. This reduces the file size by omitting unnecessary elements from the saved presentation. Also, if you switch templates, the resources from the first template remain loaded until you purge them. Purging resources will free up the memory that the resources were using.

1.	Choose Edit/Purge Unused Resources...

The Purge Unused Resources dialog box appears.

2.	Enable the checkboxes for the resources you want to purge from memory.

Only unused resources are removed. You can remove any combination of unused sounds, pictures, actors, video, datasheets, master slides, pictographs, and MCI scripts.

3.	Click on the Purge button.

Related Topics

Resources


Troubleshooting

Before you save your presentation for distribution there are many things you must consider first. The answers to the questions below attempt to help you solve problems you may encounter when preparing to distribute your presentation.

Resources Available for Playback

Images Used in Playback

Video for Windows Drivers

Display Resolution

Distributing Presentations in Different Formats


Available Resources

If the playback computer does not have all of the resources, and even if they arent in the same directory structure, you will probably want to save the presentation self-contained so that the resources are embedded.

If you are not sure if the same fonts are available, you can save the presentation with text bitmap images. These bitmaps will be used only if the font is not found on the playback system. The bitmaps do not play back as quickly as regular text, but will ensure that the text is displayed properly.

Alternatively, if the playback system has Astound installed, you can open the presentation (as long as it wasnt saved as a self-running presentation) and you will be given the option of remapping any of the fonts used in the presentation that are not installed on the playback computer.

If the playback computer definitely has access to some resources, (for example some of the resources are located on a network drive that is common to both the authoring and playback computer) but does not have access to all resources, you can save some resources embedded and others not embedded, to reduce the file size of the presentation.

You must decide when you begin creating the presentation if you want to save resources some resources embedded and others linked. You need to place all of the objects that should be saved as part of the presentation on the slides (you can leave placeholders for the objects you dont want saved as part of the presentation), and then save the presentation self-contained. You can then add all of the resources that you dont want to be saved as part of the file, and then save the presentation under a different filename, ensuring that Make Self-Contained Presentation option is not enabled.

Related Topics

Troubleshooting


Images

Since the player may not be able to display these images on the playback computer, you should save your presentation as self-contained if it uses any of these image types.

Related Topics

Troubleshooting


Video for Windows Drivers

If you want to play .avi files in your presentation the playback computer must have the Video for Windows drivers installed.

If these drivers are not installed, the computer will not be able to play .avi files. However the drivers are freely distributable, and you can copy them from your Astound CD and install them on any computer.

Related Topics

Troubleshooting


Display Resolution

If you are going to playback your presentation on a computer other than the authoring computer, they should have the same display resolution.

If the playback computer will have a different display resolution, save your presentation using a unit of measurement other than pixels before distributing the presentation. If you use the current screen size, or a standard monitor size when you create a presentation and then you play it using a different display resolution, the number of pixels in the slide image is maintained, and a presentation authored to fill a 640X480 will only fill a small portion of the monitor on a computer using 800X600 display resolution.

Related Topics

Troubleshooting


Distributing Presentations in Different Formats

Your presentation can be distributed on CD-ROM, floppies or over a network. For each format there are considerations

If  you are distributing the presentation on floppies, you may want to save the presentation in a series of files that will fit on floppies. These files have to be copied into one directory on the playback machine and then joined by running the first presentation file.

Related Topics

Distributing Presentations on CD-ROM

Troubleshooting


Saving a Presentation for Distribution

1.	Choose File/Save As...

The Save Presentation As dialog box appears.

2.	Type your presentations name in the Filename field.

If you want to play the presentation from within Astound or from the Player application, the file should have the extension .asd.

3.	Specify the file type options for your presentation.

You can save your presentation so it can be read by Astound 2.0 or greater on the Macintosh. Your presentation can also be self-contained so that all resource files are included.

An alternative to saving your presentation as a self-contained file is to save it without the resources, and distribute them along with the presentation. The resources must be placed in the same path as the presentation so that Astound can find them when you distribute the presentation to another machine.

4.	If you are distributing your presentation on floppy disks, enable the Segment for Multiple Disks/Files checkbox and the appropriate file size.

You can save files to fit on low density disks, high density disks or you can specify a custom file size.

5.	If you want to shorten the first segment enable the Reduce First Segment Size By checkbox.

If you will be including other files with your presentation--readme files for example--you can enable the Reduce first segment size by checkbox and then specify how much smaller the first segment file is. This allows you to leave room on the first floppy for any additional files that you may be distributing.

This option is helpful if you think you will want to add to the file later.

6.	If you want to save the text as bitmap images, enable the Save Text Bitmap Images checkbox.

This option is automatically enabled if you are saving the presentation for Astound for the Macintosh. Bitmap files are much larger than other files but they play back much faster. Also, they preserve the look of the text so that if the recipient of the file has a system that does not have the font you used, they will still get a presentation that looks like the original.

7.	Enable the Save Textures With Bitmap Images checkbox if you want to include texture fills.

When you first open or play a file containing texture fills, the texture must be regenerated, which takes time. Saving bitmaps with the textures allows the files to be displayed more quickly, but it also increases the file size.

8.	Enable the Embed TrueType Fonts checkbox to include the font in the saved file.

This option will allow the recipient of your presentation to edit the text, assuming that a particular font has read and write copyright permissions.

9.	Click on the OK button.

NOTE: You cannot resave a presentation as un-self-contained. Make a backup copy of your presentation before saving it as self-contained if there is a chance you will need a copy that is not self-contained.

Tip: 	You can save your presentation half self-contained and half un-self-contained. To do this, build your presentation with all the resources you want self-contained first, leaving placeholders for the objects you dont want self-contained. Save the presentation as self-contained, and then uncheck the Self-contained checkbox. Finish building your presentation by filling in the placeholders and then save it again.

Related Topics

Distributing Presentations


Exporting a Self-Running Presentation

1.	Choose File/Export/Self-running Presentation...

The Export Self-running Presentation dialog box appears.

2.	Type a filename for your presentation.

3.	Specify any options you want for your self-running representation.

By default, the options will reflect whatever setting you made in the Save Presentation As dialog box.

4.	Click on the Select Icon... button

The Select Icon dialog box appears.

5.	Choose the file that contains the icon you want to use for your presentation.

Icons may be associated with .exe or .dll files. The icon you choose will be used if your presentation is installed as a program item in the Windows Program Manager.

6.	In the Available Icons list, select the icon you want to use.

7.	Click on the OK button.

Related Topics

Playing a Self-Running Presentation

Distributing Presentations


Playing a Self-Running Presentation

A self-running presentation is the easiest to play because it can be played directly from the Windows Program Manager. If you have set up the file with an icon in the Program Manager, simply double click on the icon and the presentation plays. You can also play the presentation from the command line.

1.	In the Windows Program Manager, choose File/Run...

The Run dialog box appears.

2.	Type the path to the presentation file.

For example if the presentation is called selfrun.exe and is in the Astound directory of your C: drive, type:

c:\gdapps\astound\selfrun.exe

3.	Click on the OK button.

The presentation begins.

NOTE: You can use any of the Astound Player command line options mentioned later in this chapter to play a presentation from the command line with self-running presentations.

Related Topics

Playing Segmented Presentations

Using the Player Application

Preparing Presentations for Playback


Playing Segmented Presentations

To play segmented presentations you must copy files from the disk to a single sub-directory on your hard drive. Then you can choose File/Run... from the Program Manager.

Related Topics

Playing a Self-Running Presentation


Using the Player Application

With the Player application you can choose the presentation you want to play and modify the playback options.

From within the Player dialog box you can enable or disable animation, sound, looping and notation pens. You can also set the slide duration, how the slides are advanced, and when the cursor is displayed. You can also specify the color and size of your notation pens.

Pressing [Esc] ends the presentation playback.

1.	Run Microsoft Windows.

2.	If the Player is installed on your system, double click on the Player icon.

If you have not installed the Player, choose File/Run from the Program Manager and type in the path to the player. For example, if the player is on your C: drive in the Astound directory type:

c:\gdapps\astound\player.exe.

The Astound Player dialog box appears.

3.	Select the presentation you want to play.

There are some playback options that can be set from the Player. You can access these options by clicking on the Options button. They are similar to those that you can set in the Playback Options dialog box of the main program.

4.	Click on the Play button.

The presentation begins to play. You can end the presentation by pressing [Alt] [F4], the [Esc] key, or by pressing the right mouse button and choosing Quit Show from the resulting pop-up menu.

Related Topics

Preparing Presentations for Playback


Using Command Line Options

You can play back both self-running presentations and regular presentations using the Player application from the Windows Program Managers File/Run... command. This allows you to set options that are not accessible any other way with a self-running presentation. It also allows you to bypass the Player applications setup window and causes the Astound copyright screen to appear at the end of the presentation instead of at the beginning.

1.	In the Windows Program Manager, chose, File/Run...

The Run dialog box appears.

2.	Type the path to the player and the presentation file. For example:

c:\gdapps\astound\player.exe present.asd

You can also add command line options to set some of the playback options available in the Player.

These options override the options that were saved with the files.

Related Topics

Command Line Options

Preparing Presentations for Playback

Distributing Presentations on CD-ROM

Using the Player Application


Command Line Options

Specify optional parameters using the format:

c:\gdapps\astound\player.exe filename.asd /<option1> /<option2>

The / signifies that an option follows.

The required <option> parameter designates the option to set.

For example:

c:\gdapps\astound\astdplay.exe present.asd /a!

will play the presentation without any transition and path animation that it may contain.

The optional parameters are:

/m	mute sounds

/m!	play all sounds

/l	loop presentation

/l! 	play presentation once

/d!	normal slide duration

/d#	slide duration where # is the number of seconds ( /d10 specifies 10 second slide durations)

/a	animate

/a! 	do not animate

/n	Use notation pens

/n!	disable use of notation pens

/cm 	advance slide on mouse click

The slide advances on a mouse click if the mouse click occurs before the slide finishes playing. Otherwise the slide will advance normally.

/cm!	normal slide advancement on mouse click

This disables the ability to advance a slide prematurely with a mouse click.

/wm	wait for mouse click to advance slide

The slide does not advance until the mouse is clicked. If the slide finishes playing before the mouse is clicked, the slide will remain displayed until the mouse click is performed.

/wm!	normal slide advancement

/ce 	advance slide on [Enter]

The slide advances when the [Enter] key is pressed, if this occurs before the slide finishes playing. Otherwise the slide will advance normally.

/ce!	normal slide advancement on [Enter]

This disables the ability to advance a slide prematurely by pressing the [Enter] key.

/w	wait for the [Enter] key or mouse click to advance slides

/p!	never show cursor

/pa	always show cursor

/pm	show cursor during mouse movement

/pi	show cursor where interaction is available

/rp	load all resources before playing presentation

/rp!	does not preload resources before playing presentation

/k	extract player and dlls from bound file so that player can be used to play other presentations

Use this to place files on a CD for playback. For more information see Distributing Presentations on CD-ROM later in this chapter.

/now	No overwrite option

This will not overwrite any component files that /k finds already extracted on disk regardless of version number. (/k normally does version checking before expanding component files).

/f	scales the presentation to fit the current screen size

/f!	plays the presentation in its authored size even if the playback monitor is a different size

/v	plays video objects contained in the presentation

/v!	ignores any video objects contained in the presentation

/s	does not use MS Video to display images

/s! 	use MS Video to display images

/sb:xxxxx   changes the size of the sound buffer

Larger buffers will give you smoother sound playback, but it may take longer for the sound to load before it plays. xxxxx should specify the size you want the buffer to be --ideally this should be increased in multiples of 11025.

Related Topics

Windows Command Line Options


Distributing Presentations on CD-ROM

When you distribute a presentation on a CD you cannot use only a self-running presentation or the player. Both self-running presentation executables and the player.exe create other files in their directory in order to run. You normally dont see these files because they are deleted as soon as the presentation finishes playing. Since you cannot write these files to your CD-ROM you need to copy all of the files created by the executable to your CD. This is done by running the presentation or Player from the Windows command line using the /K option. This leaves all of the files you need behind so that they can be placed on the CD.

1.  	Place the player.exe or your selfrun.exe into a directory by itself.

For example: c:\makecd\selfrun.exe

2.  	In the Program Manager choose File/Run... menu.

The Run dialog box appears.

3.	Type:

c:\path\selfrun.exe /k

or

c:\path\player.exe /k

substituting the correct path and filename depending upon whether you are playing a self-running presentation or running the Player.

4.	Click on the OK button.

This will run your bound executable file.

5.	Stop the presentation by pressing the [Esc] key.

Once the presentation is running you may quit at any time.

If you examine the contents of your directory, you will notice that it no longer contains a single bound executable file. It will contain the bound executable file plus all of the component files necessary for your bound executable to run.

6.	Copy the contents of this directory onto your CD-ROM.

Related Topics

Windows Command Line Options

Using the Player Application

Preparing Presentations for Playback


Options Available during Playback

In addition to the options that you can set prior to playback, there are some options that are available while the presentation is in progress. When your presentation is playing, you can:

Use the notation pens to draw on your slides

Switch notation pens

Clear any marks made with the notation pens

Pause the presentation

End the presentation

Replay a slide

Play slides out of order

Display the Playback Control Panel in order to control the presentations playback

These options are available whether you are playing the presentation within Astound, from the Player application, or as a self-running presentation.


Pausing the Presentation with the Pop-Up Menu

You can use the right mouse button to display a menu while playing your presentation. You can also use the [Spacebar] to pause a presentation or to restart a paused presentation. This feature is useful if you want to stop and discuss a point on the current slide or answer questions without quitting the presentation altogether.

1.	Press and hold the right mouse button.

A pop-up menu appears.

2.	Choose Pause Show.

The presentation pauses.

3.	Press and hold the right mouse button again, and choose Continue Show to resume the presentation.

Related Topics

Options Available during Playback

Pausing the Presentation with the Spacebar


Pausing the Presentation with the Spacebar

You can use the right mouse button to display a menu while playing your presentation. The [Spacebar] feature is useful if you want to stop and discuss a point on the current slide or answer questions without quitting the presentation altogether.

1.	As your presentation is playing, press the [Spacebar].

Your presentation will pause.

2.	Press the [Spacebar] again to resume playing your presentation.

Related Topics

Pausing the Presentation with the Pop-Up Menu

Options Available during Playback


Playing Slides Out of Order

You can use the right mouse button to display a menu while playing your presentation.

You may want to replay a slide you have already played, or skip to a different slide. You can do this while the presentation is playing using the pop-up menu.

1.	Press the right mouse button.

A pop-up menu appears.

2.	Choose the name of the slide you want to play.

The slide you chose begins to play.

Related Topics

Options Available during Playback


Quitting a Presentation

You can use the right mouse button to display a menu while playing your presentation.

1.	Press the right mouse button.

A pop-up menu appears.

2.	Choose Quit Show.

The presentation ends and you are returned to the location you began playing the presentation from.

You can also end a presentation by pressing the [Esc] key or [Alt] [F4].

Related Topics

Options Available during Playback


Using the Playback Control Panel

You can use the right mouse button to display the Playback Control Panel during presentation playback. From this control panel you can control the speed and volume of your presentation, as well as replay slides, pause and stop the presentation.

1.	Press the right mouse button.

A pop-up menu appears.

2.	Choose Control Panel.

The Playback Control Panel appears.

NOTE: To automatically display the control panel, hold the [Shift] key while pressing and holding the right mouse button.

3.	Click on the buttons or move the sliders to control the presentation in the appropriate manner.

  Rewind: This button plays the previous slide again.

  Fast Forward: This button displays the next slide.

  Restart: This button restarts the current slide.

  Pause: This button pauses the playback of the presentation, leaving the current slide displayed.

  Black Screen Pause: This button pauses the presentation, and turns the screen black until you restart the presentation.

  Stop: This button stops the presentation playback.

Speed: This slider lets you speed up or slow down the presentation playback. The speed of presentation playback is regulated by the speed of your computer.

Volume: This slider lets you increase or decrease the volume of sounds in the presentation.

Related Topics

Options Available during Playback


Creating an MCI Script Using a Template

1.	Choose Slide/Add/Edit MCI Objects.

The Select MCI Object dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the New button.

The MCI Script dialog box appears.

3.	Enter a script name for the new MCI script in the Name field.

Its especially important to enter a script name when you use templates because Astound gives your MCI script an Alias based on this name. An Alias is a key word that you use to refer to which device and/or file you are using throughout your MCI Script.

If you do not enter a script name, you will have to replace every instance of the {Alias} field in each MCI command with a proper {Alias} name manually. Alternatively, you can fill in a script name at any time, and choose the Fill Existing Script template. Astound will then fill the {Alias} fields in your current MCI Script sections for you.

4.	Enable either the Device or File radio button.

5.	If you enabled Device, select the MCI device you want to use from the list box.

6.	If you enabled File, click on the Select... button.

The Select Media File dialog box appears so you can choose the file you want to play.

7.	Select a template from the Template drop down list.

The Template drop-down list contains a list of templates that correspond to your file or device selection.

8.	Click on the Apply button.

The template commands appear in the text entry box. A different portion of the script will appear when you enable the MCI Script Section radio buttons

9.	Click on one of the four section radio buttons (Beginning, Entry, Exit, Ending) to edit the template commands.

To edit the template commands, scroll through the text and replace the bracketed text with device and file specific instructions. For example, if you chose the Generic device, you would replace all occurrences of {Device} with the device name. If you chose a specific device or file, Astound will have filled these in automatically for you.

You must edit the text for each of the Beginning, Entry, Exit and Ending sections separately.

10.	If you want to test the current command in the script section, click on the Step button.

Testing your script line by line allows you to debug the commands one by one.

The MCI Output box reflects the status of the current line.  The Error box displays any error messages as they occur.

11	If you want to test your entire script section, click on the Execute button.

Astound executes the script section so you can make sure it does what you want it to. You must test each section of the script individually.

The MCI Output box reflects the status of the current line. The Error box displays any error messages as they occur.

12.	Click on the OK button when you are finished creating your script.

You return to the Select MCI Object dialog box.

13.	To save your script to a separate file outside of your presentation, click on the Save As button.

Enter a filename for your script and click on the OK button.  You return to the Select MCI Object dialog box.

14.	Click on the Add to Slide button if you want to add this MCI Script to the current slide, as an MCI object.

15.	In the Timeline box, adjust the controls to specify the playback time of the MCI script on the slide as an MCI object.

16.	To preview the playback of your entire MCI object, click on the Play button.

Each MCI script section gets played back at the time of its corresponding timeline handle.

17.	Click on the Done button to return to Astound.

Related Topics

Timelines

Creating New MCI Scripts


Creating New MCI Scripts

1.	Choose Slide/Add/Edit MCI Objects...

The Select MCI Object dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the New button.

The MCI Script dialog box appears.

3.	Enter a name for the new MCI script in the Name field.

4. 	If you want any MCI commands to occur at the beginning of an MCI objects timeline, click on the Beginning radio button.

5.	Enter the MCI commands in the Text Entry box.

6.	Repeat steps 4 and 5 to enter the MCI commands at the scripts entry, exit and ending section.

7.	If you want to test the current command in your script section, click on the Step button.

8.	If you want to test your current script section, click on the Execute button.

The MCI Output box reflects the status of the current line.  The Error box displays any error messages as they occur.

9.	Click on the OK button when you are finished editing your MCI Script.

You return to the Select MCI Object dialog box.

10.	To preview the playback of your entire MCI object, click on the Play button once youve added it to the slide.

Each MCI script section gets played back at the time of its corresponding timeline handle.

11.	To save your script to a file separate from your Astound presentation, click on the Save As button.

Enter a filename for your script and click on the OK button.  You return to the Select MCI Object dialog box.

12.	Click on the Add to Slide button if you want to add this MCI script to the current slide as an MCI object.

13.	In the Timeline box, adjust the controls to specify the playback time of the MCI object on the slide.

14.	Click on the Done button.

Related Topics

Creating an MCI Script Using a Template

Editing an MCI Script


Editing an MCI Script

1.	Choose Slide/Add/Edit MCI Objects...

The Select MCI Object dialog box appears.

2.	Select the script you want to edit from the Currently Loaded drop-down list.

3.	Click on the Edit button.

The MCI Script dialog box appears with the current script loaded.

4.	Click on the OK button.

You return to the Select MCI Object dialog box.

5.	Click on the Save As button if your want to save the changes you made to a separate file outside of your Astound presentation.

6.	If you want to apply the MCI script to the current slide as an MCI object, click on the Add to Slide button.

The MCI object is added to the slide, and appears in the Currently on Slide field. The Timeline box is enabled.

7.	In the Timeline box, adjust the controls to specify the playback time of the MCI object on the slide.

8.	To preview the playback of your entire MCI object, click on the Play button.

Each MCI script section gets played back at the time of its corresponding timeline handle.

9.	Click on the Done button to return to Astound.

NOTE: Editing an MCI Script will affect every MCI object that is using that MCI Script.

Related Topics

Timelines

Creating an MCI Script Using a Template

Creating New MCI Scripts

Opening an MCI Script


Opening an MCI Script

1.	Choose Slide/Add/Edit MCI Objects...

The Select MCI Object dialog box appears.

2.	Click on the Open button.

The Import Text File dialog box appears.

3.	Enter the path and filename of the MCI script you want to add in the Filename field.

You can also click on the Media Mgr button to locate any MCI scripts you may have saved in a Media Manager library.

4.	Click on the OK button.

You return to the Select MCI Object dialog box.

5.	If you want to apply the MCI object to the current slide, click on the Add to Slide button.

The MCI object is added to the slide and appears in the Currently on Slide field. The Timeline box is enabled.

6.	In the Timeline box, adjust the controls to specify the playback time of the MCI object on the slide.

7.	Click on the Done button.

NOTE: Once you have added an MCI object to a slide, you can control it just like any other object. You can view its timeline in the timeline window, and synchronize it with other objects. You can also trigger an MCI object through interaction. For example, you can set up a slide to fast forward a laserdisc when someone clicks on a button.

NOTE: You can use the Windows drag and drop feature to add scripts to your presentation. Simply drag and drop the file onto the Select MCI Object dialog box.

Related Topics

Timelines

Creating New MCI Scripts

Editing an MCI Script


Removing an MCI Object from a Slide

1.	Choose Slide/Add/Edit MCI Objects...

The Select MCI Object dialog box appears.

2.	Choose the MCI object you want to remove from the Currently on Slide drop-down list.

3.	Click on the Remove button.


MCI Animation Driver

The MCI animation driver allows applications to use a standard command set to control the playback of animated movies. An MCI animation driver is provided with the Multimedia Extensions. It allows applications to control the playback of animation movie files that were created on the Macintosh using MacroMind Director.

Gold Disk provides an alternate MCI animation driver that is commandlevel compatible with the Windows MCI animation driver. However, Gold Disks MCI animation driver (hereafter referred to as MCI Driver) allows other applications to control the playback of animation movie files created with Gold Disks animation products. Gold Disks MCI driver supports all of the basic commands defined by the MCI standard and all of the important animation specific commands.

You can test the driver by using the Windows Media Player application (mplayer.exe). The device menu should contain an entry for the MCI Driver.


Capability (Required)
Required Command: CAPABILITY

Description: Obtains information about the capabilities of the device.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

can eject	false

can play	true

can record	false

can save	false

compound device	true

device type	animation

has audio	true

has video	true

uses files	true


Close (Required)
Required Command: CLOSE

Description: Closes the device.

Implementation note: Implemented


Info (Required)
Required Command: INFO

Description: Obtains information from the device driver.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

product	Gold Disk MCI Animation Driver


Open (Required)
Required Command: OPEN

Description: Opens and initializes the device.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

alias	Specifies another name for the given device. If this is specified, the name must be used for subsequent references to the device.

shareable	Initializes the device as shareable. Subsequent attempts to open will fail unless shareable is specified in both the original and following Open commands.

type	Specifies the device type. Alternately, MCI can use the MCI entries in the SYSTEM.INI file to select the device.


Status (Required)
Required Command: STATUS

Description: Obtains status information from the animation driver.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

mode	Returns the devices current mode. All devices can return: not ready, paused, playing, and stopped.

ready	Returns true if the device is ready.


Load (Basic)
Basic Command: LOAD

Description: Loads a Gold Disk animation products movie file from disk.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

filename	Specifies the source path and file.


Pause  (Basic)
Basic Command: PAUSE

Description: Pauses the movie.

Implementation note: Implemented


Play (Basic)
Basic Command: PLAY

Description: Starts the playing of the movie.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

from	Specifies the position to start playing. If omitted, the play starts from the current position.

to	Specifies the position to stop playing. If omitted, the play stops at the end of the media.


Record (Basic)
Basic Command: RECORD

Description: Starts recording data.

Implementation note: Not Implemented


Resume (Basic)
Basic Command: RESUME

Description: Resumes playing on a paused device.

Implementation note: Not Implemented


Save (Basic)
Basic Command: SAVE

Description: Saves the current movie file.

Implementation note: Not Implemented


Seek (Basic)
Basic Command: SEEK

Description: Seeks forward or backward to a frame number.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

to	Specifies where to stop the seek.

to start	Specifies to seek to the beginning of the media or device element.

to end	Specifies to seek to the end of the media or device element.


Set (Basic)
Basic Command: SET

Description: Sets device information.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

audio all off	Disables audio output.

audio all on	Enables audio output.

audio left off	Not appropriate.

audio left on	Not appropriate.

audio right off	Not appropriate.

audio right on	Not appropriate.

door closed	Not appropriate.

door open	Not appropriate.

time format (ms)	Not appropriate.

video on	Not appropriate.

video off	Not appropriate.


Status (Basic)
Basic Command: STATUS

Description: Returns requested status information for the device.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

current track	1

length	Returns the number of frames in movie.

length track <track#>	Returns the number of frames in movie (valid only for track 1).

number of tracks	1

position	Returns the current frame in movie.

position track <track#>	Returns the current frame in movie (valid only for track 1).

time format	Frames


Stop (Basic)
Basic Command: STOP

Description: Stops the playing of the movie.

Implementation note: Implemented


Capability (Extended)
Extended Command: CAPABILITY

Description: Obtains requested information about the capabilities of the device.

Implementation note: Partially Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

can eject	false

can play	true

can record	false

can reverse	true

can save	false

can stretch	false

compound device	true

device type	animation

fast play rate	Not implemented in ver 1.10.

has audio	true

has video	true

normal play rate	Not implemented in ver 1.10.

slow play rate	Not implemented in ver 1.10.

uses files	true

uses palettes	true

windows	16


Close (Extended)
Extended Command: CLOSE

Description: Closes the movie and any resources associated with it.

Implementation note: Implemented


Info (Extended)
Extended Command: INFO

Description: Gets requested information from the device.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

file	Returns the name of the file used by the animation device or player in a nullterminating string.

product	Gold Disk MCI Animation Driver

window text	Returns the caption of the window used by the device.


Open (Extended)
Extended Command: OPEN

Description: Opens and initializes the device.

Implementation note: Partially Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

alias	Specifies another name for the animation or movie player. If specified, it must be used for all following references.

nostatic	Not implemented in ver 1.10

parent	Specifies the window handle of the parent window.

shareable	Initializes a device element as shareable. Must be specified in original and subsequent Open commands or subsequent Open attempts will fail.

style <style type>	Indicates a window style.

style child	Opens a window with a child style.

style overlapped	Opens a window with an overlapped window style.

style popup	Opens a window with a popup style.

type	Specifies the type of device element (ie. Animation).


