I'd like to add some buttons and layers to my Slide Master, but I don't believe that they are acting as expected.
Buttons - I can add a button to my slide master, but once I apply the layout to a slide in the course the buttons are not selectable/editable (i.e. they are a static part of the background).
Is there a way to make the buttons an editable feature?
Slide Layer -- The layer is displayed on the Slide Master, but once I create a slide and apply the layout, there are no layers available to the slide.
Any object or layer you add to the slide master can only be edited there, on the master. These items will not be accessible for editing on any content slide. However, they will be functional on a content slide when you preview or publish.
OK...so maybe you guys can help me come up with a work-around.
I'm creating a course with roughly 100 slides. I'd like to add a button to some (not all) slides that will allow the learner to submit feedback or see additional information.
Rather than have to add these buttons and all of the slides that I want it on, I'd rather have them in place by default and then remove them from the slides I don't want them on.
I thought creating the buttons directly on the slide master or on a layer of the slide master was the way to go...but it doesn't seem like I can then remove these items from each individual slide.
It sounds like you're almost all the way there! Create the master as you mentioned, and only use it for some of the slides - then have another master you could use for the slides that doesn't have the button but that looks the same as you need it.
No need to look at creating the button on the individual slides, as you could create a number of different master slide sets and use them throughout the course. I'd keep it limited to just what you need though, as the more slide masters you add the more weigh/bulk you're adding to the course - and if you're not using them then you might as well go delete them.
For me, additional slide masters rarely work. I usually have additional interface buttons like "video", "downloads", "simulation" and the like. These are enabled or disabled as required. Slide masters are difficult to use because:
I need to assign a more complex or specific trigger than "next slide". E.g. Download a specific file, show a particular layer, launch a lightbox etc.
There are too many possible variations of active vs. inactive buttons. Two examples:
Next active, Previous inactive, Video active, Simulation active, Download inactive.
Next active, Previous active, Video inactive, Simulation active, Download inactive.
Each combination would require a new slide master.
So I do it the "long way" and have the buttons on every slide. I don't have a lot of trouble doing it this way because:
I have a standard set of buttons and they never move.
I set up my first set of buttons to the most common states and duplicate it throughout. The most common state is usually "previous" and "next" active and everything else inactive. This way I don't have make a lot of changes as I develop. It's usually just a case of enabling an additional button and assigning a trigger to it.
Not the most elegant solution but it's the only thing I can think of. If there was a way to change button states that are part of the master slide and assign triggers to them on a per slide basis I'd gladly do it that way.
I have a project with screen shots on every slide, and every slide also has an added layer with text information that is specific to that screen. Can I add a "more information" button to a master slide, so I don't have to manually add it to each slide - but then on each slide have it connect to the additional information layer for that slide? Same button and function on each slide - but the destination is different for each slide. Thank you!
Thanks for asking about this! Since the buttons will be linking to different information, the buttons have to be made on each slide for the triggers to work. Slide masters are used for visual elements only. Here's an article with more on Using Slide Masters.
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Any object or layer you add to the slide master can only be edited there, on the master. These items will not be accessible for editing on any content slide. However, they will be functional on a content slide when you preview or publish.
Jeremy:
As far as I understand it, these two things can only be changed at the master level.
Hope that helps.
OK...so maybe you guys can help me come up with a work-around.
I'm creating a course with roughly 100 slides. I'd like to add a button to some (not all) slides that will allow the learner to submit feedback or see additional information.
Rather than have to add these buttons and all of the slides that I want it on, I'd rather have them in place by default and then remove them from the slides I don't want them on.
I thought creating the buttons directly on the slide master or on a layer of the slide master was the way to go...but it doesn't seem like I can then remove these items from each individual slide.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Jeremy
Hi Jeremy,
It sounds like you're almost all the way there! Create the master as you mentioned, and only use it for some of the slides - then have another master you could use for the slides that doesn't have the button but that looks the same as you need it.
No need to look at creating the button on the individual slides, as you could create a number of different master slide sets and use them throughout the course. I'd keep it limited to just what you need though, as the more slide masters you add the more weigh/bulk you're adding to the course - and if you're not using them then you might as well go delete them.
HI Jeremy
you can create more than one slide master and then apply the layout you want for each individual slide
I was totally overthinking! I'll give it a try -- thank you!
For me, additional slide masters rarely work. I usually have additional interface buttons like "video", "downloads", "simulation" and the like. These are enabled or disabled as required. Slide masters are difficult to use because:
Each combination would require a new slide master.
So I do it the "long way" and have the buttons on every slide. I don't have a lot of trouble doing it this way because:
Not the most elegant solution but it's the only thing I can think of. If there was a way to change button states that are part of the master slide and assign triggers to them on a per slide basis I'd gladly do it that way.
For the most flexibility, which I like when developing, I chose to do it this was also. Good advice Steve VE
I have a project with screen shots on every slide, and every slide also has an added layer with text information that is specific to that screen. Can I add a "more information" button to a master slide, so I don't have to manually add it to each slide - but then on each slide have it connect to the additional information layer for that slide? Same button and function on each slide - but the destination is different for each slide.
Thank you!
Hi Brian,
Thanks for asking about this! Since the buttons will be linking to different information, the buttons have to be made on each slide for the triggers to work. Slide masters are used for visual elements only. Here's an article with more on Using Slide Masters.