Optimising PowerPoint presentations

Slide 1: optimising powerpoints reducing file size for attaching to email or Blackboard Blended Learning Advisor Academic Development Unit

Slide 2: biggest cause of large powerpoint presentations is...

Slide 3: drag and drop (not resizing images)

Slide 4: best solution = prevention, rather than cure (editing images FIRST)

Slide 5: the photoshop bit

Slide 6: open photoshop ep 1 s t

Slide 7: file > open (and locate your image) ep 2 s t

Slide 8: [pause] how big does the image need to be?

Slide 9: slide title slide title

Slide 10: image equivalent (of a slide) 1024 x 768 pixels 72 ppi (pixels per inch)

Slide 11: full slide = crop image to exactly 1024 x 768 ‘portrait’ images = constrain to 768 high ‘landscape’ images = constrain to 1024 wide fit under a slide’s title text = constrain to 500 high

Slide 12: < for an entire slide... >

Slide 13: choose the crop tool ep 3 s t

Slide 14: in the ‘options’ palette / toolbar, type in the above settings... ep 4 s t

Slide 15: click and drag out the area in your image that should occupy the ep 5 slide* s t *Resize by dragging the corners of the box, or move by dragging inside the entire rectangle

Slide 16: press the return key, or double click to confirm the crop ep 6 s t

Slide 17: choose file > save for web ep 7 s t

Slide 18: configure the settings: Format = JPEG Quality = 40-70 ep 8 s t *Use the ‘2 Up’ tab to compare the original with your ‘compressed’ version

Slide 19: click ‘Save’ ep 9 s t

Slide 20: < to fit in proportion >

Slide 21: choose image > image size ep 3 s t

Slide 22: set the resolution to 72 ppi ep 4 s t

Slide 23: set the size in the ‘Pixel Dimensions’ area - only the width or height is ep 5 required* s t *Ensure the ‘Constrain Proportions’ checkbox is ticked - this will prevent image distortion

Slide 24: click ‘OK’* ep 6 s t *If things go awry, hold the ‘Alt’ key - this will show a ‘Reset’ button - click it to start again!

Slide 25: choose file > save for web ep 7 s t

Slide 26: configure the settings: Format = JPEG Quality = 40-70 ep 8 s t *Use the ‘2 Up’ tab to compare the original with your ‘compressed’ version

Slide 27: click ‘Save’ ep 9 s t

Slide 28: the powerpoint bit

Slide 29: open powerpoint ep 1 s t

Slide 30: open an existing presentation, or create a new one ep 2 s t

Slide 31: insert > picture > from file..., then locate your image* ep 3 s t *Drag and drop, although quicker, can cause bigger presentations than the menu commands

Slide 32: quickly add multiple images: PC users = Insert > Picture > New Photo Album Mac users = buy an add-in from http:// www.agentjim.com/MVP/ PowerPoint/ppt2004.htm

Slide 33: automating image edits

Slide 34: photoshop actions = record and playback of the processes you use

Slide 35: ‘batch’ command = playback an action on multiple image files

Slide 36: creating an action

Slide 37: boring processes*: contrast changes applying a filter resizing / cropping changing file format *Candidates for creating and using Actions!

Slide 38: open a sacrificial image in photoshop to create the action ep 1 s t

Slide 39: open the actions palette (window > actions) ep 2 s t

Slide 40: create a new action set* ep 3 s t *This will help organise your actions, but also allow you to save them to another computer

Slide 41: create a new action (and start recording) ep 4 s t

Slide 42: considerations: do as much as possible through the menus save commands will record the location

Slide 43: when you have finished, stop recording the action! ep 5 s t

Slide 44: open another image, and play the action on it... ep 6 s t

Slide 45: using the batch command

Slide 46: put the images you want to process in a single folder* ep 1 s t *It’s a very good idea to back these images up, if the ‘Batch’ process goes wrong...!

Slide 47: [in photoshop] choose file > automate > batch... ep 2 s t

Slide 48: choose the action you want to use ep 3 s t

Slide 49: click ‘Choose’ to locate where the images are stored ep 4 s t

Slide 50: define if, how or where images should be saved ep 5 s t *If there is no ‘Save’ command in the action, choose “Save and Close”, or “Folder”

Slide 51: click ‘OK’ ep 6 s t

Slide 52: Disclaimer All software screenshots are copyright of their parent companies – they are used for the sole purposes of education. All other content appears under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License