Pause (Extended)
Extended Command: PAUSE

Description: Pauses (stops) playing of the movie.

Implementation note: Implemented


Play (Extended)
Extended Command: PLAY

Description: Play a range of movie frames.

Implementation note: Partially Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

fast	Not implemented in ver 1.10.

from	Specifies the frame to start playing from. If omitted, play starts at the current frame.

reverse	Indicates the play direction is reversed.

scan	Not implemented in ver 1.10.

slow	Not implemented in ver 1.10.

speed (fps)	Not implemented in ver 1.10.

to	Specifies the frame to stop playing at. If omitted stops at the last frame.


Put (Extended)
Extended Command: PUT

Description: Define a destination rectangle within the playback window.

Implementation note: Partially Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

destination	Sets the destination to the whole window.

destination at (rect)	Specifies a rectangle for the area of the window used to display the image. Rectangle coordinates are relative to the window origin and are specified as X1 Y1 X2 Y2. The first pair of coordinates specify the top left corner of the rectangle, and the second set specify the bottom right corner.

source	Not implemented in ver 1.10.

source at (rect)	Not implemented in ver 1.10.


Realize (Extended)
Extended Command: REALIZE

Description: Causes the palette to be realized into the playback window.

Implementation note: Implemented.

If the playback window is not a child window, this is done automatically in the driver. If it is a child window this command must be used to realize the palette when the application receives a WM_QUERYNEWPALETTE message from Windows.

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

background	Realizes the palette as a background palette.

normal	Realizes the Palette normally.


Resume (Extended)
Extended Command: RESUME

Description: Resumes playing.

Implementation note: Not Implemented


Seek (Extended)
Extended Command: SEEK

Description: Moves to the specified frame and stops.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

to	Specifies where to stop the seek.

to start	Specifies to seek to the start of the device element.

to end	Specifies to seek to the end of the device element.


Set (Extended)
Extended Command: SET

Description: Sets the time format.

Implementation note: Partially implemented: supports Frames format only.

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

audio all off	Disables audio output.

audio all on	Enables audio output.

audio left off	Not appropriate.

audio left on	Not appropriate.

audio right off	Not appropriate.

audio right on	Not appropriate.

door closed	Not appropriate.

door open	Not appropriate.

time format (ms)	Not appropriate.

time format frames	Sets the time format to frames. All subsequent position information is specified in frames.

video on	Not appropriate.

video off	Not appropriate.


Status (Extended)
Extended Command: STATUS

Description: Obtains status information from the device.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

current track	1

forward	Returns true if the play direction is forward or the device is not playing.

length	Returns number of frames in movie.

length track <track#>	Returns number of frames in movie (valid only for track 1).

media present	Returns true if the media is inserted in the device.

mode	Returns the current mode of the device. All devices can return: not ready, paused, playing and stopped. Open, parked, recording and seeking are device dependent.

number of tracks	1

palette handle	Returns the handle of the palette used for the animation in the loworder word of the return value.

position	Returns the current frame in movie.

position track <track#>	Returns the current frame in movie (valid only for track 1).

ready	Returns true when movie fully loaded.

speed	Returns the current playback speed of the device in frames per second.

start position	1

time format	frames

window handle	Returns the handle of the window used for the animation in the loworder word of the return value.


Step (Extended)
Extended Command: STEP

Description: Play from the current frame, one or more frames in the forward or reverse direction.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

by <number of frames>	Indicates number of frames to step through.

reverse	Indicates to step through frames in reverse.


Stop (Extended)
Extended Command: STOP

Description: Stops playing.

Implementation note: Implemented


Update (Extended)
Extended Command: UPDATE

Description: Update (repaint) an invalid rectangle on the playback window.

Implementation note: Implemented.

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

hdc <DeviceToUpdate> 	Repaints the current frame [at <rectangle>]into the device context specified.


Where (Extended)
Extended Command: WHERE

Description: Gets the rectangle specifying the source or destination area.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

destination	Requests the destination offset and extent.

source	Requests the source offset and extent.


Window (Extended)
Extended Command: WINDOW

Description: Specifies the playback window or its windows attributes.

Implementation note: Implemented

Command Flags/Options	Return Value

handle <window handle>	Specifies the handle of the destination window used as an alternate default window.

handle default	Specifies that the animation device or movie player should set current display window back to default window.

state hide	Hides current display window.

state iconic	Display the window as iconic.

state maximized	Maximizes current window.

state minimize	Minimizes specified window and activates toplevel window.

state minimized	Minimizes current window.

state no action	Displays display window in its current state and currently active window stays active.

state no activate	Displays display window in most recent size and state and the currently active window remains active.

state normal	Activates and displays the current display window in its original size and position.

state show	Shows current display window.

text (window caption)	Specifies the caption for the display window.


Version (New)
New Command: VERSION (string command)

Description: Obtains the version number of the MCI Device Driver.

Implementation note: Version number is returned in 4 bytes as follows:

MSB	LSB

00 11	22 33

00 = Always zero

11 = Major portion of version number

22 = Minor portion of version number

33 = Sub portion of version number

Example: 0x00010A00 = version 01.10.00


Menus

File

New...

Open...

Save

Save As...

Revert To Saved

Template

Import

Export

Media Manager

Slideshow

Page Setup...

Print...

Printer Setup...

Exit

Edit

Undo

Cut

Copy

Paste

Paste Special...

Clear

Select All

Duplicate

Links...

Insert OLE Object...

Object

Purge Unused Resources...

View

Slide View

Outline View

Sorter View

Master

Show Frames

Show Rulers

Show Paths

Show Grid

Snap To Grid

Preferences

Magnification

Slide

New...

Name...

Duplicate

Delete

Dimensions....

Color Schemes...

Background

Duration...

Transition...

Play Next...

Go To

Add/Edit MCI Objects...

Add Placeholder

Edit Master

Switch Master...

Make Into Master...

Remove Master

Object

Information...

Transition...

Path Animation...

Interaction...

Edit...

Resize...

Flip

Display...

Line

Enhance Color

Layer

Align

Center On Slide

Group

Ungroup

Convert To Bitmap

Text

Type Specs...

Typeface

Size

Style

Color

Format Text Levels

Remove Overrides

Paragraph Spacing

Character Spacing

Line Spacing

Alignment

Show Text Ruler

Find

Spell Check

Chart

New Chart...

Edit Chart...

Edit Data...

Edit Animation...

Chart Type

Format

Define Pictograph

Edit Pictograph...

Auto-Replot

Window

Timeline Window

Speaker Notes

Datasheet

Astound Actor

Astound Animator

Astound Draw

Astound Image

Astound Sound

Astound Video


New (command)
New...

This command displays the Select Template dialog box which allows you to start a new presentation and choose a template if you wish.

Related Topics:

Creating Templates


Open (command)
Open...

This command lets you open an existing presentation file. It displays the Open Presentation dialog box which allows you to choose a presentation file to open.

Related Topics:

Opening a Presentation


Save (command)
Save

This command automatically saves a presentation that has previously been saved. If the presentation has not been saved before, it displays the Save Presentation As dialog box.

Related Topics:

Saving Files with the Save Command


Save As (command)
Save As...

This command lets you save your document in the folder of your choice. It displays the Save Presentation As dialog box in which you can enter a name for your presentation and the folder in which you want to store it.

When you save a presentation, you can specify if you want to save it with resources and if you want to save it as a self-running presentation. If you save it with resources, you do not have to worry about loading any files that are incorporated in the presentation when you run the presentation again.

Resources are objects that are saved in their own files such as actors, sounds, or pictures that you use within your presentation. If you save your presentation with resources, you don't  need to distribute any resource files except videos. Videos cannot be saved as part of the main presentation file. Saving with resources creates a larger file than saving without resources. If you save without resources, you need to distribute all resource files with your presentation and place them in the same folder as the presentation on the playback machine.

Saving the presentation as a self-running presentation means you do not have to have Astound or the Player Application installed to play the presentation on your computer. A self-running presentation creates a larger file than an identical presentation that is not self-running.

If you are distributing your presentation on floppy disks, you can save your it in multiple files or disks. You can specify file sizes for low density or high density disks, or you can specify a custom file size.

Related Topics:

Saving a File the First Time


Revert To Saved (command)
Revert To Saved

This command reloads the most recently saved version of the presentation, sound, movie or library you are working on. Any changes made to the presentation since it was last saved will not be retained. If the presentation has never been previously saved, this command will be unavailable.

Related Topics:

Reverting to a Saved Copy


Template (command)
Template

When you are using a template to create a presentation, this command displays a submenu that allows you to switch to another template, apply a template or save a template.

The Apply... command displays the Select Template dialog box which allows you to apply a template to a presentation that does not currently have a template.

The Reapply command reapplies the current template to your presentation. When you choose this command, all text, pictures, etc., that you have added to the presentation will not be lost. However, the text format levels from the master slides will be reapplied to all text blocks originating from the master slides. Furthermore, any color schemes and enhanced palettes contained in the master slides will be reapplied to the associated presentation slides.

The Switch... command displays the Select Template dialog box in which you can choose a new template. The new template will take the place of the one you are presently using. Data will be placed in the appropriate placeholders in the corresponding master slides if both templates have master slides with the same names.

The Save Template command displays the Save Template As dialog box in which you can save the template.

Related Topics:

Creating Templates


Import (command)
Import

This command displays a submenu that lets you import a presentation, slide, master slide, object, text, picture, movie, actor, datasheet or sound. Each of the commands in the submenu will display an import dialog box that allows you to load the appropriate resource.

Related Topics:

Importing

Open Presentation Dialog Box

Open Slide Dialog Box

Open Master Slide Dialog Box

Open Object Dialog Box

Open Datasheet Dialog Box

Import Text File Dialog Box

Open Picture Dialog Box

Open Movie Dialog Box

Open Actor Dialog Box

Open Sound Dialog Box


Export (command)
Export

This command displays a submenu allowing you to export the current slide or selected object(s). If you choose to export the presentation as self-running, the Export Self-Running Presentation dialog box will appear.

Related Topics:

Exporting


Media Manager (command)
Media Manager

Choosing File/Media Manager will display the Media Manager window. This is useful for storing and retrieving presentations, sounds, animations, drawings, pictures, and any other media objects you use in your presentations.


Slideshow (command)
Slideshow

This command displays a submenu of commands allowing you to set options for playing the slideshow. You can play the entire presentation , the current slide, or play the presentation from the current slide to the end of the presentation.

The Options... commands will display the Slideshow Options dialog box in which you can specify playback parameters such as playing sound or animations, or using Notation Pens.

Choosing Optimize... displays the Optimize Slideshow dialog box in which you can enhance the colors of your presentation.

Related Topics:

Preparing Presentations for Playback


Print (command)
Print...

This command displays the Print dialog box in which you can choose to print slides, notes, handouts, and text outlines. The radio buttons you select affects the kind of checkboxes that are accessible.

Related Topics:

Printing a Presentation


Printer Setup (command)
Printer Setup...

This command displays the Printer Setup dialog box, allowing you to specify the printer orientation. The Setup... button within this dialog box displays the setup of the selected printer.

Related Topics:

Setting Up the Printer


PageSetup (command)
Page Setup...

This command displays the standard Page Setup dialog box, allowing you to specify the orientation (portrait or landscape), page size, margins, and headers and footers you want to use for printing. This dialog box will change depending on what printer you have selected.

Related Topics:

Page Setup


Exit (command)
Exit

This command will exit your Astound session and close down all the Astound windows that are currently open. If you haven't saved your presentation, Astound will ask you if you want to save it or not. If you are in another application within Astound the command will change to Exit and Return, so that you are returned to Astound.


Undo (command)
Undo

This command will undo your most recent action (if possible). The Undo menu item changes to reflect the last editing function performed. Some actions such as converting an object to a bitmap cannot be undone.

Related Topics:

Undo Command

Removing Text


Cut (command)
Cut

This command cuts the selected object from the presentation and places it on the Clipboard. You can paste the object somewhere else if you want to.

Related Topics:

Removing an Object

Removing Text


Copy (command)
Copy

This command copies the selected object and places it on the Clipboard, leaving the original in position. You can then paste copies to another position, slide, presentation, or application.

Related Topics:

Copying Objects

Copying Text


Paste (command)
Paste

This command pastes the most recent object that was placed on the Clipboard  to another position, slide, presentation, or application.

Related Topics:

Pasting Objects

Pasting Text


Paste Special (command)
Paste Special...

This command allows you to link or embed OLE objects from other applications by displaying the Paste Special dialog box.

Related Topics:

Embedding Objects Using the Paste Special Command

Linking Objects to Astound from another Application


Clear (command)
Clear

This command removes the selected object from the presentation. It is not placed on the Clipboard and therefore cannot be pasted elsewhere.

Related Topics:

Removing an Object

Removing Text


Select All (command)
Select All

This command selects all objects on the current slide.

Related Topics:

Selecting More than One Object


Duplicate (command)
Duplicate

This command duplicates the selected objects and places the duplicates beside the originals on the slide.

Related Topics:

Duplicating Objects


Links (command)
Links...

This command displays the Links dialog box which lets you edit OLE objects which have been placed with OLE links.

Related Topics:

Linking Objects

OLE


Insert OLE Object (command)
Insert OLE Object...

This command displays the Insert OLE Object dialog box, so that you can add more OLE objects to your OLE list.

Related Topics:

Embedding Objects Using the Insert OLE Object Command


Object (command)
Object

This command allows you to edit or play the selected linked or embedded OLE object(s).

Related Topics:

Editing Embedded Objects


Purge Unused Resources (command)
Purge Unused Resources...

This command displays the Purge Unused dialog box listing the types of resources. From here, you can delete any resources that have been loaded into memory but have not been used in the presentation. It is a good idea to choose this command before saving the presentation with resources. Otherwise, all resources that are loaded into memory will be saved as part of the presentation regardless of whether they have been used in the presentation, thereby creating a larger file than necessary. If you purge unused resources before saving, only necessary resources will be saved as part of the presentation.

Related Topics:

Purging Unused Resources


Slide View (command)
Slide View

This command displays the Slide View.

Related Topics:

Slide View


Outline View (command)
Outline View

This command displays the Outline View.

Related Topics:

Creating an Outline

Outline View


Sorter View (command)
Sorter View

This command displays the Slide Sorter.

Related Topics:

Slide Sorter


Masters (command)
Master

Choosing View/Master/Handout Master changes your page size to the size specified in the  Page Setup dialog box.

Related Topics:

Creating a Handout Master


Show Frames (command)
Show Frames

This is a toggle command that displays or hides the bounding boxes around selected objects. The bounding box frames will not be displayed when you run the slideshow even if they are displayed in the Slide View.


Show Rulers (command)
Show Rulers

This is a toggle command that displays or hides the Rulers along the top and left edge of the slide window.

Related Topics:

Rulers


Show Path (command)
Show Paths

This is a toggle command. When it is enabled, any entry or exit paths that have been set will be displayed. The paths will not show when you run the slideshow.

Related Topics:

Showing Object Paths on the Slide


Show Grid (command)
Show Grid

This is a toggle command that allows you to display or hide grid lines on your slide. Grids are a series of equally spaced dotted lines that run horizontally and vertically across your screen. Each dot represents a grid line. Grid lines are useful for accurately positioning objects on slides. You can set the grid dimensions using the View/Preferences... command. You can cause objects being drawn, moved or resized to snap to these grid lines by enabling View/Snap To Grid. The grid lines will not show when you run the slideshow.

Related Topics:

Grids

Enabling the Snap to Grid Option


Snap To Grid (command)
Snap To Grid

This is a toggle command that, when enabled, will cause objects to automatically snap to the nearest grid line. You do not have to have View/Show Grid enabled to use this command.

Related Topics:

Enabling the Snap to Grid Option


Preferences (command)
Preferences

This command displays a submenu which contains options to either display or file your preferences and save screen layout preferences so that it will display the same preferences in your next presentation instead of displaying the default values.

Choosing the Preferences/Display... command will display the Display Preferences dialog box which contains options concerning window layout and functions.

Choosing Preferences/File displays the File Preferences dialog box which contains options allowing you to customize auto save capabilities, backups and previews that are saved with the presentation.

The Save Settings on Exit will save your screen configuration settings for use the next time you run Astound.

Related Topics:

Setting File Preferences

Setting Display Preferences


Magnification (command)
Magnification

This command displays a submenu containing a list of magnifications to choose from so that you can see a portion of the slide in detail, or look at the entire slide.  Choosing Other... displays the Slide Magnification Dialog Box.

Related Topics:

View Magnification


New Slide (command)
New...

This command displays the Create New Slide dialog box in which you can specify the number of slides you want to add to your presentation, if you want to use a master, and the name of the slide.

Related Topics:

Creating Slides with a Master using the Slide Menu

Creating a Slide

Adding Slides to a Presentation


Name (command)
Name...

This command displays the Slide Name dialog box in which you can enter a new name for the current slide. The name will appear in the Side pop-up menu and in the slide sorter.

Related Topics:

Renaming a Slide


Duplicate Slides(command)
Duplicate

This command duplicates the current slide.


Delete (command)
Delete

This command deletes the current slide from your presentation.


Dimensions (command)
Dimensions...

This command displays the Slide Dimensions dialog box in which you can choose one of the existing slide dimensions or enter your dimensions in the edit boxes. You can choose from standard monitor dimensions, paper dimensions, and 35mm slides.

Related Topics:

Setting Up Slides


Color Scheme (command)
Color Schemes...

This command displays the Color Schemes dialog box in which you can choose a new color scheme for your slide or presentation, or you can create or change a color scheme.

Related Topics:

Changing Individual Colors in a Color Scheme

Selecting a Color Scheme


Background (command)
Background

This command displays a submenu of commands that allow you to choose the background for your slide.

Choosing the None command will make the background of the current slide white.

Choosing the Solid Color... command displays the Solid Color Background dialog box in which you can choose a color for your background from the Color Scheme.

Choosing the Gradient...  command displays the Gradient Background dialog box in which you can choose a blend color from the End Color band, the direction of color flow from the Directions box, and the type of gradient from the Type box.

If you want to use a multi-color gradient as your background, you can click on the Multi-Color... button and the Multi-Color Gradient dialog box will appear. In this dialog box you can choose whether you want a gradual transition and intermediate colors to be used.

Choosing the Pattern... command displays the Pattern Background dialog box in which you can choose background colors, foreground colors, and a pattern.

Choosing the Picture... command displays the Picture Background dialog box in which you can choose a picture file for your background. You can choose to scale the picture to fill the entire slide, center the picture on the slide, or tile it to fill the slide if the picture is not the same size as the slide.

Choosing the Texture... command displays the Textures dialog box in which you can choose, modify or create textures for backgrounds and fills.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds


Duration (command)
Duration...

This command displays the Slide Duration dialog box in which you can set the length of time you want the current slide displayed for an on-screen presentation.

Related Topics:

Slide Duration

Timelines


Transition (command for slide transitions)
Transition...

A transition dictates how a slide changes into the next during an on-screen presentation. This command displays the Slide Transition dialog box in which you can select the entry transition for the slide. In this dialog box, you can preview different transitions to help you decide which one you want to use.

Related Topics:

Transitions Between Slides


Play Next (command)
Play Next...

This command displays the Play Next dialog box in which you can specify which slide will be played after the current slide.


Go To (command)
Go To

This menu option lets you go to different slides in your presentation. Choosing one of the submenu options lets you jump to the selected slide.

Related Topics:

Moving Between Slides


Add/Edit MCI Objects (command)
Add/Edit MCI Objects...

Clicking on this dialog box displays the Select MCI Object dialog box from which you can view any MCI Objects on the current slide, or change their timelines. MCI Scripts allow you to incorporate hardware devices, such as laserdisc players, into your Astound presentations.

In this dialog box, you can also click on the Edit button to edit an MCI Script, New to create a new script, Open to open an existing script, or Remove, to remove the current script.

Related Topics

Editing an MCI Script


Add Placeholder (command)
Add Placeholder

You can add placeholders on your slides to signify that you want something to appear there. This is handy when you are creating master slides and know that you will place something different in that space on individual slides. When you choose Slide/Add Placeholder, a submenu will appear and you can choose any of the placeholders for your slide.

Related Topics:

Creating Master Slides


Edit Master (command)
Edit Master

This command allows you to edit a master slide in your presentation or create a new master. The submenu will also contain a list of all masters currently loaded in memory so that you can easily choose which master you wish to edit. Choosing New displays the Create Master dialog box.

Related Topics:

Editing Master Slides


Switch Master (command)
Switch Master...

This command displays the Switch Master dialog box in which you can select a master to use with the current slide. The dialog box will list master slides that have been exported on their own. You cannot open a master that is contained in another template with this option.

Related Topics:

Switching Master Slides


Make Into Master (command)
Make Into Master...

Master slides are used as bases for slides in your presentations. If you have created a slide and you want to make it into a master slide, you can choose this command and the Create Master dialog box will appear. In this dialog box, you can choose a name for the master or type in an original name for the master. It is useful to choose a name from the list as this will allow masters with the same name to easily transfer their information when you switch a template.

Related Topics:

Creating Master Slides from Slides


Remove Master (command)
Remove Master

If you are using a master slide with your slide but you decide that you no longer want to use it, you can remove the master with this command. The master slide will disappear from your slide and only the objects that were not part of the master slide will remain.

Related Topics:

Removing the Master Slide from the Current Slide


Unlink Master (command)
Unlink Master

When you choose a master slide, it automatically becomes linked to the slide it accompanies. All of the master slide attributes will be part of the slide but only the placeholders will be editable. If you decide that you want to keep the master slide objects on your presentation slide, then you can unlink the master by choosing this command. Changes to the master slide made after you unlink the slide, will not affect the unlinked slide.

Related Topics:

Unlinking Master Slides


Information (command)
Information...

This command displays the Object Information dialog box. This box contains information about the size, location, color, etc., of the selected object.


Transition (command for object transitions)
Transition...

Object transitions affect the way an object appears and disappears from the screen during an on-screen presentation. The duration of a transition is determined by the object's timeline.

This command displays the Object Transition dialog box. In this dialog box you can set the selected object's timeline, and choose entry and exit transitions.

Some transitions allow you to choose what screen edge or object edge the transition will occur from.

Related Topics:

Transitions


Path Animation (command)
Path Animation...

This command displays the Object Path Animation dialog box in which you can choose where the object will enter and exit the slide during an on-screen presentation.

Related Topics:

Object Path Animations


Interaction (command)
Interaction...

Interactivity is the ability to guide the presentation from slide to slide, add pauses, and play sounds based on an action by the user. You can perform actions such as returning the presentation to the first slide, or causing a sound to play with a mouse click during an on-screen presentation.

This command displays the Object Interaction dialog box in which you can choose what will happen when the selected object is clicked on during presentation play back. You can choose to have another slide displayed, replay the current slide, play a sound, etc.

Related Topics:

Interaction


Edit (command)
Edit...

This command displays the appropriate dialog box to allow you to edit the selected object. For example, if an actor is displayed, the Select Actor dialog box would be displayed, or if there is a button selected, the Button Attributes dialog box will be displayed.


Resize (command)
Resize...

This command displays the Resize Object dialog box in which you can accurately resize the selected objects. You can specify the height and width of the object as a percentage of the current size or as exact measurements.

Related Topics:

Resizing Objects Numerically


Display (command)
Display...

This command displays the Object Display dialog box that lets you choose whether to display the Interior, Border, and Shadow of objects as well their colors and attributes.

Related Topics:

Filling Objects with a Solid Color using the Object Menu

Fill Options


Layer (command)
Layer

This command allows you to alter the layer selected objects are placed on. Each object that is drawn or placed, is on a new layer, with the most recently placed object on the top. The Layer command allows you to alter the order of the layers on your slide in order to overlap objects to achieve a desired effect.

Choosing this command displays a submenu where you can choose how your selected objects are to be layered.

Bring to Front:	Brings the selected object(s) to the front layer(s). If more than one object is selected, they will retain their relative layer order, but will be in front of all other objects on the slide.

Send to Back:	Sends the selected object(s) to the back layer(s). If more than one object is selected, they will retain their relative layer order, but will be behind all other objects on the slide.

Up One Layer:	Brings the selected object up one layer from its current position.

Down One Layer:	Sends the selected object down one layer from its current position.

Related Topics:

Layering Objects


Line (command)
Line

This command displays a submenu of line weight options. You can choose the line weight for selected objects, or set a default line width by choosing a width when no objects are selected. A custom line weight can be set in the Line Weight dialog box by choosing Other....

You can also select arrowheads for your lines choosing what end(s) the arrow head(s) are placed on. The Define Arrows... command displays the Define Arrowheads dialog box in which you can define the size of the arrowheads by clicking on and typing in the corresponding field boxes.

Related Topics:

Setting Line Weight of Object Borders and Lines


Enhance Color (command)
Enhance Color

This works best on pictures that use many similar colors. If you select a group of objects Astound chooses a balanced selection of display colors to exchange with the unreserved colors in the original group of 256 display colors. If the colors of these selected objects are radically different, Astound will have more trouble creating a single palette that suits all of them.

Related Topics:

Color Enhancement


Align (command)
Align

This command displays a submenu of commands that allow you to align two or more selected objects to each other in a variety of ways.

Both Axes	Aligns both axes of selected objects  centering them on top of each other.

Vert Axes	Aligns the vertical axes of selected objects.

Horz Axes	Aligns the horizontal axes of selected objects.

Top Edges	Aligns the top edges of selected objects.

Bottom Edges	Aligns the bottom edges of selected objects.

Left Edges	Aligns the left edges of selected objects.

Right Edges	Aligns the right edges of selected objects.

Related Topics:

Aligning Objects


Center On Slide (command)
Center On Slide

This command displays a submenu of commands that will center selected object(s) on the slide.

Both	Centers the selected object(s) both horizontally and vertically on the slide.

Vertically	Centers the selected object(s) vertically on the slide.

Horizontally	Centers the selected object(s) horizontally on the slide.

Related Topics:

Centering Objects


Flip (command)
Flip

This command displays a submenu which allows you to flip selected shapes drawn with the drawing tools horizontally or vertically.

Vertically	Flips a shape vertically so that the side that was facing up will be facing down.

Horizontally	Flips a shape horizontally so that the side facing left will be facing right.

Related Topics:

Flipping Shapes


Group (command)
Group

Takes all selected objects and groups them so that the group can then be selected and moved or altered as one object. You can double click on an item in a group to select the single item and affect only its attributes. This command is useful to keep parts of a complex object, such as a logo, together so that you do not accidentally alter parts of it.

You can group groups of objects to create nested groups.

Related Topics:

Grouping Objects


Ungroup (command)
Ungroup

Takes a selected group and returns it to its individual components.

Related Topics:

Ungrouping Objects


Convert To Bitmap (command)
Convert To Bitmap...

Converts selected objects to a bitmap image format. This is useful if you have complex objects that contain elements such as graduated fills that take a while to redraw. Bitmap images will redraw much faster than the complex object would in its normal state.

This command displays the Convert Object To Bitmap dialog box, in which you can decide to have the interior of an object filled with white, left transparent, or use its interior fill.

Once you have converted an object to a bitmap, you will not be able to alter any of its attributes except size and placement.

Related Topics:

Converting Objects to Bitmaps


Type Specs (command)
Type Specs...

