I'm trying to do something that should be extremely simple, but can't seem to figure it out. I have an image I want to use as my slide background. I have it where I want it, but it's bigger than the slide. I would love to click a "crop to slide" button to have it trim the excess off. I've tried the "crop" button itself but it's manual and I can't get it to fit perfectly (it's always a couple pixels too big or too small). Any idea how I can crop my image in Storyline to my slide?
The first thing to check is that you have Snap Objects to Other Objects selected in the Grid and Guides dialogue box:
If you now use your Crop tool, when you move the crop line over the edge of your slide it should try to snap to the edge, thus enabling you to get the perfect sizing.
If you are still having problems, just make the cropped area slightly larger than your slide as the only portion that will show is what is covered by the slide dimensions. Obviously the perfect fit is the neatest solution and snapping to other objects should achieve that.
I tried both snap to grid and snap to objects, but it's not quite working. I can snap one side of my image, but when I pull the image across to fill the background, it doesn't quite match up with the other side. I'll use your second recommendation as a workaround for the moment.
If you have one side sorted, what you can try is to drag the crop line of the other side a centimetre or so inside the slide edge, release the mouse button and then drag it back out to the edge again. This sometimes helps it to snap in place.
My apologies, I should have explained it better. All you do is to use the crop tool in the normal way and get the first edge of your image to snap to the edge of the slide. Then, using the crop tool again, drag the opposite edge of the image inside the edge of the slide (I usually go an extra centimetre or so) and release the mouse button. Finally, still using the crop tool, you drag that edge of the image back out to the edge of the slide and it should snap in place.
I have often use this technique because sometimes , if you are only moving the edge of the image a very small amount, it refuses to snap into position. As stated in my earlier post, make sure that Snap Objects to Other Objects is selected.
7 Replies
Hi Brenton,
The first thing to check is that you have Snap Objects to Other Objects selected in the Grid and Guides dialogue box:
If you now use your Crop tool, when you move the crop line over the edge of your slide it should try to snap to the edge, thus enabling you to get the perfect sizing.
If you are still having problems, just make the cropped area slightly larger than your slide as the only portion that will show is what is covered by the slide dimensions. Obviously the perfect fit is the neatest solution and snapping to other objects should achieve that.
Thank you. I'll give these a try. I appreciate your time!
I tried both snap to grid and snap to objects, but it's not quite working. I can snap one side of my image, but when I pull the image across to fill the background, it doesn't quite match up with the other side. I'll use your second recommendation as a workaround for the moment.
Hi Brenton,
If you have one side sorted, what you can try is to drag the crop line of the other side a centimetre or so inside the slide edge, release the mouse button and then drag it back out to the edge again. This sometimes helps it to snap in place.
Do you mean stretch it diagonal as close as you can get it, let go, and pull it horizontal the last little bit?
Hi Brenton,
My apologies, I should have explained it better. All you do is to use the crop tool in the normal way and get the first edge of your image to snap to the edge of the slide. Then, using the crop tool again, drag the opposite edge of the image inside the edge of the slide (I usually go an extra centimetre or so) and release the mouse button. Finally, still using the crop tool, you drag that edge of the image back out to the edge of the slide and it should snap in place.
I have often use this technique because sometimes , if you are only moving the edge of the image a very small amount, it refuses to snap into position. As stated in my earlier post, make sure that Snap Objects to Other Objects is selected.
Hopefully this works for you.
I think I got it more or less figured out, thanks to you!
I still think it would be easier to just have a "cut off anything outside the slide" button :)
This discussion is closed. You can start a new discussion or contact Articulate Support.