Move / Copy Shape

To copy or move a shape in your slide, place the mouse pointer over this shape.

When the mouse pointer changes into a four-arrow, click and drag the shape to the desired position in your slide.

To copy a shape in your slide, do exactly the same, but hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard pressed till the mouse pointer changes into a white arrow with a sign.

Click and drag the copied shape to the desired position in your slide.

 

Align “Shapes”

When we work with different “Shapes” in a slide, it may be important to align them.

In order to align “Shapes”, first select the “Shapes” in your slides.

Click the “Alignment” button in the “Layout” contextual tab in the “Ribbon”.

From the drop-down menu that appears, choose the desired alignment.

All seem quite clear to me and need no further explanation.

 

Grouping “Shapes”

When we have grouped different “Shapes”, we may create more instances of these “Shapes”, all at once. So this can really save time.

 

To group “Shapes”, first select the “Shapes” in your slides.

Click the “Group” button from the “Layout” contextual tab in the “Ribbon” and then click “Group” in the drop-down menu.

This changes the edges of the various “Shapes” to a large border around the grouped shape.

Change the dimensions of this item, or change the layout, this will apply to all “Shapes” in this group.

 

If you want to undo the group, click the “Group” button from the “Layout” contextual tab in the “Ribbon” and click “Ungroup” from the drop-down menu.

 

Shape reform

Some of the “Shapes” have “Reform” levers.

These are the yellow blocks in the form of a glass pane, on the edge of the shape.

When you click and drag, you can the change the design of this.

 

Change Shape

It may happen that you have spent some time choosing and preparing your shape and then, come to the conclusion that the layout is good, but the shape suggests nothing.

Do not worry, we do not repeat all of that, we simply choose a different shape.

First select the shape that has already been made.

Click the “Edit Shape” button in the “Ribbon”.

And select “Change Shape” in the drop-down menu.

This opens the drop-down menu of all available “Shapes” in “PowerPoint”.

Click the shape of your choice.

The shape is changed but, the formatting is retained.
In some shapes, it can sometimes be that parts of the formatting disappear.

 

Adding text to a shape

There are two ways to add text to a shape.

A first way is to select the shape and start typing.

The text will be placed in the middle of the shape .

Please note, if you really need to type some text, the text ultimately goes beyond the edges of the shape.

 

A second way is by using the “Text box” option.

First select the shape.

Choose the “Insert” tab in the “Ribbon” and click the “Text Box” button.

Click the mouse pointer in the shape.

In this way also, the text is in the middle of the shape.

 

I’ve never counted but I think there are hundreds of ways to make your shapes. You should try it. There are really nice ones in there.

 

“Edit Shape”

If you are confused as to which shape you want, you can still edit a shape.

First, choose a shape from the list and place it in the slide.
Select the shape in the slide and click the “Edit Shape” button in the “Ribbon”.
Select “Convert to Freeform” in the drop-down menu.
Click the “Edit Shape” button again in the “Ribbon”.

Now we have a new option, “Edit Points”.
When we click on it, it puts black selection levers around our shape.

By clicking and dragging the black selection levers, we can adjust the shape of the corners.

 

 

When we click and drag the white levers we can make a straight line or make a curved line.
This white levers are only visible when you have selected a black lever.

 

 

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