This command displays the Type Specs dialog box in which you can select the different specifications such as typeface, alignment, etc., thereby allowing you easy access to all general specifications.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes using the Type Specs Dialog Box


Typeface (command)
Typeface

This command displays a submenu of the fonts installed in your system from which you can quickly choose a font for your text. This submenu lists the last ten fonts used in the presentation.

Also, if you choose the Typeface/Other... command the Typeface dialog box appears from which you can select fonts, type sizes, styles and effects that are not already used in the presentation.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes


Size (command)
Size

Displays a submenu of the sizes available for the selected font, allowing you to choose the font size you require for your text.

Other...	Displays the Text Size dialog box in which you can specify a custom size for your text through the Enter Size field box.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes


Style (command)
Style

Displays a submenu of standard text attributes.

Plain	Automatically disables all other styles.

Bold	Your text will be bolded.

Italic	Your text will be italicized.

Underline	Your text will be underlined.

Strikeout	A line will cross through your text to strike it out.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes


Color (command)
Color

Displays a submenu of all the colors in your standard Color palette. From this submenu you can choose a color for the text block from the color scheme associated with your presentation.

Choosing the Other... displays the Text Color dialog box from which you can choose a different color for your text. You can open the Color Picker from here to create a custom color for your text.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes


Format Text Levels (command)
Format Text Levels...

This command allows you to change or add any type specifications to your text format levels, through the Format Text Levels dialog box.

Related Topics:

Editing Text Attributes for Format Levels


Remove Overrides (command)
Remove Overrides...

This command removes any type specifications that have been added to any format text levels, through the Remove Overrides dialog box.

Related Topics:

Removing Text Overrides


Paragraph Spacing (command)
Paragraph Spacing

This command displays a submenu of commands which allow you to change the paragraph spacing of your selected text. Paragraph spacing is measured as a percentage of the point size you have selected for the text in the paragraph. 100% will be the height of the tallest character for the font and point size you have selected.

Normal:	Choosing this command will change the paragraph spacing to the default setting.

Increase:	Choosing this command will increase the paragraph spacing one level above the default setting.

Decrease:	Choosing this command will decrease the paragraph spacing one level under the default setting.

Other...	Choosing this command displays the Paragraph Spacing dialog box where you can type in the spacing setting you want in percentile units.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes


Character Spacing (command)
Character Spacing

This command displays a submenu that allows you to change the space between selected text characters. Character spacing is measured as a percentage (between 75 and 500 percent) of the width of the original space. Choosing to increase or decrease the spacing will change the character spacing by 10%.

Normal	Uses the default character spacing for the selected font and point size.

Increase	Increases the character spacing by 10% of a normal space.

Decrease	Decreases the character spacing by 10% of a normal space.

Other... 	Displays the Character Spacing dialog box, which allows you to enter the exact spacing between characters as a percentage of a normal space.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes


Line Spacing (command)
Line Spacing

This command displays a submenu that allows you to change the space between lines from the submenu. Line spacing is measured as a percentage (between 0 and 1000 percent) of the height of the tallest character for the font and type size you have selected. Choosing to increase or decrease the spacing will change the line spacing by 10%.

Normal	Uses the default character spacing for the selected font and point size.

Increase	Increases the line spacing by 10% of a line space.

Decrease	Decreases the line spacing by 10% of a line space.

Other... 	Displays the Line Spacing dialog box, which allows you to enter the exact spacing between lines as a percentage of the height of the tallest character for the font and point size you have chosen.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes


Alignment (command)
Alignment

Displays a submenu of justification options, allowing you to decide how to align blocks of text.

Left	Justifies the text with the left margin.

Right 	Justifies the text with the right margin.

Center	Centers each line of text between the margins.

Justify	Justifies the text with both the left and right margins, adding space between words as necessary.

Related Topics:

Text Alignment

Setting Text Attributes


Show Text Ruler (command)
Show Text Ruler

A toggle command that displays or hides the text ruler above selected text blocks.

Related Topics:

Setting Tabs

Setting Margins


Find (command)
Find

Displays a submenu of commands that allow you to find and replace text in your presentation.

The Find... command displays the Find Text dialog box in which you can type the text you want to find, specify where to search, and in what direction to search in the presentation.

The Find Again command searches again for the last text found.

The Find Selection command finds the next occurrence of the text currently selected on your slide.

The Replace... command displays the Find and Replace dialog box in which you can type the text you want to find and what you want to replace it with. You can specify where to search, in what direction, and whether to maintain the case of the text found in the presentation. You can replace one instance of the text or replace all instances, with or without notification before the change.

The Replace Again... command replaces the next occurrence of the text last found.

Related Topics:

Finding Text


Spell Check (command)
Spell Check

This command displays a submenu of options allowing you to spell check an entire slide or a portion of text, and load or save dictionaries. Each of the Spell Check commands will display the Spelling dialog box if any mistakes are found.

Selected Text	Checks the spelling of the text currently selected on your slide.

Current Object	Checks the spelling of all the text in your selected object.

Current Slide 	Checks the spelling of all text on the current slide.

All Slides	Checks the spelling of all text in the current presentation.

Load Dictionary...	Displays the Load Dictionary dialog box allowing you to open other dictionaries to use during a spell check.

Save Dictionary...	Displays the Save Dictionary dialog box allowing you to save any changes made in a user dictionary.

Related Topics:

Spell Checking Selected Text


New Chart (command)
New Chart...

This command displays the Datasheet window, allowing you to enter your data so that you may create a new chart. If you enter numbers in the datasheet and choose File/Create Chart, the Row and Column Layout dialog box will appear.

Related Topics:

Creating a Datasheet


Edit Chart (command)
Edit Chart...

Displays the Chart Options dialog box for the selected chart, allowing you to select a chart style, a chart type, the chart attributes, the chart's type and animation.

Related Topics:

Editing Datasheets and Replotting Charts


Edit Data (command)
Edit Data...

Displays the datasheet for the selected chart so that you can edit the data. Clicking on the Rechart button in the data sheet will allow you to alter the chart's attributes. Clicking on the Rechart button will rechart the data in the same chart format. The components in the Astound Datasheet window has been discussed earlier in this chapter.

Related Topics:

Editing Datasheets and Replotting Charts


Edit Animation (command)
Edit Animation...

Displays the Chart Options dialog box with the Animation options displayed for the selected chart.


Chart Type (command)
Chart Type

Displays a sub menu of chart types (for example, 2D Chart, 3D Chart, Technical Chart). Selecting one of these options displays a list of available charts in that category so you can choose a new chart type for the selected chart.

Related Topics:

Chart Types


Format (command)
Format

Displays a submenu, which in turn, display specific dialog boxes that allow you to define, remove, load, or save a graph format for the selected graph.

Define... displays the Chart Format Name dialog box which allows you to enter or select the graph style you want.

Remove... displays the Remove Chart Format dialog box which allows you to enter or select the graph style you want to remove.

Load... displays the Load Chart Format dialog box which allows you to load the graph style that you want.

Save... displays the Save Chart Format dialog box which allows you to save or find the graph style that you want.

Related Topics:

Creating Chart Formats


Define Pictograph (command)
Define Pictograph...

Displays the Name Pictograph dialog box, which allows you to enter the name of your new pictograph. Then, after clicking on the OK button the Define Pictograph dialog box will display. This dialog box will display the currently selected object(s) so that you can scale them to represent the largest and smallest version that you want displayed in a pictograph.

Related Topics:

Pictographs


Edit Pictograph (command)
Edit Pictograph...

Displays the Edit Pictograph dialog box. This box allows you to change the attributes of your pictograph.

Related Topics:

Pictographs


AutoReplot (command)
Auto-Replot

This is a toggle command that specifies that a chart or table will be replotted whenever data is changed. Select the chart before enabling this command. You can have several charts and tables attached to a datasheet. This command allows you to have some update automatically and others use the original data.

Related Topics:

Replotting Charts Automatically


Timeline  Window (command)
Timeline Window

This window shows the duration of the selected timeline and of the timelines of all the functions connected with the presentation, (for example, the sound timeline, object timelines, etc.).

Related Topics:

Timeline Window

Timelines


Speaker Notes (command)
Speaker Notes

This command displays the Speaker Notes window which allows you to add speaker notes to your presentation.

Related Topics:

Creating Speaker Notes


Datasheet (command)
Datasheet

This command opens the Datasheet window to either create a new datasheet or edit an existing one. Any loaded datasheets will be displayed at the bottom of the submenu so that you can quickly open of them.

New:	This command will display the Datasheet window where you can enter your data.

Edit Chart Data:	This command will display the Datasheet window with your most recent graph data so that you may edit it.

Delete Datasheets	This command displays the Delete Datasheet message box which allows you to select and remove any datasheet and its data.

Any bolded filename in submenus are files that are currently open.

Related Topics:

Creating a Datasheet


Astound Sound (command)
Astound Sound

Displays a submenu allowing you to open the Astound Sound to edit an existing sound or record an existing one. Any sounds loaded into memory will be listed at the bottom of the submenu so that you can select them for editing.

New:	Opens the Astound Sound window so that you can record a new sound.


Astound Actor (command)
Astound Actor

Displays a submenu allowing you to open Astound Actor to edit an existing actor or create a new one. Any actors loaded into memory will be listed at the bottom of the submenu so that you can select them for editing.

New:	Opens the Astound Actor window so that you can create a new Actor.


Astound Animator (command)
Astound Animator

Displays a submenu allowing you to open Astound Animator to edit an existing animation or create a new one. Any actors loaded into memory will be listed at the bottom of the submenu so that you can select them for editing.

New:	Opens the Astound Animator window so that you can create a new animation.


Astound Draw (command)
Astound Draw

Displays a submenu allowing you to open Astound Draw to edit an existing picture or create a new one. Any pictures loaded into memory will be listed at the bottom of the submenu so that you can select them for editing.

New:	Opens the Astound Draw window so that you can create a new picture.


Astound Image (command)
Astound Image

Displays a submenu allowing you to open Astound Image to edit an existing image or create a new one. Any images loaded into memory will be listed at the bottom of the submenu so that you can select them for editing.

New:	Opens the Astound Image window so that you can create a new image.


Astound Video (command)
Astound Video

Displays a submenu allowing you to open Astound Video to edit an existing animated movie. Any animated movies loaded into memory will be listed at the bottom of the submenu so that you can select them for editing.

New:	Opens the Astound Video window so that you can create a new animated movie.


Concepts

Action

Actors

Animated Movies

Animation

Axis

Background

Bitmap

Bounce

Brightness

Bullet Text

Burst

Button Text

Button

Categories

Cell

Cels

Chart Format

Chart

Collapsed Slides

Color Enhancement

Color Scheme

Column

Datasheet

Digital Video

Distribution

Drawing Palette

Duration

Entry Period

Exit Period

Flow Control

Gradient Fills

Grid Lines (Chart)

Grid Lines (Slide View)

Handouts

HeadStart Presentations

Highlight

Hue

Interactive Responses

Interactive Triggers

Interactivity

Label

Legend

Levels

Library

Loop

Luminance

Marker

Master Slides

MCI Templates

MCI

Midi Sound

Movies

Narration

Object Path Animations

OLE (Object Linking and Embedding)

OLE Objects

On-Screen Presentation

Outline View

Palette

Panels

Paths

Patterns

Pica

Pictures

Player Application

Point

Redirecting Playback Order

Resources

Rotation

Row

Saturation

Script

Self-Contained Presentation

Self-Running Presentation

Series

Slide show

Slide Sorter

Slide View

Slide

Sound Timelines

Speaker Notes

Tables

Templates

Text Blocks

Text Format Levels

Text Transitions

Text

Timeline

Tools

Transitions

Value

Video

Wave Sound


Common Questions

How do I remove the white background around my picture?

How do I play Autodesk FLI files in Astound?

When I try to import a resource, I get an insufficient memory or invalid file error. What should I do?

My sounds do not play back properly.

How do I make object transitions and paths smoother?

My objects disappear before the end of the slide duration.

I get a General Protection Fault in GDI.EXE or my video driver.

The Rotation transition is not available in the Object Transition dialog.

My Astound presentation file is missing resources when saving or loading the presentation.

My objects are not displaying with the right colors.  How do I improve their screen display?

The "Flow Control" option on my interactive button seems to have no effect.

My slide freezes when playing the presentation.


Removing
How do I remove the white background around my picture?

Open the file in Astound Image, crop the image so there is no white border and then resave the file.  Alternatively, you can use the Convert To Bitmap option in Astound's Object menu.  Choose the "Transparent" option and specify the white of the background as your transparent color.  Note however, that Convert to Bitmap will cause ALL white areas in the picture to become transparent, not just the border.  For more information on Convert to Bitmap, refer to the User's Guide.


Playing
How do I play Autodesk FLI in Astound?

You must install the Autodesk MCI Driver in the Drivers section of your Windows Control Panel before you can play an FLI file.  This driver is available on many bulletin board systems, as well as CompuServe.


Importing
When I try to import a resource, I get an insufficient memory or invalid file error. What should I do?

You may have run out of memory (RAM) on your computer.  Use the Purge Unused Resources command in the Edit menu to free up as much memory as possible. Also, try closing any other applications you may have running at the same time.

You may be using the wrong tool to load the resource.  Ensure that you always load picture files (.bmp, .pcx, .tif, .cgm, etc.) with the Picture tool, video files (.avi, .mov, etc.) with the Movie tool, sound files (.wav, .mid) with the Sound tool, and so on.


Sounds
My sounds do not play back properly.

Ensure that your sound card supports the format you are trying to play.  For example, some sound cards will not play 16-bit or stereo Wave files, and some will not play MIDI files.

Check if the sound has been saved as an ADPCM compressed Wave file.  If it has, you should either convert the compressed Wave to a standard Wave file using Astound Sound, or add support for ADPCM sounds to Astound by installing the Sound Mapper device driver.  The Sound Mapper device driver comes with Video for Windows and Windows for Workgroups, and is installed through the Drivers section of your Windows Control Panel.  It allows playback of ADPCM compressed Wave files and other sound formats which may not otherwise be supported.

Some sound cards may have problems playing sounds if you are using a temporary swap file.  Try creating a permanent swap file by selecting the Virtual Memory option in the Windows Control Panel's 386-Enhanced option.

You could also try resampling the sound to a lower rate, or increasing the size of the sound buffer in Astound using the /sb command line option or the "SoundBuffer" setting in the ASTOUND.INI file.


Paths
How do I make object transitions and paths smoother?

There are many factors that can affect the efficiency with which your computer can display animations on the screen.  Try using the Slideshow/Optimize... command in the File menu.  This command can suggest some changes to your presentation, and will even make those changes for you, if desired.  Keep the following general rules in mind:

Setting your monitor to a high resolution and color depth (greater than 640 x 480 pixels and 256 colors) requires more CPU time and memory, so animations may not run as smoothly.

Larger objects take more CPU time and memory to animate, so try using smaller objects where possible. Also, dissolve effects take more memory than other effects.

The more objects that are transitioning on or off the slide at the same time, the more they will need to fight for CPU time and memory.  Try transitioning only one object at a time.

Objects will transition more smoothly over simple backgrounds.  Solid backgrounds will result in the best performance, bitmaps and gradients will result in slightly slower performance, and structured graphics (such as .cgm and .wmf files) may result in the slowest performance on less powerful machines.

A smooth transition requires that the computer generate a sufficient number of intermediate "frames" to avoid jerky animation.  Try increasing the entry or exit transition time to see if this creates a smoother animation.  To smoothen text transitions, reduce the entry or exit time to a very short interval.  This will result in short transition times, but the text will appear to transition smoothly.

While Astound is capable of animating an object that is behind another object, animation is most efficient when the front object is the one being animated.  Try layering your objects in the same order that they will appear on the screen.


Objects
My objects disappear before the end of the slide duration.

Ensure that the end of the object's timeline extends to the end of the slide duration in the Timeline window.


Video Driver
I get a General Protection Fault in GDI.EXE or my video driver.

Some video drivers do not fully support the complex effects that Astound can produce.  From the Windows Setup program, try switching your display driver to the standard VGA driver that ships with Windows.  If the problem doesn't occur with the standard VGA driver, that means that the problem is being caused by the other video driver.  You should contact the manufacturer of your video card to see if an updated driver is available.

If an updated driver is not available from the manufacturer, Astound Technical Support may be able to suggest some changes to your Astound setup that can resolve the problem.


Rotation Transitions
The Rotation transition is not available in the Object Transition dialog.

Astound is only capable of performing rotation transitions on Astound Charts, objects created with Astound's built-in drawing tools, and some CGM clipart. If other objects are selected, the Rotation option will be unavailable.  To be able to rotate CGM objects, they should ungrouped, then regrouped in Astound.


Missing Resources
My Astound presentation file is missing resources and/or reports an error message that some resources are missing when saving or loading the presentation.

This usually means that you have deleted or moved the original resource files (i.e. sounds, pictures, videos) that were in your presentation.  Make sure that all resource files remain in their original locations before saving.  In particular, if you loaded a resource from a removable media such as a floppy disk or CD-ROM, ensure that the same floppy or CD is in your drive when you save.

If you get a missing resources message when loading an existing presentation file, it indicates that your file is not self-contained, and the resources have been deleted or moved from their original locations.  Saving a presentation as self-contained will eliminate this problem  because all resources are saved within the presentation file  but it will also result in a larger file.


Screen Display
My objects are not displaying with the right colors. How do I improve their screen display?

If you are using a 16 color video driver, switch to one that supports 256 colors or more.

Try selecting the "Enhance Color" option located in the Object menu.  This option will optimize the colors on your slide to best display the colors in the selected objects. Refer to your manual for detailed instructions on how to do this.

There may be a problem with the video driver you are currently using.  You should contact the manufacturer of your video card to see if an updated driver is available.


Flow Control Options
The "Flow Control" option on my interactive button seems to have no effect.

Ensure that the "Finish slide before flow control" checkbox in the Object Interaction dialog is not enabled.  When this option is enabled, Astound will always play through the entire slide duration before processing the flow control.

If your button also triggers an "action" on the current slide, check the timeline of the object that gets triggered.  The entire timeline for this object will be played before processing the flow control.


Freezing Slides
My slide freezes when playing the presentation.

Ensure that you don't have any interactive objects on the slide that use one of the "Pause" options in the Object Interaction dialog.  These options will cause Astound to pause the slide until the interactive object is clicked on.

Check the Timeline window to ensure that there are no pauses on your slide's timeline.


Print To File Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can specify the name of the file you want to save your printed material in.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box, in the location displayed in the Directory field.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed.

Drives: This drop-down list displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive you want to save the printed file on.

Related Topics

Printing a Presentation


Replace Unavailable Fonts Dialog Box

Unavailable Fonts: This box contains a list of fonts in the presentation you are opening that Astound cannot locate.

Available Fonts: This box contains a list of all fonts on your system that Astound can locate. Highlighting a font in this list will pair it with the highlighted unavailable font.

Preview: This box contains a sample of the currently selected font in the Available fonts list.

Skip: Clicking on this button will close the dialog box without remapping the fonts.

Related Topics

Editing Text


Merge Presentations Dialog Box

Use masters from imported presentation only: Enabling this radio button will replace any matching master slides in the current presentation with the master slides in the presentation you are importing.

Use masters in current presentation only: Enabling this radio button will replace the master slides in the presentation you are importing with any matching master slides in the current presentation.

Combine masters from both presentations: Enabling this radio button will combine the two sets of master slides. Any master slides that do not match will be added to the list of master slides available for use in the presentation.


Optimize Slideshow Dialog Box

Options: This list box contains optimizing options for either the current slide or for the entire presentation. Click to select or deselect the options you want to apply.

Select All: Clicking on this button selects all optimizing options in the Options list box.

Clear All: Clicking on this button deselects all optimizing options in the Options list box.

Text box: This box displays a description of the most recently selected optimizing option.

Scan: Clicking on this button searches for optimizations to perform. When the optimization is complete, you may want to scan the presentation again for any new conflicts caused by the changes.

Apply: Clicking on this button optimizes either the slide or the entire presentation depending upon which radio button is selected. Only the optimizations selected in the Options box are applied.

To Current Slide: Enabling this radio button will apply any optimizing options to the current slide only.

To Entire Presentation: Enabling this radio button will apply any optimizing options to the entire presentation.

Tip: 	Optimizing colors will work best if you optimize when the presentation is complete.

Related Topics

Preparing Presentations for Playback

Optimizing Your Presentation


Text Color Dialog Box

Colors: The rectangles contain the colors of the current color scheme. You can choose a color by clicking on it.

Eyedropper: Clicking on this button displays the Eyedropper dialog box and changes the cursor to an eyedropper tool. You can select any color displayed on the screen by clicking the eyedropper tool on it.

Color Mixer: Clicking on this button displays the Color Mixer dialog box. You can create a custom color for your text by clicking in the color refiner box or entering values in the edit boxes.

Color Spectrum: Clicking on this button displays the Color Spectrum options. You can select a color for your text by clicking on it in the Color Spectrum box.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the currently selected color.

Tip: 	Double check to make sure the text color is readable against the background. Readability of text on the screen can be affected by factors varying from color blindness in your audience to presenting on a different sized monitor than you composed the presentation on.

Related Topics

Coloring Text


Select Media File Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the Media File you want to open, or you can select a name from the drop-down list to choose which file to open.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box, in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select the media file you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the media file you want to open is located.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed.

Drives: This drop-down list displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the media file you want to open is located.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window from where you can select a media file to open.


Apply Changes To Dialog Box

This dialog box allows you to specify to what text you want to apply any changes made in the Format Text Levels dialog box.

Entire Presentation and Template: Clicking on this button will apply the changes to all existing text in the presentation as well as using the changes as the new text format level defaults.

Entire Presentation: Clicking on this button will apply the changes to all the changes to the entire presentation.

Entire Template:  Clicking on this button will apply the changes to the current template.

All Objects on Slide: Clicking on this button will apply the changes to all existing text on the current slide as well as using the changes as the new text format level defaults.

Default Text Attributes: Clicking on this button will leave all existing text in the presentation as it is currently, but change the new text format level defaults for any future text that is added.

Related Topics

Editing Text Attributes for Format Levels

Creating Master Slides


Button Options Dialog Box

The options in this dialog box allow you to change the appearance of buttons you have already created, or to define the appearance of buttons that you are going to create.

Shapes: Clicking on one of the shapes in the Shapes box defines the basic shape of the button. You can choose a rectangle, rounded rectangle, rounded, or oval button shape.

Presets: Clicking on one of the buttons in the Presets box selects one of the six preset button depth settings. The slide controls will be adjusted accordingly, and the button preview will reflect the chosen preset values.

Customize: Moving the handles up and down the sliders changes the depth settings of the button. You can create custom buttons by moving the handles and watching the display in the Preview box.  Each slide control changes the appearance of the button based on what the control to its left is set at. Positive settings will raise the next section of the button above the previous, and negative settings will drop the section of the button deeper than the previous section. There are setting numbers displayed immediately below each slide control.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the current button settings.

Related Topics:

Creating Buttons

Object Interaction Dialog Box

Interactivity


Change Link Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box, you can type in the name of the server document you want to link the object to, or you can select the name from the drop-down list if the desired document has recently been linked to an Astound document.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box, that are located in the current directory.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the server document you want to link the object to is located.

Drives: This box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive you want.

Related Topics:

Fixing a Broken Link

OLE Objects


Character Spacing Dialog Box

Enter Spacing: In this edit box, you can enter a value for the character spacing, as a percentage of normal character spacing (100%).

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Chart Format Name Dialog Box

Chart Format Name: In this field, you can type the name under which you want to save the current group of chart option settings.

Related Topics:

Creating Chart Formats


Chart Options Dialog Box

This dialog box contains eight tab options that allow you to choose the chart type, and to control chart attributes and settings.

Format Tab: This tab lets you change the chart type, chart formats and series settings including the fill and border colors of the chart segments.

Axes Tab: This tab lets you display the axis, plot range, division, and goal range settings. You can set the divisions and color for the ticks on the axes as well as maximum and minimum values. You can find other Panel Attributes on the Arrange panel.

Text Tab: This tab lets you specify text attributes for the legend, chart titles, axis titles, labels, and all other text in the chart, as well as whether to display them.

Numbers Tab: This tab lets you specify how numbers in general are displayed, and how negative numbers and currency are displayed. It also provides access to your datasheet.

Legend Tab: This tab allows you to specify whether or not the chart will have a legend. If it does, you can specify the legends placement and other options, including, frame, shadow and row layout.

Arrange Tab: Most graphic related options reside here. You can arrange the data segments on your chart, specify the distance between segments and groups of segments, and, for three-dimensional charts, the segment depth. You can also explode a pie chart from here, change the orientation of the data, and the color and thickness of the axes.

3D Tab: This tab lets you specify the rotation and perspective of a three-dimensional chart. This button is only available for three-dimensional charts.

Animate Tab: This tab lets you specify the timing distribution, order, and transition of a charts animation.

Tip: 	Charts should start at the beginning of the slide and be given as much time as possible to transition. Smooth chart transitions are more appealing visually and cause fewer problems if you optimize the slideshow later on.

Related Topics

Editing Datasheets and Replotting Charts

Charting Options


Format Tab Dialog Box
Format Tab

Chart Type: This drop-down list box displays the current chart type. You can select the type of chart you want from the drop-down list, which includes both two and three-dimensional charts.

Chart Formats: A chart format contains a chart type and all of the attributes that were attached to it when the format was created or last edited. The drop down list displays all of the currently loaded chart formats. The buttons allow you to create, load, save and remove formats.

New...: Clicking on this button displays the Chart Format Name dialog box, in which you can enter a name for the new chart format you want to create.

Load...: Clicking on this button displays the Load Chart Format dialog box, from which you can select or specify the chart format you want to load.

Save...: Clicking on this button displays the Chart Format Name dialog box, from which you can specify the name under which you want to save the current chart format.

Remove: Clicking on this button causes the current chart format to be deleted from the Chart Formats drop-down list.

Series Settings: This box allows you to select and modify individual series from your dataset.  You can select the series you want to modify by clicking on its color in the color bar.  You can work on multiple series at once by holding down the [Ctrl] key and clicking on multiple colors.

Show Fill: Enabling this checkbox displays the fill color for the currently selected series, and lets you choose a different color.

Show Border: Enabling this checkbox displays the border color for the currently selected series, and lets you choose a different color.

Plot Axis: Enabling one of these radio buttons lets you choose to graph the selected series on either the Y1 or Y2 axis. By default, all series are graphed on the Y1 axis, but you can create a dual-axis chart by choosing to graph one or more of the series on Y2.

Plot As: This field is available only with combination charts. After selecting one or more series from the Series Settings color bar, you can choose a different chart type for them from theis list box. After selecting one or more series from the Series Settings color bar, you can choose a different chart type for them from theis list box. In this field you can select a series by its color. Then you can select the type of chart you want to plot.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the chart that reflects the selected options.

Related Topics

Charting Options


Axes Tab Dialog Box
Axes Tab

Clicking on the Axes Tab displays the chart axes options. These options control the placement of labels, gridlines, tickmarks, and goal range, as well as specify a displayed range for the chart values.

Axis radio buttons: You can select one of these radio buttons to choose the axis you want to modify.

Major Grids You can toggle the display of major and minor grid lines along the chart axes. Checkboxes corresponding to grids that are unavailable for a specific chart type will be disabled.

User-defined divisions checkbox and edit box: Enabling this checkbox allows you to specify how many value labels are added to your chart.  For example, if the highest data charted is 100, and you type 5 in the # of Major Divisions edit box, labels will be placed as 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100, giving you 5 major divisions.

Color box: Clicking on this button displays a Color Scheme pop-up window, from which you can select or create a color for the selected gridlines.

Thickness edit box: In this box you can specify the width of grid lines.

Minor Grids: You can toggle the display of major and minor grid lines along the chart axes. Checkboxes corresponding to grids that are unavailable for a specific chart type will be disabled.

Inside Ticks and Outside Ticks: You can display tick marks inside and/or outside the actual chart axes. Checkboxes corresponding to axes that are unavailable for a specific chart type will be disabled. You can specify the tick mark length in inches in the Tick Mark Length field.

Minimum Axis Value fields: Enabling this checkbox allows you to specify the minimum value displayed within the axis. To change the minimum, simply type a number into the edit box.

Maximum Axis Value: Enabling this checkbox allows you to specify the maximum value displayed within the axis. To change the maximum, simply type a number into the edit box.

Goal Range: Enabling this checkbox lets you set the limits of the range you want to emphasize in the your chart in the corresponding edit box. With the accompanying Fill Color button, you can choose a color to highlight the goal range with.

Tick Mark Length:  In this field, enter the desired length for the tickmarks in the chart.  The same length will be used for tickmarks on all axes.

Preview: Enabling this checkbox displays a preview of the chart that reflects the selected options.

Related Topics

Charting Options


Text Tab Dialog Box
Text Tab

Clicking on the Text button displays the chart text options. These options control the display of titles and labels, including fonts, styles, sizes, and colors.

Selected: In this scroll box you can select which portion of text you want to set attributes for. You can specify attributes for a main title, a subtitle, a footnote, a legend, and text along each axis.

Title: In this edit box you can enter the text you want to use as a title or footnote.

Labels: You can choose to place labels parallel to the axis, perpendicular to the axis, or not to place labels at all by selecting the appropriate radio button. This option is disabled when a title, footnote or legend is selected in the Selected list box.

Font Name: This drop-down list box displays the current font used for the selected chart text element. You can select a font to apply to the text from the drop-down list box.

Font Size: This drop-down list box displays the size of the current font used for the selected chart text element. You can select a font size to apply to the text from the drop-down list.

Styles: Enabling one of these checkboxes applies the corresponding style to the selected chart text element. You can choose Bold, Italic, or Underline.

Text Color: Clicking on this button displays a Color Scheme pop-up window, from which you can select or create a color for the selected text element.

Preview: Enabling this checkbox causes a text preview to appear in the preview box. The preview reflects the currently selected text options.


Numbers Tab Dialog Box
Numbers Tab

Clicking on the Numbers tab displays the chart numbers options. These options control the display and style of numbers and associated symbols. This panel also provides access to the datasheet for editing your data.

Selected: In this drop-down list box you can choose which axis you want to change the number specifications for.

Decimal: In this edit box, you can type the symbol you want to use to specify a decimal separator.

Thousands: In this edit box, you can type the symbol you want to use to specify a thousands separator.

Leading Zero: Enabling one of these radio buttons will determine whether or not decimals are preceded by a zero.

Value Type: From this drop-down list, you can select a number style for the currently selected chart number element. You can choose General, Percentage, or Currency. Selecting Currency enables the settings in the Currency Style box.

Negative Format: You can choose the display style of negative numbers by enabling one of the radio buttons. You can choose to display negative numbers with a minus sign, or inside parentheses.

Decimal Places: In this edit box you can enter the number of decimal places that are displayed for any decimal fractions that appear in the selected chart number element.

Symbol: This edit box is enabled when you select Currency from the Number Style drop-down list. You can enter the symbol you want to use to denote the specific currency values you are charting.

Placement: This list is enabled when you select Currency from the Number Style drop-down list. You can choose to position the currency symbol either before or after the number.

Decimal Places: When currency is selected, you can enter the number of decimal places that are displayed for any currency fractions that appear in the selected chart number element.

Preview: Enabling this checkbox causes a preview of the chart to appear in the preview box. The preview reflects the currently selected numbers options.

Datasheet...: Clicking on this button displays the Datasheet window, in which you can enter or import the data you want to use in your chart.

Transpose Data: Enabling this checkbox causes the orientation of the data to be changed. For example, if columns of data in your datasheet are charted along the X axis, enabling the Transpose Data checkbox will cause rows of data to be charted along the X axis.

100%: Enabling this checkbox causes all data to be charted as a percentage of its total. This allows you to compare the data ratios easily.

Cumulative: Enabling this checkbox causes the data to be displayed cumulatively in each successive segment. For example, if a factory produced 1200 units the first year, and 1400 units the second year, the second year's data will be charted as 2600 units if the Cumulative checkbox is enabled.

NOTE: If you do not want the options in the Numbers Tab to apply to numeric labels, place an apostrophe (') before the number on the datasheet. The number will then become a string, and the apostrophe will not be visible.


Legend Tab Dialog Box
Legend Tab

Clicking on the Legend tab displays the chart legend options. These options control the layout and display of the chart's legend, including its frame and shadow.

Show Legend: Enabling this checkbox causes a legend to be displayed with your chart.

Location: You can specify where the legend is placed on the slide relative to the chart by selecting one of these radio buttons.

Row Layout: This drop-down list box displays the currently selected layout option. The drop-down list contains the available legend layouts. If your legend is being added to either side of the chart, you can specify how many columns are in the legend. If the legend is being added to the top or bottom of the chart, you can specify how many rows are in the legend.

Show Frame: Enabling this checkbox causes a frame to be displayed around the chart legend.

Corners: You can control the appearance of the chart legend frame by selecting the square or rounded radio buttons. You can make the frame's corners rounded or squared.

Fill: Enabling this checkbox lets you choose a color for the legend's background.

Border: Enabling this checkbox lets you choose a border color for the legend.

Shadow: Enabling this checkbox causes a shadow to be displayed around the chart legend box.

Offset: You can control the location of the legend box shadow by entering the desired horizontal and vertical offset values in the edit boxes.

Preview: Enabling this checkbox causes a text preview to appear in the preview box. The preview reflects the currently selected options.


Arrange Tab Dialog Box
Arrange Tab

Segment attributes differ for each chart type. The following is an alphabetical list of the options available for the different chart types.

1st Bin Priors: Enabling this radio button takes any values less than the Y1 value and includes them in the first set of data. This option only applies to Histograms.

Apply button: Clicking on this button applies the selected pictograph from the drop down list to the currently selected series.

Apply All button: Clicking on this button applies all group box settings to all the series in the chart.

Area Fill Options: Enabling one of these radio buttons specifies how the area contained by the plotted line is filled.  If you select None, Astound plots only a line. Selecting Down fills from the plotted line to the center of the chart. Selecting To Zero fills from the plotted line to the zero-value radius along the axis, creating a ring effect. Plotting is done in the fill color specified in the Format tab. These options are only available for Spider Plots.

Bin Rounding: Enabling this checkbox rounds the values to the nearest whole number before grouping them into bins.  This option is only avialable for histograms..

Block Size slider: This slider controls the size of markers in scatter plots.

Border: Enabling this checkbox places a border around the chart panels. To edit the border color, click on the Color button under the Border checkbox. In the case of Table charts, enabling this checkbox places a border around the entire table.

Border Size: Enabling the Border checkbox allows you to change the point size of borders.  Enter a new size in the Border Size field.

Border Margin field: The number entered in this field determines the space between the border in a Table chart and the closest cell of the table. The border margin is measured in the units you specify in the Preferences dialog box.

Bubble Size slider: This slider controls the size of the largest marker in the Bubble Chart.

Calculate Best Table Size checkbox: Enabling this checkbox creates a table using the smallest possible size, while ensuring that none of the information is clipped by the grid.

Chart Depth slide bar: This slider controls the overall depth of a 3D chart.

Column Lines box: In this box you can edit the size, color and display of major and minor column gridlines in a table.

Crop radio button: This option, which applies to stacked Pictographs, should be enabled if you want the last object in the stack to  display at its normal size and be cut at the appropriate data value.

Depth slide bar: This slider controls the depth of the individual data segments within the panels of the chart.

Dont Explode Segments: Enabling this checkbox keeps the individual segments of the pie chart together to create a complete circle or pie.

Explode All Segments: Enabling this checkbox and using the Explode % slide bar separates each segment of the pie so that no two pieces touch.

Explode Each Segment: Enabling this checkbox and using the Explode % slide bar allows you to separate only the pie segments you choose.

Explode % slide bar: You can use this slider to choose how much space appears between exploded pie segments when you enable either the Explode All Segments checkbox or the Explode Each Segment checkbox.

Fill checkbox: Enabling this checkbox displays the fill for the chart panesl or table background. To change the background fill color, click on the color box.

Horz. Shadow Offset field: In this field you can specify how far the shadow moves to the right of the chart. Distance is measured in the units you specify in the Preferences dialog box.

Inclination Dial: This dial specifies the viewing angle of a 3D pie.

Inner Radius slider: This slider specifies the size of the hole in the center of a pie chart.

Inter Column X slider: This slider controls the spacing along the X axis between bars within each series. Moving the handle to the left decreases the spacing, while moving the handle to the right increases the spacing.

Inter Column Z slider: This slider controls the spacing along the Z axis between bars, lines and areas in a 3D chart. Moving the handle to the left increases the spacing, while moving the handle to the right decreases the spacing.

Inter Series slider: This slider controls the spacing between each series as a group.

Line Thickness slider: This slider controls the thickness of plotted lines.

Last Bin Successors: Enabling this radio button takes any values greater than the largest category in a histogram and includes them in the last bin of data.

Load button: Clicking on this button displays the Load Pictograph dialog box.

Overlay Grids checkbox: Enabling this option  places the Spider grid on top of your data for spider charts. [Note:  Spider charts will animate more smoothly if this option is not enabled.]

Pictograph list box: Clicking on this list box displays a drop-down list of currently loaded pictograph styles.

Remove button: Clicking on this button removes the current pictograph style from memory.

Row Lines box: In the Row Lines box you can edit the size, color and display of major and minor row gridlines in a table.

Scale radio button: This option, which applies to stacked Pictographs, should be enabled if you want the last object in the stack to be scaled so that the top of the object ends at the appropriate data value.

Series Box: The Series box contains colored squares that represent each series of data you entered on the datasheet. The boxes are numbered beginning with 1. To change the pictograph settings for one or more series, simply select those series in the series box and then change the desired settings.  Hold the [Ctrl ] key to select several series, or the [Shift] key to select a range of series.

Shadow checkbox: Enabling this checkbox displays a shadow behind the chart or table background.  The color of the shadow can be changed using the associated Color button.  This option is not available for 3D charts.  For more information on the Shadow Offset fields, see Horz. Shadow Offset field, or Vert. Shadow Offset field in this list.

Show Back checkbox: Enabling this checkbox displays the back panel of a 2D or 3D chart. You can change the depth of the back panel on a 3D chart with the associated Thickness slider.

Show Floor checkbox: Enabling this checkbox displays the floor panel of a 3D chart.  You can change the depth of the floor panel with the associated Thickness slider.

Show Major Gridlines: This option allows you to display major grid lines along columns or rows in a table.  Grid lines allow you to easily identify charted values. For more information on column gridlines, see Column Lines box.  For more information on row gridlines, see Rows Lines box.

Show Minor Gridlines: This option allows you to display minor grid lines along columns or rows in a table.  Grid lines allow you to easily identify charted values.

Show Side checkbox and slider: Enabling this checkbox displays the side panel of a 3D chart.  You can change the depth of the side panel with the associated Thickness slider .

Stacked checkbox: Enabling the Stacked checkbox causes the selected pictograph object to be stacked to indicate the total data value.

Start Angle slider: Rotate this dial to rotate the pie chart.  The location of the mark on the dial corresponds to the starting angle of the first data segment in the chart.

Thickness slider: This sets the thickness or thinness of the chart floor, chart side, and chart back. Moving the slide bar to the left thins the enabled panels, and moving the slide bar to the right thickens the enabled panels. This slider also controls the thickness of 3D pie charts

Units per object field: When creating a stacked pictograph, you can specify the number of units you want represented by each object in this field. For example, you might have each object in the stack represent 100 units of the value.

Vert. Shadow Offset field: In this field you can specify how far the shadow moves down. Distance is measured in the units you specify in the Preferences dialog box.


3D Tab Dialog Box
3D Tab

Clicking on the 3D View tab displays the 3D chart options. These options control the perspective view and three-dimensional orientation of the chart.

Rotation Preview: This box displays an outline preview of the three-dimensional chart that reflects the current 3D settings.

Trackball: The trackball allows you to rotate your chart and change the angle from which you are looking at it. Arrows on the trackball indicate the direction you are angling the chart toward. The preview will show how far you have rotated the chart. Double clicking on the trackball will return your object to its original positioning. You can also rotate the outer ring of the trackball to rotate your chart in two dimensions

Distance Indicator: This option is enabled when the Perspective checkbox is selected. Clicking in the Distance Indicator, or dragging the arrow, sets the depth of perspective that is applied to the chart. If you drag the indicator upward, the chart acquires a more extreme perspective, which means it appears as though you are viewing the chart from closer up. If you drag the indicator downward, the chart acquires a less extreme perspective, which means it appears as though you are viewing it from farther away.

Perspective checkbox: This option allows you to draw a chart in 3D perspective. When you select this option, the Distance Indicator and the trackballs outer ring are enabled which you can use to rotate the chart through 360 degrees. The wire frame preview and the chart preview are redrawn to reflect the amount of perspective selected in the Distance Indicator, and the degree of rotation specified in the trackballs outer ring.

Preview: Enabling this checkbox causes a preview to appear in the preview box. The preview reflects the currently selected options.


Animate Tab Dialog Box
Animate Tab

Clicking on the Animate tab displays the chart animation options. These options control the timing distribution, order, and transition of your animation.

Timeline: You can use this timeline to specify entry and/or exit transition times for your chart, as well as static time for the chart as a whole.

Seconds/Percentage: Clicking on this button toggles the timeline scale display between seconds and percentage of the total slide duration.

Timeline Distribution Entry: This drop-down list box displays the selected chart segment entry distribution option. You can select an entry distribution option from the drop down list. This option controls the timing of the appearance of chart segments in relation to each other.

Timeline Distribution Exit: This drop-down list box displays the selected chart segment exit distribution option. You can select an exit distribution option from the drop down list. This option controls the timing of the disappearance of chart segments in relation to each other.

After Each Segment: Enabling this radio button causes a pause between the appearance of each segment of the chart. The next segment will begin to appear as soon as the mouse button is clicked.

After Each Series/Category: Enabling this radio button causes a pause between the appearance of each series or category (depending on what type of entry order you have chosen). The next series or category will begin to appear as soon as the mouse button is clicked.

After Entire Chart: Enabling this radio button causes a pause after the entire chart has appeared. The slide will resume as soon as the mouse button is clicked.

Transition...: Clicking on this button displays the Object Transition dialog box, from which  you can select an entry and/or exit transition for the chart segments.

Preview/Stop Animation: Clicking on the Preview Animation button causes a preview of the specified chart animation to appear in the Preview box. While the preview is playing, the button changes to the Stop Animation button, which you can click on to stop the preview.

Preview: Enabling this checkbox causes a preview to appear in the preview box. The preview reflects the currently selected chart formatting options.

Tip: 	Charts should be given as much time as possible to transition. Smooth chart transitions are more appealing visually and cause fewer problems if you optimize the slideshow later on.

Related Topics:

Charting Options


Color Mixer Dialog Box

Color Refiner: This box contains a full display of the colors that can be defined using Red, Green, and Blue color values. You can click or place the color refiner cursor anywhere in the box to select a color. Your choice will be reflected in the Color/Solid box, in the Vertical Luminosity bar, and in the edit boxes below.

Vertical Luminosity bar: You can drag the marker along or click anywhere inside this bar to specify a luminosity value for the color you are creating. Your choice will be reflected in the Color/Solid box, and in the edit boxes below.

Color/Solid: This box displays the color you have selected in the left half of the box, and the nearest solid color to it in the right half of the box. This will depend on what color mode you are currently working in.

Hue edit: This box displays the hue of the currently selected color. You can enter any value from 0 to 239. The hue of a color describes the actual color you are selecting.

Sat: This edit box displays the saturation of the currently selected color. You can enter any value from 0 to 240. The saturation of a color describes how vivid or how dull the color is.

Lum: This edit box displays the currently selected luminosity value. You can enter any value from zero to 240. The luminosity of a color describes how light or how dark the color is. This edit box is linked to the vertical luminosity bar, and affects the range of color that you can select.

Red, Green, and Blue: These edit boxes display the R.G.B values for the currently selected color. The values you can enter will be constrained by the luminosity value that you have selected.

Accept button: Clicking on this button causes the color specified in the Color Mixer box to be placed in the color rectangle selected in the Colors box.

Related Topics:

Color Mixer Attributes

Selecting a Color from the Color Mixer

Color Schemes Dialog Box


Color Schemes Dialog Box

Name: This drop-down list box displays the name of the current color scheme. You can select an existing color scheme by choosing its name from the drop-down list.

Save...: Clicking on this button displays the Save Color Scheme dialog box, which you can use to save the current color scheme.

Remove: Clicking on this button removes the currently color scheme from memory. It will no longer be available in the Name drop-down list.

Colors: The rectangles contain the colors of the current color scheme. You can choose a color by clicking on it.

Eyedropper: Clicking on this button displays the Eyedropper dialog box and changes the cursor to an eyedropper tool. You can select any color displayed on the screen by clicking the eyedropper tool on it. The color you click on will be placed in the selected rectangle in the Colors box: in effect adding it to the color scheme and eliminating the color that occupied that rectangle previously.

Color Mixer: Clicking on this button causes the dialog box to expand to include the Color Mixer options. You can create a color to place in the selected rectangle in the Colors box by clicking in the color refiner box or entering values in the edit boxes.

Color Spectrum: Clicking on this button causes the dialog box to expand to include the Color Spectrum options. You can select a color to replace the color in the selected rectangle in the Colors box by clicking on it in the Color Spectrum box.

Presentation: Enabling this radio button specifies that the selected color scheme be applied to the entire presentation.

Slide: Enabling this radio button specifies that the selected color scheme be applied to the current slide only.

Select: Clicking on this button causes the selected color scheme to be applied to the presentation or to the current slide, depending on the option specified in the Apply To box.

Done: Clicking on this button closes the dialog box without applying the selected color scheme. Any color schemes saved or removed since the dialog box was opened will remain saved or removed.

NOTE:  When you choose a new color scheme for a presentation, only those objects contained on the slides themselves will use the new color scheme.  Backgrounds and objects contained on any template you are using will retain the template's color scheme.

If you want to change ALL of the basic colors in your presentation, you must first use the Edit Master command in the Slide menu to access the template.  Then you can use the Color Scheme dialog box to choose a new scheme.  Rather than being given the choice of applying the new scheme to the slide or the entire presentation, you can choose whether to apply it to the master or the entire template. After choosing a new color scheme, you can return to editing your presentation.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Color from the Color Mixer

Selecting a Color from the Color Spectrum

Selecting a Color using the Eyedropper

Changing Individual Colors in a Color Scheme

Switching Color Schemes

Removing a Color Scheme

Selecting a Color Scheme


Color Mixer Attributes

Color Refiner: This box contains a full display of the colors that can be defined using Red, Green, and Blue color values. You can click or place the color refiner cursor anywhere in the box to select a color. Your choice will be reflected in the Color/Solid box, in the Vertical Luminosity bar, and in the edit boxes below.

Vertical Luminosity: You can drag the marker along or click anywhere inside this bar to specify a luminosity value for the color you are creating. Your choice will be reflected in the Color/Solid box, and in the edit boxes below.

Color/Solid: This box displays the color you have selected in the left half of the box, and the nearest solid color to it in the right half of the box. The number of solid colors available will depend on what color mode you are currently working in.

Hue: This box displays the hue of the currently selected color. You can enter any value from zero to 239. The hue of a color describes the actual color you are selecting.

Sat: This edit box displays the saturation of the currently selected color. You can enter any value from zero to 240. The saturation of a color describes how vivid or how dull the color is.

Lum: This edit box displays the currently selected luminosity value. You can enter any value from zero to 240. The luminosity of a color describes how light or how dark the color is. This edit box is linked to the vertical luminosity bar, and affects the range of color that you can select.

Red, Green, and Blue: These edit boxes display the RGB values for the currently selected color. The values you enter may cause the luminosity value to change. Placing the color refiner cursor will be not affect the luminosity value that you have selected, although the RGB values will change within the range allowed by the current luminosity value.

Accept button: Clicking on this button causes the color specified in the Color Mixer box to be placed in the color rectangle selected in the Colors box.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Color Scheme

Color Schemes Dialog Box

Selecting a Color from the Color Mixer


Color Spectrum Attributes

Color: You can select a color by double clicking on its rectangle, or by clicking on its rectangle and then clicking on the Accept button.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Color from the Color Spectrum

Color Schemes Dialog Box


Color Spectrum Dialog Box

Color: You can select a color by double clicking on its rectangle, or by clicking on it and then clicking on the OK button.

Related Topics:

Color Spectrum Attributes

Selecting a Color from the Color Spectrum


Column Width Dialog Box

Column Width: In this edit box you can enter a custom column width. When you click on the OK button, the selected column(s) will be adjusted to reflect the specified width.

Default Width: Enabling this checkbox returns the Column to the default column width.


Confirm Replacement Dialog Box

Replace: Clicking on this radio button causes Astound to replace the selected occurrence of the search text and begin searching again.

Quit: Clicking on this button causes the search to end without replacing the selected occurrence of the search text.


Continue Find Dialog Box

Find Next: Clicking on this button continues the find operation, searching the designated text for the next occurrence of the specified text string.

Quit: Clicking on this button end the find operation and closes the dialog box, returning you to the Find Text dialog box.

Related Topics:

Finding Text


Convert Object to Bitmap Dialog Box

Convert Object to Bitmap

Opaque: Converts any hollow portions of your object to white. This option is useful if you have a white drawing with an outline in another color. For example, if you have an outline-only object, the outline appears the same way you drew it, and the hollow center will be white.

Transparent: Allows you to specify a color in your object that will be made transparent. When the object has been made into a bitmap any objects behind the selected object will be visible. For example, you could draw a car with white windows, and convert it to a bitmap. You can use this option and the Transparent Color button to specify that the white windows be transparent, so you can see any objects that the car moves over.

Transparent Color button: Clicking on this button displays a color palette allowing you to choose the color you want to make transparent in the selected object. This button can only be used in conjunction with the Transparent option in this dialog box. To select the transparent color directly from the selected object, use the eyedropper tool in the color palette.

Solid: Fills the objects bounding box and hollow parts with white. Your object appears as a white box with the object in it. If you have an outline-only object, the outline appears the same way you drew it, and the bounding box and the hollow center are white. For example, a circle looks as though it is placed on top of a white square.

Tip: 	Using this command on an existing bitmap will result in faster redraws if the original bitmap has been resized, or if it is a 24-bit bitmap being used in a 256-color presentation.

This command will work for both text and scaled images.

Related Topics:

Converting Objects to Bitmaps


Create Master Dialog Box

Master Slide Name: You can select a standard  name for the master slide you are creating from the drop-down list. This will allow Astound to convert one master slide to one with the same name in a different template,. This allows you to easily switch templates.

Related Topics:

Creating Master Slides from Slides

Creating Masters Slides


Create New Slide Dialog Box

Master: From this drop-down list you can select the master slide you want to base the new slide on, or you can select the No Master option, which will allow you to create a new slide without a master.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the master slide selected in the Master drop-down list box.

Name: In this field you can enter a name for the new slide(s).

No. of Slides: In this edit box, you can specify the number of new slides you want to create.

Related Topics:

Creating Slides with a Master using the Slide Menu

Creating a Slide


Define Arrowheads Dialog Box

Length: In this edit box you can enter a value for the front-to-back length of the arrowhead

Span: In this edit box you can enter a value for the side-to-side width of the arrowhead.

Inset: In this edit box you can enter a value for the inset in the back of the arrowhead. Making this number negative will cause the inset to be reversed, creating a protrusion on the back of the arrowhead.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the arrowhead reflecting the currently specified settings.

Related Topics:

Modifying an Arrowhead


Define Compact Disc Clip Dialog Box

Clip Name: In this field you can enter a name for the CD clip you want to define.

Start Track and Time: In these edit boxes you can specify the starting point of the CD clip you want to define by entering the track number, and the location within the track.

End Track and Time: In these edit boxes you can specify the ending point of the CD clip you want to define by entering the track number and the location within the track.

To End of Track:  Clicking on this button causes the End Track and Time edit boxes to display the end time of the currently specified track on the CD.

Position: This slider displays the currently specified location on the CD. You can drag the handle on the slider to choose a location, which will be displayed in the Track and Time fields.

Transport Controls: You can use these controls to search through the CD for a specific location. They resemble and are used the same way as the transport controls on an audio CD player: play, stop, pause, skip forward and backward, and search forward and backward. The current location on the CD will be displayed in the Track and Time fields, and on the Positions, or by dragging the handle on the slider.

Related Topics:

Defining a CD Clip


Delete Datasheets Dialog Box

Datasheet: This list box displays a list of all datasheets that are currently loaded into memory.

Uses: This field displays the number of charts in the presentation which currently make use of the datasheet.

Delete: Clicking on this button causes the currently selected datasheet to be removed from memory. It will no longer appear in the Datasheet list box.

Done: Clicking on this button closes the dialog box. Any datasheets that have been deleted will remain deleted.

Related Topics:

Creating a Datasheet


Display Preferences Dialog Box

Show Status Bar:  When this checkbox is enabled, the status bar will be displayed along the bottom of the various view windows.

Show Tool Bar:  When this checkbox is enabled, the tool bar along the top of the various view windows will be displayed.

Show Slide Shadow: Enabling this checkbox displays the slide's shadow.

Inches:  Selecting this will cause all measurements to be displayed in inches.

Millimeters: Selecting this radio button will cause all measurements to be displayed in millimeters.

Pels (Pixels):  Selecting this radio button will cause all measurements to be displayed in pixels.

Points:  Selecting this radio button will cause all measurements to be displayed in points.

Picas:  Selecting this radio button will cause all measurements to be displayed in picas.

Show Grid:  Enabling this checkbox displays a grid across your slides allowing you to more accurately place objects on your slide. You can specify the space between grid lines in the Horizontal Spacing and Vertical Spacing fields.

Snap to Grid:  Enabling this checkbox causes your drawing and editing actions to be snapped to the grid lines on your page. The grid lines do not have to be visible for the Snap To Grid option to work.

Horizontal Spacing:  In this field you can specify the distance between horizontal grid lines.

Vertical Spacing:  In this field you can specify the distance between vertical grid lines.

Related Topics:

Setting Display Preferences

Setting File Preferences

Chart Axes Options

Enabling the Snap To Grid Option

Grids

Rulers


Distribute Timelines Dialog Box

Entry: Enabling this radio button specifies that the distribution option you choose will apply to the appearance of the selected object(s).

Exit: Enabling this radio button specifies that the distribution option you choose will apply to the disappearance of the selected object(s).

Distribution Options: You can set the order of appearance and disappearance of the selected object(s) by clicking on one of these buttons.

Timeline: You can specify the total time taken for ALL selected objects to enter and exit by adjusting the timeline with the appropriate radio button enabled.

Related Topics:

Timelines

Distributing Timelines


Edit Links Dialog Box
Links Dialog Box

Links: This list box displays a list of all OLE objects in the presentation that are currently linked to server documents. You can select the object(s), for which you want to edit the links, from the list.

Done: Clicking on this button closes the dialog box. Changes made to objects' links will still be in effect.

Automatic: Enabling this radio button specifies that the selected link(s) are updated automatically, whenever the object is edited.

Manual: Enabling this radio button specifies that the link(s) of the selected object(s) are updated only when you open the dialog box and update them yourself.

Update Now: Clicking on this button causes the selected link(s) to be updated.

Cancel Link: Clicking on this button causes the selected link(s) to be canceled. The object(s) with the canceled link(s) are pasted into the presentation.

Change Link...: Clicking on this button displays the Change Link dialog box, from which you can choose the server document to which you want to link the object.

Activate: Clicking on this button will open the Server application so that you can edit the datasheet.

Tip: 	To speed up playback time, use DIB format files (instead of TIFF or TGA for example) or save the presentation as self-contained.

Related Topics:

Updating a Manual Link

Linking Objects

Updating Linked Objects


Edit or Define Pictograph Dialog Box
Edit/Define Pictograph Dialog Boxes

The Edit Pictograph and Define Pictograph dialog boxes share the same options.

Currently Loaded: In this drop-down list box you can select a pictograph object to use in your chart from the drop-down list of objects that are already defined as pictographs and loaded into memory.

Load...: Clicking on this button displays the Load Pictograph dialog box, from which you can select a pictograph object to load into memory. The object will then be included in the Currently Loaded drop-down list.

Save...: Clicking on this button displays the Save Pictograph dialog box, which you can use to save the current pictograph object.

Remove: Clicking on this button removes the current pictograph object from the Currently Loaded drop-down list.

Vertical: Enabling this radio button specifies that the selected pictograph object is oriented vertically in the chart.

Horizontal: Enabling this radio button specifies that the selected pictograph object is oriented horizontally in the chart.

0% Display Level: This box displays a representation of what the object will look like at zero percent on the chart. You can move, resize, and stretch the objects in the box to define the appearance, and then move the slider bar to indicate which point on the object should indicate the data value.

100% Display Level: This box displays a representation of what the object will look like at one hundred percent on the chart. You can move, resize, and stretch the objects in the box to define the appearance, and then move the slider bar to indicate which point on the object should indicate the data value.

Related Topics:

Saving a Pictograph ObjectSavingaPictographObject

Pictographs

Defining a Pictograph Object

Editing Pictograph Objects


Eyedropper Dialog Box

Color Preview: This box displays the color that the eyedropper tool is currently placed over.

R, G, and B: These fields display the Red, Green, and Blue values defining the color that is displayed in the Color Preview box.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Color using the Eyedropper


File Preferences Dialog Box

Save Files Compressed:  Enabling this checkbox will, by default, compress files when they are saved. Compressed files will be smaller than non-compressed files, but they take a bit longer to load.

Backup Before Save:  Enabling this checkbox will cause Astound to create a backup copy of the existing saved file before it saves any changes to it. This file will be saved with the extension .bak.

Automatic Timed Save:  Enabling this checkbox will cause Astound to automatically save your presentation at a specified interval. In the edit field below the checkbox you can specify how often presentations are automatically saved.

Reload After Save Self-Contained: Enabling this checkbox will load the saved version of your presentation after you save it self-contained. This will improve performance. This will improve performance.

Preview: You can specify that a color, black and white, or no preview be saved with your file. You can also specify whether this preview is of the slide that is displayed when the presentation is saved, or of all slides in the presentation. This preview will be displayed in the Open Presentation dialog box.

Related Topics:

Setting File Preferences

Setting Display Preferences


Fill Pattern Dialog Box Dialog Box
Fill Pattern Dialog Box

Patterns: In this box, you can click on the pattern you want to fill the selected object with.

Foreground Color: Clicking on this button displays a Color Scheme pop-up window from which you can select a foreground color for the pattern. You can also click on the eyedropper, color mixer or color spectrum buttons to locate or create a specific color.

Background Color: Clicking on this button displays a Color Scheme pop-up window from which you can select a background color for the pattern. You can also click on the eyedropper, color mixer or color spectrum buttons to locate or create a specific color.

Related Topics

Filling Objects with a Pattern using the Fill Tool


Find and Replace Text Dialog Box

The options in this dialog box allow you to search for and replace selected text.

Find What: In this box you can enter the text string you want to replace, or select one of the previously entered strings from the drop-down list.

Replace With: In this box you can enter the text string you wish to use to replace the search text, or select one of the previously entered strings from the drop-down list.

Selected Objects: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search for the specified text string in the objects you have selected on the current slide. You can search a selection of text, text blocks, or buttons.

Current Slide: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search the current slide for the specified text string.

All Slides: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search the entire presentation for the specified text string.

Case Sensitive: Enabling this checkbox causes Astound to search for the exact text string - including the case of the characters (upper or lower) - that is specified in the Find What box. If this option is disabled, Astound will search for the text disregarding case.

Maintain Case: Enabling this checkbox causes Astound to maintain the case of the search text when inserting the replace text. For example, if you were replacing the word "balloon" and it was located in the selection with an upper case "B", the first letter of the replacement word would be upper case as well, even if you didn't enter it that way.

Confirm Replacement: Enabling this checkbox displays the Confirm Replacement dialog box each time the search text is located during the replacement operation.

Forward: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search forward from the cursor location to the end of the object, slide, or presentation.

Reverse: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search backward from the cursor point to the beginning of the object, slide, or presentation.

All: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search all your text in the specified area.

Replace: Clicking on this button causes Astound to replace the first occurrence of the search text and then stop, or to notify you at the first occurrence of the search text if the Confirm Replacement checkbox is enabled.

Replace All: Enabling this option causes Astound to replace all occurrences of the search text, or to display the Confirm Replacement dialog box at each occurrence of the search text.

Done: Clicking on this button begins the search and replace.

Related Topics:

Replacing Text


Find Text Dialog Box

Find What: In this box you can enter the text string you want to search for, or select one of the previously entered strings from the drop-down list.

Selected Objects: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search for the specified text string in the objects you have selected on the current slide. You can search a selection of text, text blocks, or buttons.

Current Slide: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search the current slide for the specified text string.

All Slides: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search the entire presentation for the specified text string.

Case Sensitive: Enabling this checkbox causes Astound to search for the exact text string - including the case of the characters (upper or lower) - that is specified in the Find What box. If this option is disabled, Astound will search for the text regardless of case.

Forward: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search forward from the cursor location to the end of the object, slide, or presentation.

Reverse: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search backward from the cursor point to the beginning of the object, slide, or presentation.

All: Enabling this radio button causes Astound to search all your text in the specified area.

Done: Clicking on this button begins the search.

Related Topics:

Finding Text

Finding a Selection of Text


Format Text Levels Dialog Box

Select Level to Define: You can choose which format level you want to specify options for, or you can choose to specify options for all levels.

Typespecs

Font: When the Font checkbox is enabled in the Type Specs box, you can choose a font for the format level(s) from the drop-down list of available fonts.

Size: When the Size checkbox is enabled in the Type Specs box, you can specify a text point size for the format level(s) by entering a value or selecting one from the drop-down list.

Alignment: When the Alignment checkbox is enabled, you can choose the justification option for the format level(s) from the drop-down list. You can make the text Left, Right, Center, or fully Justified.

Styles: You can select a text style for the format level(s) by enabling one of the checkboxes in the Styles box. You can choose Bold, Underline, Italic, or Strikeout text.

Bullets

Font: When the Font checkbox is enabled in the Bullets box, you can choose a font for the bullets in the format level(s) from the drop-down list of available fonts. This allows you to use a bullet that may not be available in the text font.

Size: When the Size checkbox is enabled in the Bullets box, you can choose a point size for the bullets in the format level(s) by entering a value or selecting one from the drop-down list.

Color: When the Color checkbox is enabled in the Bullets box, you can click on the button to display a Color Scheme pop-up window, from which you can select or create a color for the bullets in the format level(s).

Mark: When the Bullet Mark checkbox is enabled, you can choose a character to be used as a bullet in the format level(s). You can enter the character in the edit box, or select one from the drop-down list of characters available in the specified font.

Paragraph Spacing: When the checkbox is enabled, you can specify the spacing between paragraphs by entering a new number in the edit box. Paragraph spacing is measured as a percentage of the point size you have selected for your font.

Character Spacing: When the checkbox is enabled, you can specify the space between characters by entering a new number in the edit box. 100% is the normal character space. Numbers above 100 increase the spacing, and numbers below 100 decrease the spacing.

Line Spacing:	When this checkbox is enabled, you can choose the space between lines by entering a new number in the edit box. Line spacing is measured as a percentage of the point size you have selected for your font.

Text Color: When the Color checkbox is enabled, you can click on the button to display a Color Scheme pop-up window, from which you can select or create a color for the text in the format level(s).

Hanging Indent:  Enabling this checkbox and entering a value in the field will cause the first line of a paragraph to be indented from the left edge of the text block, by the amount specified.

Left Margin:  In this field you can specify how far from the left side of the text block the text begins. If a hanging indent is specified this setting applies to all lines in the paragraph except the first line.

Show Slide Background Color: Enabling this checkbox causes the slide's background color to be displayed in the background of the Preview box. This allows you to compare the slide color with the selected text color before you apply it.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the text, reflecting the currently specified options.

Related Topics:

Setting Margins

Editing Text Attributes for Format Levels

Text Format Levels


Gradient Dialog Box

Start Color: Clicking on this button displays a Color Scheme pop-up window, from which you can select or create a color on which the gradient will be based. The selected color will then be displayed on the face of the button.

Multi-Color...: Clicking on this button displays the Multi-Color Gradient dialog box, in which you can construct multi-color gradients.

End Color: This box displays a range of the selected gradient color, from its darkest to its lightest shades, from which you can select the end color of the gradient.

Direction: You can select a blend direction for the gradient by clicking on one of these buttons. The preview buttons in the Type box will change to reflect the selected direction option.

Type: You can select a blend type for the gradient by clicking on one of the preview buttons. You can choose gradients that are blended: from start color to end color, from end color to start color, from end color to start color and back to end color, or from start color to end color and back to start color.

Burst From Selected Object checkbox: Enabling this checkbox will make your gradient blend out from the object(s)selected on your slide when you started to create the gradient background. This option is only available if you are creating a background and have an object selected when you display this dialog box.

Tip: 	Using gradient fills on objects that will be transitioning may impact performance.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Fill Options


Gradient Background Dialog Box

Start Color: Clicking on this button displays the default or start color. Clicking on the button will display a color scheme pop-up so you can choose the start color for your gradient.

Multi-Color...: Clicking on this button displays the Multi-Color Gradient dialog box where you can choose any intermediate colors to be used in the gradient.

End Color band: This box displays the shade that will appear in the gradient. You can click anywhere on the band to specify the end color of the gradient.

Direction buttons: You can choose the gradient direction by clicking on one of these buttons. The gradient can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal in either direction, burst from the center, or burst from a corner.

Type options: You can select the gradient flow type by clicking on one of the buttons. The gradient can flow from: the start color to the end color, the end color to the start color, the end color to the start color and back to the end color again, or from the start color to the end color and then back to the start color again.

Burst From Selected Object checkbox: Enabling this checkbox will make your gradient blend out from the object(s)selected on your slide when you started to create the gradient background. This option is only available if you are creating a background and have an object selected when you display this dialog box.

Tip: 	On slides with a lot of movement, avoid using gradient backgrounds.  If you choose to use a gradient background then convert it to a bitmapusing the File/Slideshow/Optimize... command.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Fill Options


Headstart File Dialog Box
HeadStart Dialog Box

Template: In this drop-down list you can select a HeadStart presentation on which to base your own presentation.

Text: A description of the HeadStart presentation selected in the drop-down list appears here.

Preview: This box displays a preview of some of the slides in the presentation selected in the Template drop-down list.

Related Topics

Using HeadStart Presentations


Import Text File Dialog Box

Filename: In this field you can type in the name of the text file you want to import, or you can select a name from the drop-down list.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box, in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select the text file you want to import.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display text (.txt), Rich Text Format (.rtf), or all (*.*) files .

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the text file you want to import is located.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window so you can select a file to import.

Related Topics:

Importing Text

Importing Text in the Slide View


Insert OLE Object Dialog Box

Object Type: This list box displays a list of OLE object types that can be embedded in your document. The object types will be listed as applications that are currently registered on your system as OLE server applications.

Tip: 	To speed up playback time, use DIB format files (instead of TIFF or TGA for example) or embed the OLE object in the presentation.

Tip:	You can speed up playback time even further, by compressing embedded files.

Related Topics:

Embedding Objects Using the Insert OLE Object Command


Insert Time Dialog Box

Insert: In this edit box you can specify the number of seconds you want to add to the selected timeline(s), at the location displayed in the Insert At edit box.

Insert At: In this edit box you can specify the location in the selected timeline(s) at which you want to add the number of seconds specified in the Insert edit box.

Related Topics:

Timelines

Inserting Time in a Timeline


Line Spacing Dialog Box

Enter Spacing: In this edit box you can enter a value for the line spacing you want, as a percentage of normal spacing (100%).

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Line Weight Dialog Box

Set Line Weight: In this edit box you can set the line thickness by entering a value, in points.

Related Topics:

Line Options


Datasheet Links Dialog Box

Links: This list box displays a list of all OLE objects in the presentation that are currently linked to server documents. You can select the object(s), for which you want to edit the links, from the list.

Done: Clicking on this button closes the dialog box. Changes made to objects' links will still be in effect.

Automatic: Enabling this radio button specifies that the selected link(s) are updated automatically, whenever the object is edited.

Manual: Enabling this radio button specifies that the link(s) of the selected object(s) are updated only when you open the dialog box and update them yourself.

Update Now: Clicking on this button causes the selected link(s) to be updated.

Cancel Link: Clicking on this button causes the selected link(s) to be canceled. The object(s) with the canceled link(s) are pasted into the presentation.

Change Link...: Clicking on this button displays the Change Link dialog box, from which you can choose the server document to which you want to link the object.

Activate: Clicking on this button will open the Server application so that you can edit the datasheet.

Related Topics:

Importing Datasheets

Linking Objects

Updating Linked Objects

Breaking a Link

Deleting a Link

Fixing a Broken Link


Load Chart Format Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the chart format you want to load into memory, or you can select a name from the drop-down list of currently loaded formats.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This field displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box, that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the chart format you want to load.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display either chart format (.asg) or all (*.*) files.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the chart format you want to load is located.

Related Topics:

Loading Chart Formats


Load User Dictionary Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the dictionary file you want to load into memory, or you can select a name from the drop-down list.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box. From this list, you can select the dictionary file you want to load.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display either pictograph (.gpc) or all (*.*) files.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the dictionary file you want to load is located.

Currently Loaded Dictionaries: These fields identify the main dictionary and the User dictionary being used.

Related Topics:

Loading a User Dictionary


MultiColor Gradient Dialog Box
Multi-Color Gradient Dialog Box

Colors: This box displays the colors in the current color scheme for use in your gradient, as well as buttons that allow you access to the eyedropper, color mixer, and color spectrum.

Eyedropper: Clicking on this button displays the Eyedropper dialog box, and changes the cursor to an eyedropper, which you can use to select any color currently displayed on your screen for use in your gradient.

Color Mixer: Clicking on this button displays the Color Mixer dialog box, from which you can create a color to use in your gradient.

Color Spectrum: Clicking on this button displays the Color Spectrum dialog box, from which you can choose a color to use in your gradient.

Dither Colors: Enabling this checkbox blends adjacent colors in the specified gradient, blurring the boundary lines between adjacent colors. When this option is disabled, colors in the gradient will tend to appear in distinct bands.

Use Intermediate Colors: Enabling this checkbox adds extra colors between the colors you select for the gradient, resulting in smoother transitions between colors. When this option is disabled, you may see stark transitions between adjacent colors that are dissimilar.

Previous: This list box displays the gradients that currently exist in the presentation. You can open any of the gradients you have already created from the list.

Color Bar: This bar displays a preview of the current gradient. To add additional colors to the gradient, click the mouse button just to the left of the color bar and place a pointer.  To change the color of an existing pointer, select the pointer and then choose a new color from the Colors box.  To remove a color from the gradient, click on one of the existing pointers and drag it off the color bar to the left.  To reposition a color in the gradient, click on one of the existing pointers and drag it up or down to a new location.  The pointer locations are marked on a scale of 1 to 100% from bottom to top.

Tip: Using gradient fills on objects that will be transitioning may impact performance.

Related Topics:

Creating a Multi-Color Gradient Fill

Fill Options

Backgrounds


Name Pictograph Dialog Box

When you choose the Chart/Define Pictograph command, this dialog box appears. It allows you to enter a name for the object you are defining as a pictograph.

Enter Name for New Pictograph: In this edit box you can enter a name for the object you are defining as a pictograph.

Related Topics:

Pictographs

Defining a Pictograph Object


Number of Points Dialog Box

When you double click on the Star drawing tool, this dialog box appears. It allows you to specify how many points will be on the stars that you draw.

Number of Points: In this edit box you can enter the number of points that you want your star to have when you draw them.

Related Topics:

Changing the Number of Points in a Star


Number of Sides Dialog Box

When you double click on the Regular Polygon drawing tool, this dialog box appears. It allows you to specify the number of sides that your polygons will have when you draw them.

Number of Sides: In this edit box you can enter the number of sides that you want your polygons to have when you draw them.

Related Topics:

Changing the Number of Sides in a Polygon


Object Display Dialog Box

This dialog box contains options that allow you to change the interior, border, and shadow attributes of one or more selected objects. The contents of this dialog box change depending upon which radio button is selected.

Related Topics:

Line Options

Fill Options

Interior Attributes

Border Attributes

Shadow Attributes


Border Attributes

When the Border radio button is selected, the Object Display dialog box will change to include the object border options, which you can use to control the display and size of object borders.

Show Border: Enabling this checkbox enables the pattern and color options.

Pattern: Clicking on this box displays the pattern palette from which you can select a pattern to apply to the border.

Foreground Color: Clicking on this box displays the color palette from which you can select or create a color to apply to the foreground of the border. Foreground colors become visible when you choose a pattern.

Background Color: Clicking on this box displays the color palette from which you can select or create a color to apply to the background of the border. Background colors become visible when you choose a pattern.

Border Size: This box displays a preview of the currently specified border size. You can click in this preview box or drag out the border preview to specify a border size. When you click or drag to specify border size, your choice is reflected in the Border Size radio buttons and fields.

Border Size: You can select a thickness for the object borders by enabling any of the radio buttons in the Border Size box. You can choose 1 Point, 2 Point, 4 Point, or 8 Point. Your choice will be reflected in the Preview box.

Other: Enabling this radio button causes the values displayed in the Width and Height fields to specify the object's border thickness.

Width and Height: When the Other radio button is enabled, the values displayed in these edit boxes will be used to specify the border size of the selected object(s). You can enter a custom width and height, which will be reflected in the Preview box.

Accept Changes: Clicking on this button applies only the modified attributes to the selected objects. For example, you can change the foreground color of a group of objects without changing any other interior, border or shadow attributes.

Accept All: Clicking on the Accept All button gives all selected objects the attributes currently displayed in the dialog box.

Related Topics:

Line Options


Interior Attributes
Interior Attributes Dialog Box

When the Interior radio button is selected, the Object Display dialog box will change to include the object interior options, which you can use to control the color and pattern of object interiors.

Show Interior: Enabling this checkbox causes the colors and pattern used to fill the interior of the selected object(s) to be displayed.

Pattern: Clicking on this box displays the pattern palette from which you can select a pattern to apply to the border.

Foreground Color: Clicking on this box displays the color palette from which you can select or create a color to apply to the foreground of the border. Foreground colors become visible when you choose a pattern.

Background Color: Clicking on this box displays the color palette from which you can select or create a color to apply to the background of the border. Background colors become visible when you choose a pattern.

Gradient: Clicking on this button displays a Gradient pop-up menu, from which you can select or create a gradient to apply to the interior(s) of the selected object(s).

Texture: Clicking on this button displays the Textures dialog box from which you can select or create a texture to fill the selected object(s) with.

Invert: Clicking on this button reverses the foreground and background colors.

Accept Changes: Clicking on this button applies only the modified attributes to the selected objects. For example, you can change the foreground color of a group of objects without changing any other interior, border or shadow attributes.

Accept All: Clicking on this button gives all selected objects the attributes currently displayed in the dialog box.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Backgrounds


Shadow Attributes
Shadow Attributes Dialog Box

When the Shadow radio button is selected, the Object Display dialog box will change to include the object shadow options, which you can use to control the display and placement of object shadows.

Show Shadow: Enabling this checkbox causes the shadow of the selected object(s) to be displayed. When this option is disabled, the object shadows will not display.

Pattern: Clicking on this box displays the pattern palette from which you can select a pattern to apply to the border.

Foreground Color: Clicking on this box displays the color palette from which you can select or create a color to apply to the foreground of the border. Foreground colors become visible when you choose a pattern.

Background Color: Clicking on this box displays the color palette from which you can select or create a color to apply to the background of the border. Background colors become visible when you choose a pattern.

Invert: Clicking on this button reverses the foreground and background colors.

Shadow Offset preview: This box displays a preview of the shadow with the currently specified offset values. You can click in the preview box, or drag the shadow symbol to specify shadow location. Shadow placement will be reflected in the Horizontal and Vertical edit boxes.

Horizontal: This edit box displays the horizontal offset of the shadow. You can enter a value to specify the location of the shadow relative to the object in the horizontal direction. The specified value will be reflected in the preview box.

Vertical: This edit box displays the vertical offset of the shadow. You can enter a value to specify the location of the shadow relative to the object in the vertical direction. The specified value will be reflected in the preview box.

Accept Changes: Clicking on this button applies only the modified attributes to the selected objects. For example, you can change the foreground color of a group of objects without changing any other interior, border or shadow attributes.

Accept All: Clicking on the Accept All button gives all selected objects the attributes currently displayed in the dialog box.

Related Topics:

Fill Options

Backgrounds

Creating a Shadow using the Shadow Tool


MCI Script Dialog Box

Script Name: In this field you can enter a name for a new MCI Script. You can choose any descriptive name up to 30 characters long that will help you remember what the MCI script does.

Its especially important to enter a script name when you use templates because Astound gives your MCI script an Alias based on this name. An Alias is a key word that you use to refer to which device and/or file you are using throughout your MCI Script.

If you do not enter a script name, you will have to replace every instance of the {Alias} field in each MCI command with a proper {Alias} name manually. Alternatively, you can fill in a script name at any time, and choose the Fill Existing Script template. Astound will then fill the {Alias} fields in your current MCI Script sections for you.

Beginning, Entry, Exit and Ending: Clicking on one of these radio buttons will allow you to view or edit the corresponding portion of the MCI Script. The listed MCI command(s) will be executed at the beginning, entry, exit or ending handles of an MCI objects timeline.

Text Entry box: This box displays the text of your MCI Script. You can view and edit the portion of your script associated with the selected beginning, entry, exit and ending radio buttons

Execute: Clicking on this button will test the current script section.

Step: Clicking on this button will test your script line by line. Each command will be executed when you press the [Enter] key to enter the current MCI command. The output and error messages will be shown in the MCI Output and Error fields at the bottom of the dialog box. Testing your script line by line allows you to debug the commands one by one.

Device: Clicking on the Device radio button displays a list of available MCI devices you can initiate.

File: Clicking on the File radio button enables the Select... button. When you click on this button, the Select Media File dialog box appears, from which you can search for a specific MCI file.

Select: Clicking on this radio button will display the Select Media File dialog box from which you can choose the file you want to use.

Template: This drop-down list contains a list of MCI templates that correspond to your file or device selection. Play: The Play template plays the device during the stable time (the solid blue portion of the MCI objects timeline). Some of the most common templates include:

Play From Position: The Play From Position template plays the device during the stable time of an MCI objects timeline, from a user specified position on that device. For example, you can play a CD ROM from track 3 instead of from the beginning.

Play In Transition: The Play In Transition template plays the device during the entry and exit transition times (during the striped portion of a MCI objects timeline).

Apply: Clicking on this button causes the template commands for the selected template to appear in the text entry box. Clicking on the beginning, entry, exit and ending radio buttons will display the portion of the script associated with that portion of the timeline.

MCI Output: This field will display the status of the current line of script you are testing.

Error: This field will display any error messages as they occur during the testing of your script.


Object Information Dialog Box

Type: This field displays the type of object selected.

Embedded: This field indicates whether or not the selected object is an embedded OLE object.

Associated File: If the selected object is a linked OLE object, this field displays the path and name of the file to which it is linked.

Origin: This field  indicates the source of the selected object.

Usage: This field indicates the number of times the object is used in the current presentation.

Displays On Slides: This drop-down list contains the names of the slides on which the object is used.

Mouse: If the object has interactivity, this field displays the mouse click designated as the interactive trigger.

Key: If the object has interactivity, this field displays the keystroke designated as the interactive trigger.

Action: If the object has interactivity, this field displays the interactive action response that is defined for the object.

Flow: If the object has interactivity, this field displays the interactive flow control response that is defined for the object.

Show Interior: This field indicates whether the object's interior display is enabled or disabled.

Show Border: This field indicates whether the object's border display is enabled or disabled.

Show Shadow: This field indicates whether the object's shadow display is enabled or disabled.

Actual Position: This field indicates the horizontal and vertical location of the object on the page. The position is given in the currently selected units away from the top left corner of the slide.

Actual Size: This field displays the height and width of the object.

Total: This field displays the object's display duration as specified on its timeline.

Transition In: This field displays the name of any entry transition assigned to the object, as well as the length of the transition, in seconds and percentage of total display time.

Idle: This field displays the amount of static time that the object sits on the screen, as specified in its timeline.

Transition Out: This field displays the name of any exit transition assigned to the object, as well as the length of the transition, in seconds and percentage of total display time.


Object Interaction Dialog Box

Trigger: This drop-down list box displays the user action that triggers the interactive response. You can select an interactive trigger from the drop-down list. Options are single or double left or right mouse clicks.

Keystroke: This edit box displays the keystroke that triggers the interactive response. If you enter a keystroke in this field, it will be used as the interactivity trigger. If you do not, the edit box will display "None", and the trigger in the drop-down list box will be used.

Finish Slide Flow Control: Selecting this checkbox will cause the slide - including any sound, video, and animation placed on it - to play through its timeline before jumping to another part of the presentation as the result of a flow control, but you can trigger an object any time after its entry transition is finished. If you do not enable this option, the response will occur as soon as the trigger is detected during the interactive object's static time.

User Triggers an Interactive Object: Enabling this radio button causes the slide's playback to pause at the point on the timeline where the object is fully displayed and finished any entry transition, until the user clicks the mouse button on an interactive object, or strikes the specified key.

Any Input Occurs: Enabling this radio button causes the slide's playback to pause at the point on the timeline where the object is fully displayed and finished any entry transition, until the user clicks the mouse button or presses the specified keystrokes.

Do Not Pause Slide: Enabling this radio button specifies that the slide does not pause its playback.

Sound: This drop-down list displays sound responses that can occur when the user triggers an interactive response.

Action: This drop-down list box displays the selected interactive action response. This type of response involves the playback or display of specific objects, sounds, actors, videos, or animated movies. You can also choose to launch another application. When you select an interactive action from the drop-down list, the Setup area will contain options to specify what object to use, a preview box or button, and the option of having the object displayed on the slide or hidden until it is triggered.

Flow Controls: This drop-down list box displays the selected interactive flow control response. This type of response involves directing the order of slide playback in the presentation. You can go to a specific slide, the next slide, previous slide, first slide, last slide step back one slide, or play a range of slides.	You can also restart the current slide or stop the slideshow playback. When you select an interactive flow control from the drop-down list, the Setup area may contain options to specify pages or page ranges.

There is a difference between Step Back One Slide and Go to Previous Slide. Step Back One Slide causes the last slide that played, immediately before the current slide, to be played again. Go to Previous Slide causes the previous slide in the normal order of the presentation to play. For example, suppose you create a presentation that is twelve slides long. On the third slide, the user triggers an interactive object that takes him to the ninth slide. The ninth slide plays, and the user then triggers an interactive object that specifies Go to Previous Slide. The next slide to play will be the eighth slide. If the interactive object on the ninth slide had specified Step Back One Slide, the next slide to play would have been the third slide.

Setup area: This area contains options for the selected interactive response.

No Interaction: Clicking on this button removes all interactive responses from the selected object(s).

Related Topics:

Interactivity

Assigning Interaction

Removing Interactivity

Redirecting Playback Order


Actions

The interactive options in the Action list involve the playback or display of specific objects, actors, videos, or animated movies, or the launch of another application.

(None): Selecting this option specifies that there are no interactive responses involving the playback or display of specific objects.

Movie: Selecting this option results in a specified video or animated movie playing or being controlled in response to the interactive trigger.

OLE Object: Selecting this option plays a specified OLE object in response to the interactive trigger.

Actor: Selecting this option plays a specified actor in response to the interactive trigger.

Picture: Selecting this option results in a specified picture being displayed in response to the interactive trigger.

Other Objects: Selecting this option results in the specified object being displayed in response to the interactive trigger.

MCI Script: Selecting this option results in the specified MCI script being run. This script might run an MCI controllable piece of hardware such as a laserdisc player or it might run another application and perform some calculations.

Application: Selecting this option runs the selected application using any parameters specified. For example, if you were giving a presentation that discussed the sales forecast for your company, you could display your spreadsheet that included all of your calculations to explain the outcome of the projections based on variables.


Action Setup Options

Object to Play: This drop-down list contains the names of all of the objects of the selected action type currently on the slide. You can select any of these objects to be shown in response to the interactive trigger.

NOTE: This option will change depending on which item you have selected. For example, it will be Movie to Play or Actor to Play.

Hide Object Until Trigger: Enabling this option hides the playback of the selected object on the slide. Disabling this option causes the selected object to be displayed. The interactive timeline is not used until the interactive response is triggered.

Action on Object Timeline: From this list box you can select Start Timeline, Stop Timeline, Toggle Timeline, or Begin Exit Time. If you select Start Timeline, the interactive trigger will cause the object's timeline to start. If you select Stop Timeline, the interactive trigger will stop the object's timeline (a movie would play until you invoke the interactive trigger) instead of starting to play after the trigger. If you select Toggle Timeline the interactive trigger will reverse whether or not the timeline is being used. For example if the movie was playing, clicking on the interactive trigger button would stop it and clicking on the button again would restart it from the beginning. If you select Begin Exit Time, the object will begin playback at its exit transition.

If the action is Movie, the Action on Object Timeline list will also have a movie control option. This option only has an effect if your movie is an .avi or. mov file. When you select this option the Movie Control list box is added to the options box.

Movie Control: In this list box you can select how the interactive trigger will affect the playback of the .avi video or .mov movie. You can choose to have the interactive trigger pause, toggle between play and pause, play forward or backward, fast forward, rewind, play slowly forward or backward, display the next or previous frame, or skip to the start or end of the video.

Preview Box: A preview of the selected object is displayed in this are.

Show Background: If this option is enabled, the slide background is displayed in the preview box.


Flow Controls

The interactive options in the Flow Control list involve directing the order of slide playback in the presentation.

(None): Selecting this option specifies that there will be no effect on the normal order of slide playback that you have set.

Go to Specific Slide: Selecting this option jumps to a specified slide in response to the interactive trigger. In the Setup area you will be able to select which slide you want the presentation to play next.

Go to Next Slide: Selecting this option plays the next slide in the presentation in response to the interactive trigger.

Go to Previous Slide: Selecting this option plays the previous slide in the presentation in response to the interactive trigger.

Go to First Slide: Selecting this option plays the first slide in the presentation in response to the interactive trigger.

Go to Last Slide: Selecting this option plays the last slide in the presentation in response to the interactive trigger.

Go to Marker: Selecting this option jumps to a previously defined slide marker in response to the interactive trigger. In the Options box you will be able to select the marker that you wish to begin playing from. Rather than jumping to the start of the slide containing the marker, this option jumps directly to the point in the slide's timeline specified by the marker. Markers are set in the timeline window of the associated slide.

Next Played Slide: Selecting this option plays the slide designated by the Play Next dialog (Slide/Play Next...) box for the current slide.

Last Played Slide:  Selecting this option plays the slide that was played just before the currently playing slide in response to the interactive trigger. It is different from the Go to Previous Slide option in that it will jump to the slide that was actually played last. For example, if you got to slide ten by jumping from slide two, Last Played Slide would take you back to slide two, whereas Previous Slide would take you to slide nine.

Play a Range of Slides: Selecting this option plays the specified range of slides in response to the interactive trigger. The Setup area contains the Play Range Options in which you can select the first slide of the range you want played, and the last slide of the range that you want played. Unlike the other jump options, this one will automatically jump back to the current slide after the range is played.

Restart Current Slide: Selecting this option replays the current slide in response to the interactive trigger.

Stop Slideshow Playback: Selecting this option will pause the presentation in response to the interactive trigger. Once the screen is paused, you cannot click on this to unpause it. There is no "unpause" action. If you click on any interactive object other than one that is set to pause, the slide will continue doing the interaction you just triggered.


Object Path Animation Dialog Box

This dialog box contains options that allow you to place entry and exit path animations for the selected object(s), as well as specifying timelines for these options.

Entry Path: Enabling this checkbox displays an entry path icon and an image of the entry path routing to appear in the Preview box. This represents the entry path animation that will be applied to the selected object.

Exit Path: Enabling this checkbox displays an exit path icon and an image of the exit path routing to appear in the Preview box. This represents the exit path animation that will be applied to the selected object.

Show Slide: Enabling this checkbox causes all objects on the slide, including the slide background, to be displayed in the Preview box. If this option is disabled, only the object for which you are setting a path animation will be displayed.

On: Enabling this checkbox causes the timeline settings specified in the timeline box to be applied to the selected object's path animation.

Timeline: You can use the timeline to specify entry and exit path animation times, as well as the object's static time between these events.

Seconds/Percentage: Clicking on this button toggles the scale displayed on the timeline between seconds and percentage. The face of the button changes to display the scale option not currently selected.

Preview: This box displays the selected object and, depending on the options you have selected, the contents of the slide on which the object is located, an entry path icon and routing line, and an exit path icon and routing line. You can adjust the object's position on the slide and the entry and exit path routings by dragging the object and the entry and exit path icons to the desired locations.

Tip: 	If you have difficulty animating large paragraphs of text, break the text into smaller chunks.

If objects seem to jerk across the screen, try increasing their timeline

Related Topics:

Timelines

Object Path Animations


Object Storage Dialog Box

Linked: Enabling this radio button will create a link between the file you are importing and your Astound presentation.

Embedded: Enabling this radio button will save a copy of the file you are importing with your presentation.

Tip: 	You can speed up playback time by compressing embedded files However, embedding Quicktime or Video for Windows files will slow playback time considerably.


Object Transition Dialog Box

Entry: Enabling this radio button enables the Entry list box, from which you can select a transition for the selected object's entry.

Entry: This list displays available entry transitions. You can select an entry transition by clicking on its name in the list. Any options associated with the selected transition will appear in the Transition Options box.

Exit: Enabling this option enables the Exit list box, from which you can select a transition for the selected object's exit.

Exit: This list displays available exit transitions. You can select an exit transition by clicking on its name in the list. Any options associated with the selected transition will appear in the Transition Options box.

On: Enabling this checkbox causes the timeline settings specified in the timeline box to be applied to the selected object's entry and/or exit transition(s).

Timeline: You can specify entry and exit times for the transitions you select for the object. If you have selected the Preview option, a marker below the timeline will move along the specified entry/exit portions of the timeline as the preview animates, indicating the progress of the transition as it plays.

Seconds/Percentage: Clicking on this button toggles the scale displayed on the timeline between seconds and percentage. The face of the button changes to display the scale option not currently selected.

Transition Options: This box displays the transition options associated with the selected transition. You can use these options to further define the transition you have selected. The options can include: list boxes, direction button palettes, slide controls, and other items.

Preview: Enabling this checkbox displays an animated preview of the object in the Preview box, as well as a progress marker below the timeline. The preview reflects the selected transition(s) and specified timeline, and the animation is continuous, following the progress of the marker through the entry and/or exit transition times.

Preview: When the Preview option is enabled, this box displays an animated preview of the object which reflects the selected transition(s) and specified entry/exit times.

Apply Independently to Grouped Objects: If you are selecting transitions for grouped objects, enabling this checkbox causes the transitions to be applied to each object in the group individually. If this option is disabled, the grouped objects will be considered as a single object, and the transitions will be applied to the group as a whole.

Entry: Enabling this checkbox causes the selected entry transition and options to be applied to the selected object(s).

Exit: Enabling this checkbox causes the selected exit transition and options to be applied to the selected object(s).

Tip: 	Using gradient fills on objects that will be transitioning may impact performance.

Converting complex clip art to bitmaps will help ensure smooth transitions but will not permit the use of a rotation transition.

If you have difficulty animating large paragraphs of text, break the text into smaller chunks.

 Using more than 2 large objects in a transition at the same time will not only distract the viewer, but it will also slow slide playback.

Charts should be given as much time as possible to transition. Smooth chart transitions are more appealing visually and cause fewer problems if you optimize the slideshow later on.

Related Topics:

Changing Single Transition Attributes

Charting Options

Object Transitions


Transition Options

All slide transitions except Snake In and Roll Down have a Constrain to Time checkbox and a Seconds edit box. When you enable the Constrain to Time checkbox, the transition is performed in the number of seconds specified in the Seconds edit box.

Cover (Objects, Slides): When Cover is selected, the Direction palette appears in the Transition Options box. Using the buttons in this palette, you can specify the direction from which the cover is performed.

Fade (Slides): When Fade is selected, the Fade Color box appears in the Transition Options box. Pressing and holding on this box displays a color palette, which you can use to select the color that the slide will fade from. There is no preview for this transition.

Funky Shapes (Objects): When Funky Shapes is selected, the Effects list appears in the Transition Options box, from which you can select the shape that the object dissolves into or appears from. The Horizontal Tiles and Vertical Tiles fields also appear in the Transition Options box. You can specify in these fields how many copies of the selected shape are used for the dissolve, in a horizontal and vertical array.

Grow (Objects): When Grow is selected, the Direction palette appears in the Transition Options box. Using the buttons in this palette, you can specify the direction from which the grow is performed.

Horizontal Blinds (Objects, Slides): When Horizontal Blinds is selected, the Number of Blinds field appears in the Transition Options box. The number you specify in this field determines the number of blinds that are used in the transition.

Patterns (8x8) (Objects, Slides): When Patterns (8x8) is selected, the Patterns list appears in the Transition Options box. From this box, you can select the pattern that the eight pixel by eight pixel squares dissolve into or appear from.

Random (Slides): When Random is selected, any slide transition may be used. The slide transitions are randomly chosen by Astound at playback time.

Random Pixels (Objects, Slides): When Random Pixels is selected, the Pixel Block Size box and fields appear in the Transition Options box. You can drag out the size of the individual pixels that are used for the transition, or you can specify their size numerically. The Randomness slider also appears in the Transition Options box. You can use this control to specify how random the appearance of the pixels is.

Roll Down (Slides): There are no transition options associated with the Roll Down transition.

Rotation (Objects): When Rotation is selected, the rotation options appear in the Transition Options box. This transition is not available for some types of objects, such as text, bitmaps, videos, animation and actors.

Slider (Objects): When Slider is selected, the Direction palette appears in the Transition Options box. Using the buttons in this palette, you can specify the direction from which the object slides onto the screen. The Effects combo box also appears in the Transition Options box. From the drop-down list you can select an option specifying the way in which the selected object slides into position.

Snake In (Slides): There are no transition options associated with the Roll Down transition.

Text Transition (Objects): When Text Transition is selected, the Direction palette appears in the Transition Options box, along with the Separation list box, the Effects list box, and the Pause in Between checkbox. There is also a Highlight checkbox and a button for choosing the Highlight color.

Uncover (Objects, Slides): When Uncover is selected, the Direction palette appears in the Transition Options box. Using the buttons in this palette, you can specify the direction from which the uncover is performed.

Vertical Blinds (Objects, Slides): When Vertical Blinds is selected, the Number of Blinds field appears in the Transition Options box. The number you specify in this field determines the number of blinds that are used in the transition.

Wipe (Objects, Slides): When Wipe is selected, the Direction palette appears in the Transition Options box. Using the buttons in this palette, you can specify the direction from which the wipe is performed.


Open Actor Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the actor file you want to open, or you can select a name from the drop-down list. The last few files opened are listed in this combo box.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the actor file you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the actor file you want to open is located.

File Types: Specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display either actor or all files.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the actor file you want to open is located.

Preview: Clicking on this button causes a single-frame preview of the actor in the selected file to be created and displayed in the Preview box.

Preview: This box displays a single-frame preview of the actor in the selected file when you click on the Preview button.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window where you can select an actor to open.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Open Datasheet Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can enter the name of the datasheet file that you want to open, or you can select it from the drop-down list. The last few files opened are listed in this combo box.

Directory: This field displays the currently selected drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the datasheet file that you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the subdirectories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the datasheet file you want to open is located.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. From the drop-down list, you can select the type of datasheet files you want displayed. You can choose to display Astound Datasheet, Microsoft Excel (Ver 2,3), Lotus 1-2-3 (Ver 1,1A,2), Tab/Return Delimited (spreadsheet data saved as text files), or all files.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the file containing the datasheet file you want to use is located.

Related Topics:

Creating a Datasheet

Opening Datasheets and Importing Spreadsheet Data


Open Master Slide Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the master slide which you want to open, or you can select a name from the drop-down list. The last few files opened are listed in this combo box.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the master slide you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the master slide you want to open is located.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display bitmaps (.bmp), Astound master slides (.asm), or all files (*.*).

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the master slide you want to open is located.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window where you can select a master slide to open.

Related Topics:

Creating Master Slides

Editing Master Slides


Open Object Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the file containing the object you want to open, or you can select a name from the drop-down list. The last few files opened are listed in this combo box.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This field displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the file containing the object which you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the file containing the object you want to open is located.

File Types: This drop-down list specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display Astound Objects (.aso), or all files (*.*).

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the file containing the object you want to open is located.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window where you can select an object to open.

Related Topics:

Importing Objects


Load Pictograph Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the pictograph file which you want to open, or you can select a name from the drop-down list. The last few files opened are listed in this combo box.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory and the files contained therein.

Files: This field displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the file you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the file you want to open is located.

Related Topics:

Pictographs


Open Picture Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the picture file you want to open, or you can select a name from the drop-down list.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the picture file you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the picture file you want to open is located.

File Types: This drop-down list specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display bitmap, PCX, GIF, TIFF, Photo CD, CGM, PICT, TARGA, or all files (*.*).

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the picture file you want to open is located.

Preview: Clicking on this button causes a preview of the picture in the selected file to be created and displayed in the Preview box.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the picture in the selected file when you click on the Preview button.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window.

Related Topics:

Picture Options


Open Presentation Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the presentation file you want to open, or you can select it from the drop-down list. The last few files opened are listed in this combo box.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the presentation file you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory which contains the file you want to open.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the file you want to open is located.

Preview: Selecting this checkbox causes a preview of the selected presentation file to appear in the Preview box.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the selected presentation file when the Preview checkbox is enabled.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window so you can search for a presentation to open.

Related Topics:

Opening a Presentation


Open Slide Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the slide which you want to open, or you can select a name from the drop-down list. The last few files opened are listed in this combo box.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box, in the location displayed here will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box, in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select the slide you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the slide you want to open is located.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display Astound Slides (.asv), or all files (*.*).

Drives: This drop-down list displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the slide you want to open is located.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window so you can search for a slide to open.

Related Topics:

Importing

Importing Slides and Master Slides


Open Sound Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the sound file you want to open, or you can select a name from the drop-down list. The last few files opened are listed in this combo box.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the sound file you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the sound file you want to open is located.

File Types: This drop-down list specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display Wave (.wav), MIDI (.mid), or all (*.*) files .

Drives: This drop-down list displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the sound file you want to open is located.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window.

Play: Clicking on this button causes the currently selected sound to play.

Related Topics:

Importing Sounds Directly to a Slide

Loading Sounds into Memory


Open Movie Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the movie file you want to open, or you can select a name from the drop-down list. The last few files opened are listed in this combo box.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box that are located in the current directory. From this list, you can select the movie file you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the movie file you want to open is located.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed.

Drives: This drop-down list displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the video file you want to open is located.

Preview: Clicking on this button causes a single-frame preview of the currently selected video to be displayed in the Preview box.

Preview: This box displays a single-frame preview of the selected video when you click on the Preview button.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button opens the Media Manager window so you can search for a movie to open.

Related Topics:

Movie Options


Page Setup Dialog Box

This dialog box contains options that allow you to define the page orientation, size, margins, and headers and footers for printing.

Format: You can select the presentation output that you want to format for printing by enabling one of these radio buttons. You can choose to set up the slides, speaker notes, outline, or handouts.

Sizes: This drop-down list box displays the currently specified page size for printing. You can select a predefined page size from the drop-down list, or select Custom, which allows you to specify your own page size in the edit boxes.

Width and Height: When you select the Custom option from the Sizes drop-down list, these edit boxes are enabled. You can enter the width and height of the pages at which you want the slides, handouts, speaker notes, or outline printed.

Margins: You can specify the page margins by entering values in the edit boxes in the Margins box.

Portrait: Enabling this radio button causes the printed pages to use a portrait orientation, which uses the longer page dimension as the page height.

Landscape : Enabling this radio button causes the printed pages to use a landscape orientation, which uses the longer page dimension as the page width.

Print Header: You can specify a header that will be printed with each page by enabling the checkbox and entering the text of the header in the edit box.

Print Footer: You can specify a footer that will be printed with each page by enabling the checkbox and entering the text of the footer in the edit box.

Related Topics:

Adding Codes to Headers and Footers

Page Setup

Creating a Handout Master

Printing a Presentation


Paragraph Spacing Dialog Box

Enter Spacing: In this field you can enter the desired paragraph spacing. Paragraph spacing is measured as a percentage of the point size you have selected for the text in the paragraph. 100% will be the height of the tallest character for the font and point size you have selected.

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Paste Special Dialog Box

Source: This field displays the source and filename of the clipboard contents if the contents are a saved file and have been copied from an OLE registered server application.

Data Type: This list box displays a list of available data formats in which you can paste the clipboard contents.

Paste: Clicking on this button causes the selected source object to be placed on the slide, and embedded in your current presentation.

Paste Link: Clicking on this button causes the selected OLE object to be placed on the slide, and linked to its source application from your current presentation.

Related Topics:

Embedding Objects Using the Paste Special Command

Linking Objects to Astound from another Application


Pattern Background Dialog Box

Pattern: Clicking on this button displays a Pattern pop-up palette, from which you can choose a pattern to use as a slide background.

Foreground Color: Clicking on this button displays a Color Scheme pop-up window, from which you can select a pattern foreground color for use in the slide foreground.

Background Color: Clicking on this button displays a Color Scheme pop-up window, from which you can select a pattern background color for use in the slide background.

Invert: Clicking on this button causes the selected foreground and background colors to be switched.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the slide background, reflecting the currently selected pattern, and foreground and background colors.

Related Topics:

Creating a Pattern Background


Slide Marker Dialog Box

Name:  In this field, you can specify a name for the marker.

Pause At: In this edit box you can specify the point in the slide's timeline at which you want to pause playback.

Pause For: Enabling this radio button allows you to specify the duration of the pause, in seconds, in the edit box.

Pause Slide: Enabling this checkbox will add a pause to the slide at the merker location.

Pause Indefinitely: Enabling this radio button causes the presentation to pause, and resume only when you click on an object with interactivity. If you also have the Continue on Mouse Click checkbox enabled, the presentation will restart whenever the mouse is clicked.

Continue on Mouse Click: Enabling this checkbox causes the presentation to resume whenever the mouse is clicked, when you have the Pause Indefinitely option enabled.

Related Topics:

Moving Markers

Timelines

Placing a Slide Marker and Adding a Pause


Picture Background Dialog Box

Currently Loaded: In this drop-down list box you can choose a picture to use as a slide background from the drop-down list of pictures that are already loaded into memory.

Drawing: Clicking on this button opens Astound Draw from where you can create or edit a picture background.  You can choose to embed the picture right into your Astound presentation, or to link it from its Astound Draw file to your Astound Presentation.

Image: Clicking on this button opens Astound Image from where you can create or edit an image background.  You can choose to embed the picture right into your Astound presentation, or to link it from its Astound Image file to your Astound Presentation.

Open...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Picture dialog box, from which you can choose a picture file to load into memory for use as a slide background.

Replace...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Picture dialog box, from which you can choose a picture file to globally replace the currently selected picture.

Edit:: Clicking on this button displays the current picture in the appropriate editor so you can modify it.

Remove: Clicking on this button removes the currently selected picture from memory. The picture will no longer be available in the drop-down list, and will not display if you have used it elsewhere in the same presentation.

Tile: Enabling this radio button causes the picture to be tiled, at its original size, to fill the entire slide.

Center: Enabling this radio button causes the picture to be centered on the slide, at its original size. If the picture is smaller than the slide, a black border will appear around the picture.

Make Fit: Enabling this radio button causes the picture to be scaled to fit the entire slide.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the currently selected picture.

Select:: Clicking on this button displays the selected picture as the slide background.

Done: Clicking on this button returns you to Astound without loading the selected picture as the background.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds


Print Dialog Box

Current Printer: This field displays the currently selected printer.

Select...: Clicking on this button displays the Printer Setup dialog box, from which you can select a different printer, and display dialog boxes that allow you to set other printer options.

Slides: Enabling this radio button causes the slides specified in the Print box to be printed as slides, according to the layout selected.

Speaker Notes: Enabling this radio button causes the speaker notes attached to the slides specified in the Print box to be printed, according to the layout selected.

Outline: Enabling this radio button causes the outline for your presentation, including only the text on the slides specified in the Print box, to be printed. Enable the Print Visible Text Only checkbox in the Options box if you want only visible items to print. If you want all the text on the outline to show, you should disable the Print Visible Text Only checkbox.

Handouts: Enabling this radio button causes the slides specified in the Print box to be printed as handouts, according to the layout selected. Handouts can be used by your audience as a record of the presentation on which they can make notes.

Slide Page Setup...: Clicking on this button displays the Page Setup dialog box, in which you can set the page size, page orientation, margins, and headers/footers. These options will change depending on what you are printing,

All Slides: Enabling this radio button causes all of the slides in the presentation to be included in the printed output, as specified in the Format box.

Current/Selected Slide(s): Enabling this radio button causes only the current or selected slide(s) in the presentation to be included in the printed output, as specified in the Format box.

Changed Since Last Print:  Enabling this radio button causes only the slides in the presentation that have been changed since the last time they were printed to be included in the printed output, as specified in the Format box.

Range:  Enabling the radio button causes the range of slides specified in the From and To edit boxes to be included in the printed output, as specified in the Format box.

Page Layout: You can select the number of slides, speaker note pages, or miniatures for handouts that are printed per page. You can select from one to six items per page, which will be arranged according to the symbols on the buttons.

Reverse Slide Order: Enabling this checkbox causes the order of the slides included in the printed output to be reversed.

Omit Backgrounds: Enabling this checkbox causes the backgrounds to be excluded from the slides in the printed output.

Omit Gradients: If you select this checkbox, Astound will not print any gradients in your presentation. Gradients take longer to print and may not print satisfactorily with some objects on certain printers.

Print To File: Enabling this checkbox specifies the creation of a file that can be printed at a later date, or sent to an output service to be printed on slides, in color etc.

Use Handout Master: Enabling this checkbox will create a handout from the Handout Masters you have created. Custom handout masters are created using the View/Masters/Handout Master menu command.

Omit Handout Rules: If this checkbox is disabled, lines will be printed on the handout for the audience to write on.

Print Text As: These options control the color of text in your printed presentation.

Actual: Astound attempts to print text in its actual color. Choose this setting for true output on color printers. Many black-and-white printers, including PostScript and HP LaserJet models, will also print a black-and-white representation of the color. If text disappears on your black-and-white printer, use one of the other settings instead.

Black:  All text will print in black. If the text appears on a very dark background, it may not be visible in the output.

White: All text will print in white. If the text appears on a very light background or no background, it may not be visible.

Print Visible Text Only: Enabling this checkbox causes only visible text in collapsed text outlines to be included in the printed output. If this option is disabled, all of the text in the outline will be printed whether it is visible or not. This option is only available when you are in the Outline View when you open the Print dialog box.

Related Topics:

Printing a Presentation

Printing 35mm Slides

Printing Speaker Notes

Printing Handouts and Thumbnails

Creating a Handout Master


Printer Setup Dialog Box

Select Printer: This list box displays a list of available printers, from which you can select the one you want to print to.

Setup...: Clicking on this button displays the Windows Printer Setup dialog box, from which you can control your system's printing options.

Related Topics:

Printing a Presentation


Purge Unused Resources Dialog Box

Sounds: Enabling this checkbox causes all sounds that are loaded into memory but not in use in the current presentation to be removed.

Pictures: Enabling this checkbox causes all pictures that are loaded into memory but not in use in the current presentation to be removed.

Actors: Enabling this checkbox causes all actors that are loaded into memory but not in use in the current presentation to be removed.

Movies: Enabling this checkbox causes all movies that are loaded into memory but not in use in the current presentation to be removed.

Pictographs: Enabling this checkbox causes all pictographs that are loaded into memory but not in use in the current presentation to be removed.

Datasheets: Enabling this checkbox causes all datasheets that are loaded into memory but not in use in the current presentation to be removed.

MCI Scripts:  Enabling this checkbox causes all MCI Scripts that are loaded into memory but not in use in the current presentation to be removed.

Master Slides: Enabling this checkbox causes all master slides that are loaded into memory but not in use in the current presentation to be removed.

Purge: Clicking on this button causes the selected resources to be purged from system memory.

Related Topics:

Purging Unused Resources


Remap Color Schemes Dialog Box

Conflicting Color Schemes: This list box contains the color schemes that do not match.

In File: Enabling this radio button will import your presentation using the color schemes associated with the presentation you are opening. Presentation schemes will overwrite any other schemes you may be using.

On Disk: Enabling this radio button will import your presentation using the color schemes contained within your version of Astound.

Tip: 	Double check to make sure the text color is readable against the background. Readability of text on the screen can be affected by factors varying from color blindness in your audience to presenting on a different sized monitor than you composed the presentation on.


Remove Overrides Dialog Box

The options in this dialog box allow you to remove text attributes which you have applied to selected text on top of its format level attributes.

Type Specs: You can choose to remove the font, size, styles and/or color attributes that you have applied to the selected text by enabling the appropriate checkboxes. The text will assume the attributes that are defined for its format level.

Spacing: You can choose to remove the character, line, or paragraph spacing that you have applied to the selected text by enabling the appropriate checkboxes. The text will assume the attributes that are defined for its format level.

Layout: You can choose to remove the alignment or margin settings that you have applied to the selected text. The text will assume the attributes that are defined for its format level.

Remove: Clicking on this button removes only the specified override attributes from the selected text.

Remove All: Clicking on this button removes all override attributes from the selected text.

Related Topics:

Removing Text

Removing Text Overrides


Remove Time Dialog Box

Remove: In this edit box you can enter the number of seconds that you want to remove from the slide's timeline, at the location displayed in the Remove At edit box.

Remove At: In this edit box you can specify the point in the slide's timeline at which you want to remove the number of seconds indicated in the Remove edit box.

Related Topics:

Timelines

Removing Time from a Timeline


Rename Dialog Boxes

Name: In this edit box you can type in the desired name for the sound, actor, movie or picture, depending upon which rename dialog box you have opened.

Related Topics:

Renaming a Sound


Resources Not Found Dialog Box

Resources: This scrolling box lists all of the resources Astound cannot find for the presentation it is currently trying to load.


Resize Object Dialog Box

Current Size: These fields display the width and height of the selected object.

Best Size radio button: Clicking on this radio button causes the object to be resized to the width and height displayed in the Best Size fields.

Best Size fields: These fields display the width and height of the selected object at which it was saved.

Units: Enabling these radio buttons specifies that the selected object be resized according to the absolute width and height values displayed in the Units edit boxes.

Units: You can enable this option if you want to resize the object to a certain number of units. You can then enter the exact number of units wide and high you want your object to be. All selected objects become the same size if you use this option.

Percentage radio button: You can enable this option if you want to resize the object by a percentage. For example, a percentage value of 125 makes the object a quarter longer and wider than the original.

Percentage edit boxes: In these edit boxes, you can specify the relative size to which you want the selected object scaled, in percentage of its current size.

Maintain Aspect Ratio: Enabling this checkbox causes the object's aspect ratio to be preserved when it is resized. The percentage and unit values you enter will be constrained to values that specify the same aspect ratio.

Related Topics:

Loading and Placing Pictures

Resizing Objects Numerically

Resizing and Reshaping Objects


Row and Columns Dialog Box
Row and Column Layout Dialog Box

1st Row Contains: You can specify what the first row in your datasheet will contain. You can select an option by clicking on the appropriate radio button. The first row This box contains options to specify that the first row in your datasheet contains either labels for the chart or data values.

1st Column Contains: You can specify what the first column in your datasheet will contain. This box contains options to specify that the first column in your datasheet contains either labels for the chart or data values.

Related Topics:

Creating Tables from a Datasheet

Charting Options


Row Height Dialog Box

Row Height: In this edit box you can enter a custom row height. When you click on the OK button, the selected row(s) will be adjusted to reflect the specified height.

Default Height: Enabling this option resets the height of the selected row to the default row height.


Save Color Scheme Dialog Box

Color Scheme Name: In this edit box you can type in the name under which you want to save the color scheme.

Related Topics:

Selecting a Color Scheme


Save Datasheet Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name under which you want to save the datasheet, or you can select a name from the drop-down list to save the datasheet as.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types list box, in the location displayed here, will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This list box displays all files in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select a name for the datasheet you want to save.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which to save the datasheet.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive to which you want to save the datasheet.


Save Chart Format Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name under which you want to save the chart format, or you can select a name from the drop-down list to save the chart format as.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types list box, in the location displayed here, will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This field displays all files in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select a name for the chart format you want to save.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which to save the chart format.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display chart format files (.asl).

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive to which you want to save the chart format.

Related Topics:

Creating Chart Formats


Save Object As Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name under which you want to save the selected object(s), or you can select a name from the drop-down list to save the object as.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types list box, in the location displayed here, will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This list box displays all files in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select a name for the file in which you want to save the selected object(s).

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which to save the selected object(s).

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display bitmaps (.bmp) or Astound objects (.aso).

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive to which you want to save the selected template.

Make Self-Contained: Enabling this checkbox will cause your file to include all the resource files that are used as part of your selected object. Resources are external files like sounds, actors, video, and pictures that are used in your presentation.

Save As Astound for Mac: Enabling this checkbox will save the file so that it can be read in a future version of Astound on the Macintosh.

Related Topics:

Exporting

Importing


Save Pictograph Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name under which you want to save the selected pictograph, or you can select a name from the drop-down list.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types list box, in the location displayed here, will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This list box displays all files in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select a name for the file in which you want to save the selected pictograph.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which to save the selected pictograph.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display pictograph (.gpc) or all (*.*) files.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive to which you want to save the selected pictograph.

Related Topics:

Saving a Pictograph Object


Save Presentation As Dialog Box
Saving and Exporting Dialog Boxes

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name under which you want to save the current presentation.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays files in the currently specified drive and directory. From this list, you can select a filename under which you want to save your presentation.

Directories: This list box displays the current drive directories and the sub-directories in the current directory. From this list, you can select the directory to save the current presentation in.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which you want to save the presentation.

Save For Astound for Macintosh Presentation: Enabling this checkbox causes the presentation to be saved in a format which will be readable in a future version of Astound for the Apple Macintosh.

Make Self-Contained Presentation: Enabling this checkbox saves the presentation as a single presentation file including all resources, like sounds, pictures, actors, and videos.

Segment For Multiple Disks/Files: Enabling this checkbox makes the segment size radio buttons active. You can choose one of them to save your presentation in chunks. You can choose to Fill Disks, which will save the file until the specified disk is full, then prompt for another; to save in chunks that will fill 3 1/2" diskettes; to save in chunks that will fill 5 1/4" diskettes; or to save in chunks that are some Other size, which you can specify in the Size edit box.

Reduce First Segment By: Enabling this checkbox and specifying a value in the edit box will shorten the first segment file by that specified amount.

Save Text Bitmap Images: Enabling this checkbox saves text files as bitmap images.

Save Textures with Bitmap Images: Enabling this checkbox displays textures more quickly, and increases file size.

Embed TrueType Fonts: Enabling this checkbox will include the font as part of the saved file.

Related Topics:

Saving a File the First Time

Saving a Presentation for Distribution


Save Slide As Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name under which you want to save the selected slide, or you can select a name from the drop-down list to save the slide as.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box, in the location displayed here will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box, in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select a name for the slide you want to save.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which to save the selected slide.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed. You can choose to display bitmaps (.bmp) or Astound slides (.asv).

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive to which you want to save the selected slide.

Save For Astound Macintosh: Enabling this checkbox causes the slide to be saved in a format that can be used in a future version of Astound for the Apple Macintosh.

Make Self-Contained: Enabling this checkbox causes the slide to be saved in a single file that includes any resources place on the slide, such as sounds, actors, pictures, and video.

Related Topics:

Saving a Master Slide

Exporting


Save Template As Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name under which you want to save the selected template, or you can select a name from the drop-down list.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files in the location displayed here will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This field displays all files in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select a name for the template you want to save.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which to save the selected template.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive to which you want to save the selected template.

Save As For Astound Macintosh: Enabling this checkbox causes the template to be saved in a format that can be used in a future version of Astound for the Apple Macintosh.

Make Self-Contained: Enabling this option causes the template to be saved in a single file that includes any resources used in it, such as sounds, actors, pictures, and video.

Related Topics:

Creating Templates


Save User Dictionary Dialog Box

Filename: In this field you can type in a name for the dictionary you want to save, or you can select a name from the drop-down list.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box, in the location displayed here will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box, in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select a name for the dictionary you want to save.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which to save the dictionary.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive to which you want to save the dictionary.

Currently Loaded Dictionaries: These fields display which Main dictionary and User dictionary is loaded.

Related Topics:

Saving a User Dictionary


Select Actor Dialog Box

Currently Loaded: In this drop-down list box you can choose an actor from the drop-down list of actors that are already loaded into memory.

New: Clicking on this button opens Astound Actor so you can create a new actor.

Open...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Actor dialog box, from which you can choose an actor file to load into memory.

Replace...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Actor dialog box, from which you can choose an actor file to globally replace the currently selected actor.

Edit: Clicking on this button opens Astound Actor with the current actor loaded so you can modify it.

Remove: Clicking on this button removes the currently selected actor from memory. The actor will no longer be available in the drop-down list, and will not display if you have used it elsewhere in the same presentation.

Rename: Clicking on this button displays the Rename Sound dialog box, from which you can enter a new name for the currently selected available actor.

Rename: Clicking on this button displays the Rename Actor dialog box, from which you can enter a new name for the currently selected available actor.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the currently selected actor.

Number of Cels: This field displays the number of frames in the actor. Each frame is one image of the actor. When these images are displayed one after the other, the actor appears to animate. If, for example, the selected actor has 21 frames, you know that there are 21 images making up the actor's motion.

Speed (cels per second): In this edit box you can specify the number of frames of the actor to play each second. A higher number will result in a faster playback speed. This allows you to ensure your actor does not animate too quickly or too slowly. If Astound cannot display the frames as fast as you have specified, frames will be skipped to ensure that your actor is at the appropriate point in its animation at the correct time on your slide.

Loop: Enabling this checkbox causes the actor to animate continuously, for as long as the slide is displayed. If this option is disabled, the actor will play through once only.

Size Actor: Clicking on this button displays the Size Actor dialog box where you can change its vertical and horizontal size.

Rotate Actor: Clicking on this button displays the Rotate Actor dialog box where you can rotate the actor clockwise or counterclockwise by degrees.

Size Cels: Clicking on this button displays the Size Cels dialog box where you can change its vertical and horizontal size.

Rotate Cels: Clicking on this button displays the Rotate Cels dialog box where you can rotate the cels clockwise or counterclockwise by degrees.

Select: Clicking on this button causes the currently displayed actor to be selected and placed at the specified location on the current slide.

Done: Clicking on this button causes the dialog box to close without placing the currently selected actor, although the Currently Available list will reflect the changes you have made. Any actor files opened, replaced, or removed will still be opened, replaced, or removed.

Related Topics:

Actor Options


Select Datasheet Dialog Box

When you are creating a chart, this dialog box appears whenever there are any datasheets currently loaded into memory. You can choose one of the datasheets from the list, or choose to use a new datasheet.

Datasheet: This list box displays a list of all datasheets that are currently loaded into memory.

Uses: This field displays the number of charts in which the datasheet is currently used in the presentation.

Select: Clicking on this button displays the Astound Datasheet window, with the values from the selected datasheet entered into the corresponding cells.

New: Clicking on this button displays the Astound Datasheet window, with no values entered into its cells.


Select Icon Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can enter the name of the file that contains the icon you want to use, or you can select a file from the drop-down list.

Directory: This field displays the currently selected drive and directory.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types list box, in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select the file that contains the icon you want to use.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the subdirectories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory in which the file containing the icon you want to use is located.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the file containing the icon you want to use is located.

Available Icons: When a file is selected in the Files list, all icons contained in that file will be displayed here. You can choose the icon you want to use from this list.

Related Topics

Exporting a Self-Running Presentation

Saving a Presentation for Distribution


Select a Pictograph Dialog Box

Don't bring up this message in future: Enabling this checkbox will prevent this dialog from being displayed in the future.

Default Pictograph: Clicking on this button will load the default pictograph and use it for your pictograph chart.

Go To Arrange: Clicking on this button will display the Arrange tab of the Chart Options dialog box.

Continue: Clicking on this button will display the Format tab of the Chart Options dialog box.

Related Topics:

Pictographs

Loading a Pictograph


Select Picture Dialog Box

Currently Loaded: In this drop-down list box you can choose a picture from the drop-down list of pictures that are already loaded into memory.

Drawing: Clicking on this button opens the Astound Draw window.

Image: Clicking on this button opens the Astound Image window.

Open...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Picture dialog box, from which you can choose a picture file to load into memory.

Replace...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Picture dialog box, from which you can choose a picture file to globally replace the currently selected picture.

Edit: Clicking on this button opens the editor window that corresponds to the current image so you can modify the image.

Remove: Clicking on this button removes the currently selected picture from memory. The picture will no longer be available in the drop-down list, and will not display if you have used it elsewhere in the same presentation.

Rename: Clicking on this button displays the Rename Picture dialog box, from which you can enter a new name for the currently selected available picture.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the currently selected picture.

Select: Clicking on this button returns you to Astound with the current picture or image.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Picture Options


Select Sound Dialog Box

Currently on Slide: This drop-down list box displays the name of the currently selected sound that has been placed on the slide. The drop-down list contains the names of all sounds that have been placed on the current slide.

Volume: You can set the playback volume of the sound by moving the handle up or down. In order to use this volume control, it must be supported by the playback hardware you are using.

Play/Stop: Clicking on the Play button causes the currently selected sound to play back according to the options set in the Sounds on Slide box. When the sound is playing, the button becomes the Stop button, which you can click on to end the preview playback.

Remove: Clicking on this button causes the currently select sound to be removed from the slide. The sound will still be available in the Currently Loaded drop-down list.

Add Narration...: Clicking on this button displays message and dialog boxes that allow you to add narration to the current slide or the entire presentation, while it is playing. You must have a sound card that supports recording and a microphone in order to use this function.

Make Best Timeline: Clicking on this button causes the timeline of the currently selected sound to be adjusted so that it is the same length as that of the slide. The sound will play continuously if you have enabled the Loop option.

Use in Background: Enabling this checkbox will play the sound in the background.

Loop: Enabling this checkbox causes the sound to play over the entire length of its specified timeline, regardless of its length. If this option is not enabled, the sound will play through once at most, regardless of the length of its timeline.

Seconds/Percentage: Clicking on this button changes the scale displayed on the timeline from seconds to percentage, or from percentage to seconds.

Timeline: You can adjust the timeline of the currently selected sound, specifying start and end times, and fade in/fade out times.

Sound Info: This field displays the name, type, sample rate, channel status, and playback length of the currently selected sound.

Currently Loaded: This drop-down list box displays the name of the currently selected available sound. This drop-down list contains the names of all sound files that are currently loaded into memory.

Add to Slide: Clicking on this button places the sound selected in the Currently Loaded list box onto the current slide. The sound will then be included in the Currently on Slide drop-down list.

Wave:  Clicking on this button will open Astound Sound to allow you to modify your sound clip.

CD Clip...: Clicking on this button displays the Define Compact Disc Clip dialog box, from which you can define a CD clip to use as a sound in your presentation.

Open...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Sound dialog box, from which you can select a sound file to load into memory.

Edit: Clicking on this button displays the Astound Sound window with the currently selected available sound displayed. In the Astound Sound, you can control all sound attributes, and edit the sound based on its graphical display.

Rename: Clicking on this button displays the Rename Sound dialog box, from which you can enter a new name for the currently selected available sound.

Replace...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Sound dialog box, from which you can choose a picture file to globally replace the currently selected picture.

Remove: Clicking on this button causes the currently selected available sound to be removed from memory. It will no longer appear in the Currently Loaded drop-down list.

Play/Stop: Clicking on the Play button causes the currently selected available sound to play back. When the sound is playing, the button becomes the Stop button, which you can click on to end the preview playback.

Done button: Clicking on this button closes the dialog box. Any sounds that have been loaded, opened, removed, placed on slides, renamed, edited, or had volume or timeline adjustments made will remain in their new state.

Tip: 	Since sampling sounds in stereo slows down playback, do not use stereo sampling unless the sound requires it.

Related Topics:

Sound Options


Select Template Dialog Box

Filename: In this combo box you can type in the name of the template you want to apply to the current presentation, or you can select it from the drop-down list.

Directory: This field displays the currently specified drive and directory. Files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box, in the location displayed here will be displayed in the Files list box.

Files: This list box displays all files of the type specified in the File Types drop-down list box, in the location displayed in the Directory field. From this list, you can select the template you want to open.

Directories: This list box displays the directories in the currently selected drive, and the sub-directories in the currently selected directory. From this list, you can select the directory which contains the template you want to apply.

File Types: This drop-down list box specifies the type of files to display in the Files list box. Only files with the selected extension will be displayed. From the drop-down list, you can select the file extension of the files you want displayed.

Drives: This drop-down list box displays the current drive. From the drop-down list, you can select the drive on which the template you want to apply is located.

Preview: Selecting this option causes a preview of the selected template to appear in the Preview box.

Preview: This box contains a preview of the selected presentation file when the Preview checkbox is enabled.

No Template: Clicking on this button specifies that no (new) template be applied to the current presentation.

Media Mgr: Clicking on this button displays the Media Manager window from which you can select a template to open.

HeadStart: Clicking on this button displays the HeadStart dialog box from which you can choose a template.

Related Topics:

Creating a New Presentation

Selecting Existing Templates

Applying a Template to an Existing Presentation

Switching Templates


Select Movie Dialog Box

File-Based Digital Video: Enabling this radio button enables the options in the File-Based Digital Video box, and disables the options in the Overlay Analog Video box. You must enable this option is you want to load or place file-based video or animated movies.

Overlay Analog Video: Enabling this radio button enables the options in the Overlay Analog Video box, and disables the options in the File-Based Digital Video box. You must enable this option is you want to use overlay video.

Currently Loaded: In this drop-down list you can choose a video or animated movie file from the drop-down list of those that are already loaded into memory.

Animation: Clicking on this button opens the Astound Animation window from which you can create or edit an animation to import into Astound.

Video: Clicking on this button opens the Astound Video window from which you can edit a video to import into Astound.

Open...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Movie dialog box, from which you can choose a video or animated movie file to load into memory.

Edit: Clicking on this button opens Astound Video so you can edit the current movie or animation.

Replace...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Movie dialog box, from which you can choose a video or animated movie to globally replace the currently selected file.

Remove: Clicking on this button removes the currently selected file from memory. The video or animated movie will no longer be available in the drop-down list, and will not play or display if you have used it elsewhere in the same presentation.

Rename: Clicking on this button displays the Rename Movie dialog box, from which you can enter a new name for the currently selected available movie.

Loop: Enabling this checkbox causes the video or animated movie to play through more than once, if the display time of the slide exceeds that of the video, and if the video's timeline is extended as necessary. If this option is disabled, the video or animated movie will play through once only.

Preview: This box displays a single-frame preview of the selected video or animated movie.

Top-Left Corner: Enabling this radio button causes the video or animated movie file to be aligned with the top-left corner of the video rectangle you have dragged out, and played at its original size.

Center: Enabling this radio button causes the video or animated movie file to be centered in the video rectangle you have dragged out, and played at its original size.

Make Fit: Enabling this radio button causes the video file to be stretched or shrunk to fit into the video rectangle you have dragged out. However, animated movies and some types of video cannot be stretched or shrunk. This option will be disabled when you use those types of files.

Select: Clicking on this button returns you to Astound with the current movie or animation.

Done: Clicking on this button closes the dialog box. Any movies or animations that have been loaded, opened, removed, placed on slides, renamed, edited, or had timeline adjustments made will remain in their new state.

Tip:	Avoid any interaction while movies, videos or animations are playing.

Embedding Quicktime or Video for Windows files will slow playback time considerably.

Related Topics:

Movie Options


Play Next Dialog Box

Select Next Slide: This list box contains a list of options for redefining the playback order of the presentation. You can designate any slide in the presentation as the slide that plays after the currently selected slide, or you can have the presentation stop after the currently selected slide.

The options are:

Default: Selecting this item causes the next slide in the natural playback order to be played after the current slide has finished playing. This is equivalent to removing any redirection that has been specified.

Stop Slideshow: Selecting this item causes the playback of the presentation to stop after the current slide has finished playing.

Slide: Selecting any of the slide names in the presentation causes the corresponding slide to play after the current slide has finished playing.

Marker: Selecting this option causes the

Reset All Slides button: Clicking on this button causes the redirection to be removed from all slides in the presentation. The slides will follow their natural playback order.

Related Topics:

Redirecting a Slide

Redirecting Playback Order

Interactivity


Rotate Actor Dialog Box

Rotate (Degrees): In this field you can specify the number of degrees you want the actor rotated by.

Clockwise: Enabling this radio button will rotate the actor the specified number of degrees in a clockwise direction.

Counter-clockwise: Enabling this radio button will rotate the actor the specified number of degrees in a counter-clockwise direction.

Related Topics:

Rotating an Actor

Actor Options


Rotate Cels Dialog Box

Destination Number of Cels: In this edit box, you can specify the number of cels you want to use for the rotation.

Angles: In this box, you can specify the starting and ending angles for the rotation.

Direction: In this box, you can specify whether you want to rotate the cels clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Generate Intermediate Cels: If you select this radio button, new cels will be added throughout the original cels. Each new cel is identical to the original cel immediately before it, sized according to the options you set in the dialog box.

Cycle Through Original Cels: If you select this radio button, new cels are added to the end of the actor, starting at cel 1 again.

End Rotation One Step Early: Enabling this checkbox will ensure that your actor cycles through its rotation without stuttering at the end of each loop.

Related Topics:

Rotating Cels within an Actor

Actor Options


Set Notation Pens Dialog Box

Pen Color: Clicking on one of the Pen Colors places a selection cursor in the color. When you select a color from the Quick Color bar, it becomes the pen color for the pen that currently has this selection cursor.

Quick Color: In the color bar, you can choose a color for the selected notation pen by clicking on the color in this bar.

Pen Size: These options allow you to specify the size at which the selected notation pen will appear on the screen when the presentation is playing. You can click in the Size box or drag to specify a pen size. You can also enter a size directly in the Size edit box. You can view the pen size in the preview box.

Solid: Enabling this radio button causes the selected notation pen's lines and marks to appear as opaque solids overtop of objects and backgrounds on the screen.

Highlight: Enabling this radio button causes the selected notation pen's lines and marks to appear as see-through highlighting overtop of objects and backgrounds on the screen.

Related Topics:

Setting Notation Pens


Select MCI Object Dialog Box

Currently On Slide: This list box displays the MCI objects that are on the current slide.

Remove: Clicking on this button will remove the current MCI object from the slide.

Play: Clicking on this button will play the current MCI object.

Timeline: You can adjust the timeline to specify when the current MCI object will play on the current slide. By choosing beginning, entry, exit or ending radio buttons in this dialog box, you can specify which portion of the timeline is associated with which portion of the MCI script.

Currently Loaded: This drop-down list displays a list of available MCI Scripts for you to load or edit.

Add To Slide: Clicking on this button adds the currently loaded MCI Script to the current slide.

New...: Clicking on this button displays the MCI Script dialog box in which you can create a new MCI Script.

Open...: Clicking on this button displays an Import Text File dialog box from which you can select an MCI Script to load.

Edit...: Clicking on this button displays the MCI Script dialog box with the currently loaded MCI Script for you to edit.

Remove: Clicking on this button will remove the currently loaded MCI Script.

Save As...: Clicking on this button will let you save your changes to a file outside of your Astound presentation.


Shadow Offset Dialog Box

Horizontal and Vertical: In these edit boxes you can enter a value for the distance you want the shadow to move down and to the right of the object. The larger the numbers, the further the shadow moves. Negative numbers move the shadow up and to the left.

Preview: This box shows a preview of the shadow offset. You can also drag the corner of the shadow to reposition it.

Related Topics

Creating a Shadow using the Object Display Dialog Box

Creating a Shadow using the Shadow Tool


Size Actor Dialog Box

Horizontal: In this edit box you can specify how much you want to scale the original actor in a horizontal direction as a percentage of its original size.

Vertical: In this edit box you can specify how much you want to scale the original actor in a vertical direction as a percentage of its original size.

Related Topics:

Scaling an Actor

Actor Options


Size Cels Dialog Box

Destination Number of Cels: In this edit box, you can specify the number of cels you want to use for the scaling.

Starting Size:  In this edit box you can specify the starting horizontal and vertical scaling as a percentage of the original size.

Ending Size:  In this edit box you can specify the ending horizontal and vertical scaling as a percentage of the original size.

Generate Intermediate Cels: If you select this radio button, new cels will be added throughout the original cels. Each new cel is identical to the original cel immediately before it, sized according to the options you set in the dialog box.

Cycle Through Original Cels: If you select this radio button, new cels are added to the end of the actor, starting at cel 1 again.

Related Topics:

Scaling Each Cel within an Actor

Actor Options


Slide Dimensions Dialog Box

Available Dimensions: In this drop-down list box you can select a height and width setting for the slides in the current presentation from the drop-down list.

Width and Height: These fields display the height and width for the dimension that is displayed in the Available Dimensions drop-down list box.

Remove: Clicking on this button causes the dimension that is displayed in the Available Dimensions drop-down list box to be removed from the list of available dimensions.

Name: In this field you can type in a name for the custom slide dimension that is defined by the values entered in the Width and Height edit boxes.

Width and Height: In these edit boxes you can enter a custom height and width for presentation slides.

Add: Clicking on this button causes the slide dimensions currently entered in the Width and Height edit boxes to be added to the list of Available Dimensions under the name specified in the Name field.

Adjust Object Positions: When you select a new slide dimension for existing slides, enabling this checkbox causes the position of objects currently on the slide to be proportionally adjusted. Both their position and size will be adjusted.

Related Topics:

Setting Up Slides

Adding a Custom Slide Dimension

Removing a Set of Slide Dimensions


Slide Duration Dialog Box

Enter Slide Duration: You can enter a value for the playback length of the slide, in seconds, in this edit box.

Related Topics:

Slide Duration


Slide Magnification Dialog Box

Magnification: In this edit box you can enter a value for the magnification of the display.

Related Topics:

View Magnification


Slide Name Dialog Box

Enter Slide Name: In this field you can enter a name for the selected slide.

Related Topics:

Creating Slides with a Master using the New Slide Pop-Up Menu

Adding Slides to a Presentation

Renaming a Slide


Slideshow Options Dialog Box

Entire Presentation: Enabling this radio button causes the entire presentation to begin playing back when the Play button in this dialog box is clicked.

Current Slide: Enabling this radio button causes the current slide to begin playing back when the Play button in this dialog box is clicked.

From Current Slide: Enabling this radio button causes the presentation to begin playing back from the current slide when the Play button in this dialog box is clicked.

Sound: Enabling this checkbox causes any sounds used in the presentation to play when the presentation plays. When this option is disabled, the presentation will play without sound.

Animation: Enabling this checkbox causes any transitions and paths specified in the presentation to take effect when the presentation is played. When this option is disabled, all animation effects are ignored.

Video:  Enabling this checkbox causes any video included in your presentation to play when the presentation plays. When this option is disabled, the presentation will play without video.

Fit to Screen:  Enabling this checkbox plays the presentation over the full screen no matter what size or resolution your monitor is. When this option is disabled, the presentation will play at its authored size.

Loop Back to Start: Enabling this checkbox causes the slideshow to play repeatedly.

Notation Pens:  Enabling this checkbox allows you to use the notation pens during playback of the presentation.

Set Pens...:  Clicking on this button displays the Set Notation Pens dialog box, from which you can set the pens' colors, sizes, and effect.

Hide 'Playing' Objects: Enabling this radio button causes all OLE objects with a primary command of "Play" to be hidden during playback of the presentation.

Display All Objects: Enabling this radio button causes all OLE objects to be displayed on-screen during playback of the presentation.

Normal: Enabling this radio button causes the slides in the presentation to play back according to their timelines.

No. of Seconds: Enabling this radio button allows you to specify the length of time each slide is to be displayed in the edit box. This will override any other slide duration settings. The entire slide will be displayed fast enough to finish within the allotted time, rather than being cut off.

Whenever Mouse is Clicked: Enabling this checkbox causes the presentation to advance to the next slide when the current slide has been shown for its full duration or when you click the mouse button.

Whenever <Enter> is pressed: Enabling this checkbox causes the presentation to advance to the next slide when the current slide has been shown for its full duration or when you press the [Enter] key.

Wait for above input: Enabling this option will cause the presentation to pause at the end of each slide duration until either the mouse button is clicked or the [Enter] key is pressed, depending upon which of the above options are enabled.

Always: Enabling this radio button specifies that the cursor will always be visible while you are playing your slides.

Never:  Enabling this radio button specifies that the cursor will never be visible while you are playing your slides.

During Mouse Movement: Enabling this radio button specifies that the cursor will only appear when you move the mouse.

During Possible Interaction: Enabling this radio button specifies that the cursor will only be displayed on slides that contain interactivity, so that you can perform the appropriate mouse clicks.

Play: Clicking on this button causes the current presentation to begin playback.

Related Topics:

Setting Slide Preview Options

Setting Notation Pens

Options Available During Playback

Saving a Presentation for Distribution

Setting Playback Options


Slide Transition Dialog Box

Transitions: In this list you can select the transition you want to apply to the current slide by clicking on its name in the list. Any options associated with the selected transition will then appear in the Transition Options box.

Transition Options: This box displays the options associated with the currently selected slide transition. You can select the options you want to further refine your transition.

(None): This field displays any sound transitions on the current slide.

Select: Clicking on this button will display the Select Sound dialog box. You can then choose a sound to use during the transition. The sound plays while the transition happens.

Remove: Clicking on this button will remove the current sound from the transition.

Preview checkbox: Enabling this checkbox causes an animated preview of the slide's entry, reflecting the currently selected transition and options, to be displayed in the Preview box.

Preview box: This box displays a preview of the slide's entry, reflecting the currently selected transition and options, when the Preview checkbox is selected.

Related Topics:

Transitions Between Slides


Solid Color Background Dialog Box

Colors: The rectangles contain the colors of the current color scheme. You can select a color for the slide background by clicking on it, and then clicking on the OK button.

Eyedropper: Clicking on this button displays the Eyedropper dialog box and changes the cursor to an eyedropper tool. You can select any color displayed on the screen by clicking the eyedropper tool on it. The color you click on will be placed in the selected rectangle in the Colors box, from which you can select it as the slide background.

Color Mixer: Clicking on this button causes the dialog box to expand to include the Color Mixer options. You can create a color to place in the selected rectangle in the Colors box by clicking in the color refiner box or entering values in the edit boxes.

Color Spectrum: Clicking on this button causes the dialog box to expand to include the Color Spectrum options. You can select a color to place in the selected rectangle in the Colors box by clicking on it in the Color Spectrum box.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the currently selected color.

Tip: 	Double check to make sure any text readable against the background. Readability of text on the screen can be affected by factors varying from color blindness in your audience to presenting on a different sized monitor than you composed the presentation on.

Related Topics:

Backgrounds

Creating a Solid Color Background


Spell Checker Dialog Box

Misspelt Word: This box displays the word or text that Astound has identified as incorrectly spelled.

Replace With: This box displays the first suggestion that Astound has to correct the misspelled word. If Astound has no suggestions, the misspelled word is displayed here, and you can type in the correct spelling.

Suggestions: This box displays any suggestions that Astound has to correct the misspelled word. You can click on the suggestion you want to place it in the Replace With edit box.

Recheck: Clicking on this button causes the spelling of the word in the Replace With edit box to be checked so you can make sure the correction you have typed in is spelled correctly.

Accept/Replace: Clicking on this button when it says Replace, the current selection in the list box will replace the currently flagged word. Clicking on this button when it says Accept, the text in the edit box will replace the currently flagged word.

Recheck: Clicking on this button causes

Skip: Clicking on this button skips the currently flagged occurrence of the word. If the same spelling appears elsewhere, it will still be flagged.

Learn: Clicking on this button causes If you use a word frequently (e.g., your name), but the spell checker flags it all the time, you may want the dictionary to learn the word and never flag it again. By clicking on Learn, your word gets stored in the current Astound user dictionary and will not be flagged again during this work session. If you want to save all of your learned words in a user dictionary so they can be accessed in other work sessions, see To save a user dictionary later in this chapter.

Related Topics:

Spell Checking Selected Text

Spell Checking a Entire Slide

Spell Checking the Entire Presentation

Spell Checking the Current Text Block


Switch Master Dialog Box

Master: From the drop-down list, you can select the new master slide you want to base the slide on, or you can select the No Master option, which will allow you to remove the existing master from the current slide.

Preview: This box displays a preview of the master slide selected in the Master drop-down list box.

Select: Clicking on this button causes the master slide selected in the Master drop-down list box to be applied to the selected slide.

Done: Clicking on this button closes the dialog box without switching masters.

Open...: Clicking on this button displays the Open Slide dialog box, from which you can open a master slide to apply to the current presentation slide.

Remove: Clicking on this button removes the master slide currently selected in the dialog box. It will no longer be available in the Master drop-down list.

Related Topics:

Switching Masters Slides


Text Size Dialog Box

Enter Size: In this edit box you can enter a size for the text, in points.

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Texture Name Dialog Box

Enter Texture Name: In this field, you can specify a new name for the modified texture.

Related Topics

Storing Textures

Replacing Textures


Textures Dialog Box

Name: This list box contains a list of available textures.

Preview: Enabling this checkbox will display a preview of the texture in the Name field. Since texture previews are slow to generate, you may not want to view the previews of each texture as you select it.

Randomize!: Clicking on this button will change the appearance of the texture by randomly altering the settings of the texture's various elements.

Default: Clicking on this button will revert the texture to its original appearance.

Edit: Clicking on this button will display the Advanced box from which you can modify the texture's attributes.

Apply: Clicking on this button will apply the changes you make to the current texture. The texture will appear in the preview box.

Tile Pattern: Enabling this checkbox will generate the texture in such a way that it can be seamlessly tiled to fill the object.

Stored Textures: You can scroll through this box to view modified textures you have stored here.

Add...:Clicking on this button will add the current texture to the Stored Textures scroll box.

Remove: Clicking on this button will remove the current texture from the Stored Textures scroll box.

Replace... Clicking on this button will replace the currently selected texture in the Stored Textures scroll box with the current texture listed in the Name field.

Tip:	Saving textures as bitmaps will increase their redraw speed, although it will increase the file size. You will find this option in the Save dialog for your presentation.

Related Topics

Creating a Texture Background

Fill Options

Creating a Texture Fill


Typeface Dialog Box

Font: In this edit box you can enter a font name, or select one from the drop-down list of available fonts.

Font Style: In this edit box you can enter a font name, or select one from the drop-down list of available fonts.

Strikeout: Enabling this checkbox causes the text to appear with a horizontal line through the middle.

Underline: Enabling this checkbox causes the text to be underlined.

Sample: This box displays a sample of the text with the currently specified options.

Related Topics:

Editing Text


Type Specs Dialog Box

Font: In this box you can enter a font name in the edit box, or select one from the drop-down list of available fonts.

Font Style: In this box you can enter a font name in the edit box, or select one from the drop-down list of available fonts.

Size options: In this box you can enter a point size for the type in the edit box, or select one from the drop-down list.

Strikeout: Enabling this checkbox causes the text to appear with a horizontal line through the middle.

Underline: Enabling this checkbox causes the text to be underlined.

Sample: This box displays a sample of the text with the currently specified options.

Color: Clicking on this button displays a Color Scheme pop-up window, from which you can select or create a color to apply to the text.

Related Topics:

Setting Text Attributes using the Type Specs Dialog Box


Select Photo CD Image Dialog Box

This dialog box appears when you select a Photo CD image to import. Since Photo CD images can contain multiple sized images in the same file, you can select the size you want to use in this dialog box.


Cels

A cel is one image of an actor. An actor file is made of a number of cels. Each cel contains an image that is slightly different from the previous one so that when they are quickly displayed one after the other, the actor appears to animate.


Pictures

A picture is any .bmp, .dib, .pcx, .gif, .tif, .pcd, .cgm, .tga, .wmf, or .pct image that you import into Astound.


Text Blocks

A text block is a text object. All text within the same block always remains together. A text block may contain a single title, or several bullets and sub-points.


HeadStart
HeadStart Presentations

HeadStart presentations are templates that not only have a consistent look designed for you, they also have slides created for specific uses. All you have to do is type your data in the appropriate places. For example you could use a HeadStart template for the annual budget meeting. All of the general information is already included on the slide, all you have to do is customize it to meet your needs.


Sound Timelines

A timeline is used to specify how long a sound will play, over what portion of the slides duration it will play, and whether or not it will have an entry or exit transition (fade in and out) if you have sound hardware that supports this. This timeline can be defined in the Select Sound dialog box, or in the Timeline window.


Video

There are two types of video that you can use in your presentations: digital file-based and overlay. A digital file-based video is any video footage that has been stored on a disk or in your computers memory. In order for video to be stored in this way, it must be digitized, or converted to a data file where it is represented as a series of numbers. Overlay video is video footage that is stored on a videotape or other video storage device in analog form. This type of video can be played through only those regions that are a specific color on your screen. You will need to have installed the appropriate hardware and MCI device drivers that support overlay video in order to make use of it.

Related Topics:

Movie Options


Luminance

Luminance is the amount of light given off by a color or the amount of white or black in the hue to make the color lighter or darker. Luminance defines the possible ranges of the RGB values.


Tables

A table displays the data from the datasheet in a grid. You can control fonts, colors, lines and the background. A table is a grouped object, which means that you can edit it as a whole, or edit it in individual pieces.


Interactive Triggers

An interactive trigger is an action, such as clicking the mouse or pressing a key, initiated by the person viewing or controlling the presentation. This action triggers a response, such as the display of an object or picture, or the playback of a sound or video. An interactive trigger can also cause another slide or range of slides to be played, or it can stop the playback of the presentation.


Action

An interactive action is a type of interactive response involving the display of pictures or objects, or the playback of sounds, actors, videos, animated movies, OLE objects, MCI scripts and the execution of other applications. These responses take place when the person viewing the presentation clicks the mouse on an interactive trigger, or strikes a specific key on the keyboard.


Flow Control

An interactive flow control is a type of interactive response involving the order in which slides in the presentation are displayed. When the person viewing the presentation clicks the mouse on an interactive trigger, or presses a specific key on the keyboard, a particular slide or range of slides is played back. Flow controls can also restart a slide presentation, or stop the playback of a presentation and pause.


Interactive Responses

An interactive response is the result of an interactive trigger. When the person clicks the mouse button on a specific object, or presses a particular key on the keyboard, some event is initiated. Interactive responses can be actions, such as the display or playback of objects, videos, sounds, actors, pictures, or OLE objects. They can also be flow controls, which initiate the playback of specific slides or ranges of slides in the presentation.


Object Path Animations

An objects path is the route that an object takes as it moves on or off a slide. You can add object paths in any direction. If you want to see the objects path on the slide, make sure that View/Show Paths is enabled. Otherwise, the path is visible only in the preview window of the Object Path Animation dialog box. Both the transition effect and the path use the same timeline.


OLE Objects

An object is any piece of information that is created in an OLE server and placed in a client document. There are two ways to place an object into a document. You can embed an object by placing a copy of it into the client document. You can also link the object by telling the client document where the information is located.


Scripts
Script

A set of MCI commands is called an MCI script. In Astound, an MCI script consists of four script sections: beginning, entry, exit and ending. Each MCI Script section contains zero or more MCI commands. When you add an MCI script to a slide it becomes an MCI object. An MCI object consists of an MCI script and timeline information. Each MCI script section corresponds to one of the four sections of the objects timeline.


MCI Templates
Template

MCI templates are fill-in-the-blank command sets you can apply to MCI scripts. Applying a template simplifies the task of writing scripts to do common MCI operations, for example, to play a device. Selecting a device allows you to select a list of MCI relevant templates. Clicking on the File radio button and selecting a filename automatically displays the device that corresponds, if one exists, and the appropriate list of templates.


MCI (definition)
MCI

MCI stands for Media Control Interface. It is a highlevel interface defined by Microsoft to allow applications to control multimedia devices. This includes standard devices like audio recorders, audio players and animation playback as well as external devices such as videodisc players.

MCI is available with Windows 3.0 with the Multimedia Extensions and with Windows 3.1.


Actors (definition)
Actor

An actor is an animated object that contains its own inherent movements.


Animated Movie (definition)
Animated Movie

Animated movies contain backgrounds, actors, sound, interaction and objects that are generated by your computer.


Animating (definition)
Animation

An animation is an object with motion. In Astound, you can animate objects so that they move across the screen, and use actors that contain inherent motion.


Axis (definition)
Axis

Axes are lines labeled X, Y, and Z which orient the charts or graphs. The X axis displays the category, the Y axis displays the value, and the Z axis (on 3D charts) displays the series.

When you specify a rotation transition for an object, you will be allowed to rotate around the Screen or Objects X, Y, and Z axes.  These axes are placed through the center of the object, or screen. The X axis is horizontal, the Y axis is vertical, and the Z axis indicates depth.


Background (definition)
Background

A background is a solid color, gradient, pattern, or picture file that covers the entire slide behind all other objects.


Bitmap (definition)
Bitmap

A bitmap is any of several graphic file formats stored as an array of pixels representing a picture.


Bounce (definition)
Bounce

The Object Rotation Transition contains a bounce option. The bounce reverses the objects course briefly before it continues on the original path. Your object appears to bounce onto the screen.


Brightness (definition)
Brightness

Brightness is the intensity of a color.  As you reduce the brightness, the color will become a darker shade, eventually turning black.


Bullet Text (definition)
Bullet Text

A bullet is a  point or paragraph of information indented and beginning with a bullet mark. Bullet text can be easily created using the text format levels.


Burst (definition)
Burst

You can create gradients in which the colors graduate from the center to the outer edges of the object or slide to create a color burst effect.


Button (definition)
Button

A button is an object drawn with the Button tool. Buttons are designed to have interactivity added to them. For example, clicking on a button may display a different slide.


Categories (definition)
Categories

Categories are related groups of values on a chart, displayed along its X axis.  Categories are grouped on the chart, where Series are color coded.


Cell (definition)
Cell

A cel is one slot or entry in the datasheet. A cell is identified by its column and row; for example, the cell in the top leftmost corner of the data sheet is A1. Cells in Astounds datasheets can only contain numbers or text strings.


Chart (definition)
Chart

A chart is a pictorial presentation of numerical data in the form of graphs or tables.


Chart Formats (definition)
Chart Format

A chart format is a predefined set of chart attributes. If you have a chart format that you use often--for example, a column chart that uses a variety of reds for the segments and animates in a particular way--you can save these attributes as a chart format. After this, you can create charts with these same attributes by applying this format instead of applying each of its attributes separately.


Color Schemes (definition)
Color Scheme

Color schemes are a set of complementary and contrasting colors designed to give your presentation a cohesive and professional look. Each of the major types of objects have several colors defined for them within a color scheme.


Column (definition)
Column

A column is a vertical line of cells in the datasheet. Each column is assigned a letter name so that you can identify where you are within the datasheet.


Datasheet (definition)
Datasheet

A datasheet is a mini-spreadsheet that is included as part of the charting feature. Datasheets can contain numbers and text strings but do not support equations.


Digital Video (definition)
Digital Video

Digital video is a form of video that is stored in data files that your computer can read and play back.


Distribution Time (definition)
Distribution Time

Distribution time is the way time is broken up for an object or slide. Objects and slides are displayed for a specified length of time. This time is broken into entry time, on screen (or static) time, and exit time. The distribution time can be displayed as a percentage of the full slide time or in seconds.


Duration (definition)
Duration

Duration is the length of time a slide remains displayed on your computer during playback.


Entry Time (definition)
Entry Period

The Entry period sets the time the object enters the screen during a transition.


Exit Time (definition)
Exit Period

The exit period sets the time the object exits the screen during a transition.


Gradient Fills (definition)
Gradient Fills

Gradient Fills are color fills made up of a series of bands of colors that are blended together. The user can specify the colors to use.


Grid Lines Chart (definition)
Grid Lines (Chart)

Chart Grid lines are a  series of lines displayed on the chart that aid in the visual representation of data by making it easier for the eye to make the connection between the charted data and the value and category labels.


Grid Lines Slide View (definition)
Grid Lines (Slide View)

Slide View Grid Lines are a series of non-printing lines that can appear in the Slide View to help you position objects accurately on your slide using the Snap To Grids command.


Handouts (definition)
Handouts

Handouts are notes about the presentation that are given to the audience. These notes may be based on the slides, on the speaker notes (Notes View) or on the slide outline. This option is available from the Print Options dialog box. You can print handouts displaying miniatures of your slide with room to take notes beside them.


Highlight (definition)
Highlight

Highlighting involves selecting text or data by dragging the pointer over it. The highlighted text will be affected by your next action.

It is also a type of notation pen setting used during on-screen presentations to highlight text or objects on the screen.


Hue (definition)
Hue

The hue is the position of the color in the color spectrum.


Interactivity (definition)
Interactivity

Interactivity is the ability to cause the presentation to switch to a different slide or perform some other action such as playing a sound based on input from the user. For example, clicking the mouse button on an object may cause a graph to appear on the current slide.


Label (definition)
Label

Labels are text placed on a chart in the charting function. There are series, category, value and legend labels.


Legend (definition)
Legend

A legend is an explanatory caption that accompanies charts and clarifies the meaning of colors in the chart.


Levels (definition)
Levels

Levels are a stored collection of user-created text-formatting definitions containing information such as type style, alignment, and line spacing specifications. You can use four different levels with different attributes.


Library (definition)
Library

A library is a pictorial database of objects used in your presentation. A library can be opened in another presentation to make it easy to use common objects in several presentations. Objects can simply be dragged from the library onto the slide.


Loop (definition)
Loop

A loop is a set of instructions that execute repeatedly until a specific amount of time or some other condition is satisfied. In Astound, you can loop a sound or video so that it plays endlessly.


Marker (definition)
Marker

You can set markers in a sound sequence so that you can quickly locate a position within the sound. These markers are set in the Astound Sound and are visible in the Timeline window, allowing you to synchronize events on the slide with a point in the sound. Slide markers allow you to specify pauses in the slide


Master Slides (definition)
Master Slide

Master Slides are slides containing a background and common objects such as sounds and actors, as well as placeholders and interactive objects, that will be used as a base for several slides. Once a master slide is created, its components (except for placeholders) can only be altered as part of the master slide and not as part of individual slides.


MIDI Sound (definition)
MIDI Sound

MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. MIDI sound is contained in sound files that consist of instructions to a hardware device to play sounds at specific volumes, tempos, pitches, etc. for specific lengths of time. MIDI sound files usually contain music and musical effects.


Narration (definition)
Narration

Narration is a voice recording that you can add to your slides if you have the required hardware. Narration is recorded as the slides play, allowing you to align your comments with events on the screen.


OLE (definition)
OLE (Object Linking and Embedding)

OLE (pronounced oh-lay) stands for Object Linking and Embedding. OLE allows you to insert information such as pictures, animations, or sounds created by other applications into any of your documents. Through OLE, your document remembers the connection between the information and the application which created it. OLE allows you to edit and manipulate the information from within the document or from within the original application. This shared information is called an OLE object. OLE requires Windows 3.1 or higher.


On Screen Presentation (definition)
On-Screen Presentation

On Screen Presentations are slide presentation shown on a computer monitor. The presentation can be self narrated or may require an external narrator.


Outline Views (definition)
Outline View

Oultine View displays outlines of the text contained within the slides of your presentation. You can use this to create an outline of your presentation first. You can edit existing text from this window or from within the Slide View.


Palette (definition)
Palette

Palettes are the selection of  colors you have available within Astound. Your palette is dependent on your monitors color display capabilities.


Panels (definition)
Panels

Panels are background pieces added behind a chart to create an impression of depth and set the graph apart from the rest of the slide. You can display panels for any combination of the X, Y, and Z axes.


Paths (definition)
Paths

A path is the route an object takes to move onto and off of a slide during an on-screen presentation.


Patterns (definition)
Patterns

Patterns can be used as a background or to fill an object on the slide. Patterns are chosen from a list accessed by using the Pattern pop-up menu at the bottom of the Astound window.


Pica (definition)
Pica

Pica is a unit of measurement equal to approximately 1/6 inch, or 12 points.


Player Application (definition)
Player Application

The Player Application will play disk based presentations and can be distributed. Does not allow any slide editing.


Point (definition)
Point

A point is a unit of measurement equaling approximately 1/72 of an inch. Often used to refer to a font size, or the height of a printed character.


Resources (definition)
Resources

Resources are any object that is imported into a presentation, such as picture files, actors, video, and sound.  These objects remain stored in their original files unless you make the presentation into a self contained file from the Save As dialog box.


Rotation (definition)
Rotation

You can choose to make an object rotate onto or off of the screen in different ways.  You can choose the axes and angles it rotates around and add special effects like bouncing or growing onto the screen.  You cannot set rotation transitions for clipart, pictures, or other imported graphics.


Row (definition)
Row

A row is a horizontal line of cells in the data sheet. Each row is assigned a number so that you can identify where it is within the datasheet.


Saturation (definition)
Saturation

Saturation is the purity of a color, which can be any value from gray to the pure color.


Self Contained Presentation (definition)
Self-Contained Presentation

This type of presentation has all the resources it needs to run, such as sound, video, or animated movies, embedded within it.


Self Running Presentation (definition)
Self-Running Presentation

These presentations are played by double-clicking on them in the Windows File Manager or Program Manager. The player application is embedded within the presentation file. You can create a self-running presentation that will play on any computer running Windows 3.1.


Series (definition)
Series

Series are a related group of values on a chart, displayed as color coded chart objects. The coding is explained in the legend that is created with the graph.


Slide (definition)
Slide

A slide is one page or screen and all of the objects it contains.


SlideView (definition)
Slide View

Slice view displays the main Astound window which allows you to create and edit individual slides.


Slide Sorter (definition)
Slide Sorter

The slide sorter provides a pictorial overview of all the slides in a presentation. It facilitates rearranging slides within a presentation.


Slideshow (definition)
Slideshow

Playing all of your slides in sequence is playing the slide show. You can have different types of slide shows, e.g., on-line, overhead, 35mm.


Speaker Notes (definition)
Speaker Notes

Speaker notes are a set of instructions that remind the speaker of what he wants to talk about. They can be produced within Astound, and printed for the speakers use.


Template (definition)
Template

Templates aer a series of master slides in the same style. You can quickly choose the masters you need for your presentation and create a cohesive presentation.


Timeline (definition)
Timeline

The timeline specifies how long it takes an object to enter and exit a slide as well as how long it is displayed on the slide. The Timeline window allows you to set the sequence and timing of events and transitions within an individual slide of a disk based presentation.


Tools (definition)
Tools

Tools are any of the icons within the Astound windows. They include drawing tools, text tools, and import tools.


Transition (definition)
Transition

A transition is the way in which a slide or object appears, and leaves the screen of an on-screen slide presentation. It may fade in, appear in sections, etc.


Value (definition)
Value

Values are the actual values of the charted elements. Value markers are displayed along the Y axis of the chart. This represents the actual data taken from the data sheet.


Wave Sound (definition)
Wave Sound

Wave sound files contain sampled sound data, and are usually used to store voice recordings and sound effects.


Shortcut Keys

Aborting

Abort almost any action	Esc

Drawing Objects

Constrain shape bounding boxes to

equal width and height (For example,

constrain rectangles to squares)	Shift

Draw from the center rather than

the corner of an object	Ctrl

Keep freehand and irregular

polygons from closing	Ctrl

Move an object while drawing	Alt

Selecting Objects

Selects multiple objects by clicking

on them one after another (Deselects

multiple selected objects in the

same manner)	Shift + click

Select an object one layer into a group	Double click

Select a single object regardless of

any groups	Alt + click

Moving Objects

Leave a copy of the object behind

when you move an object	Ctrl

Constrain movement of the object

horizontally or vertically	Shift

Move selected objects one pixel at a

time	Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left Arrow or Right Arrow

Linking and Unlinking

Linking an object to a placeholder	+ key on the numeric pad or = key on the keyboard + click and drag the mouse

Unlinking an object from a placholder	- key on the numeric pad or keyboard + click and drag the mouse

Resizing and Cropping Objects

Crop an object rather than sizing it	Ctrl

Maintain the aspect ratio while resizing	Shift

Distorting Shapes

These modifiers work when you click on a point on the edge of a shape.

Keep the same edge to the shape while

elongating it	Shift

Pull that particular point with only

a few others in the shape	Ctrl + Shift

Stretch the shape and start to pull

all the points with it	Alt

Stretch the object moving X and Y

co-ordinates separately	Ctrl

Dialog Boxes

Open the Select Picture dialog box	Double click on a picture or the

Picture tool

Open the Object Interaction dialog box	Double click on a button

Open the Button Options dialog box	Double click on the Button tool

Open the Select Actor dialog box	Double click on an actor or the

Actor tool

Open the Select Video dialog box	Double click on a video object

or the Video tool

Open the Chart Options dialog box	Double click on a chart

Open a new datasheet in the Datasheet

window (If you have already created a

datasheet, this will display the Select

Datasheet dialog box)	Double click on the Chart tool

Open the Select Sound dialog box	Click on the Sound tool

Open the Object Display dialog box	Double click on a shape

Open the Number of Points dialog box	Double click on the Star tool

Open the Number of Sides dialog box	Double click on the Polygon tool

Edit or play an OLE object in the server

application	Double click on the OLE object

Text Attributes

Edit text, displaying the text ruler (if

enabled) for the text editing mode	Double click on text

Open the Type Specs dialog box	Double click on the Text tool

Timelines

For sound timelines, drag out the

timeline in multiples of the sounds

length	Shift

In the Timeline window, snap

timeline editing movements to

key points in other object timelines

on the slide (such as handles,

markers and transition points)	Ctrl

Scrolling

Scroll up, down, left or right	Shift + Arrow keys

Scroll a full screen up	Page Up

Scroll a full screen down	Page Down

Scroll a full screen left	Ctrl + Page Up

Scroll a full screen right	Ctrl + Page Down

Scroll to the top left corner of the slide	Home

Scroll to the bottom right corner of the

slide	End

Slideshows

Abort running the slideshow	Alt + F4 or Esc

Advance immediately to the next slide	Enter

Restart the current slide	Ctrl + Enter

Pause or resume the slideshow	Spacebar

Speed up the animation in your

slideshow	Up arrow

Slow down the animation in your

slideshow	Down arrow

Go to the previous slide	Right Arrow

Go to the next slide	Left Arrow

During Presentation Playback

Temporarily disable the notation option	0

Selects which notation pen is used	1-4

Delete notation pen markings on slide	Delete or Backspace

Display pop-up menu where you

clicked, listing all slides, pause and

quit options for impromptu navigation

and access to the control panel	Shift + Right mouse click