Formatting Text

In the previous lesson we saw how we can format and extend a text box or text placeholder.
In this lesson we will look at how we “Format” text.
To “Format” text we should first focus on ensuring that our object with the text is in “text formatting state”.
Apart fom that, there is not much difference between formatting text in “Word”, “Excel” or any “Windows” application.
Only the “Shadow”, “Increase Font Size” and “Decrease Font Size” buttons are found in “PowerPoint”. But I do not think this needs much explanation.

For the rest of the buttons, you know what happens.

We can copy text and paste into other objects.
We can “Format” all text or parts of text.
And we can remove text, or parts thereof.

Bullets

We can list objects and give them numbering by first selecting the object, clicking on “Format” from the menu bar and selecting “Bullets and Numbering”.
We have 1001 options.

Clicking on the “Picture” gives us a whole series of images that come by default with “PowerPoint”.
Clicking the “Customize” button, gives us the choice of all fonts that are installed on our computer, to use as a “Bullets”.

Show or hide rulers

In order to precisely align various objects, it may be useful to use the “Rulers”.
To “Show” them we click “View” in the menu bar and select “Ruler”.

To revert this, i.e. to “Hide”, we click the “View” in the menu bar again and select “Ruler”.

Add Tab Stops

Similar to “Word”, we can insert “Tab Stops” in “PowerPoint” too.

When we select a text box in the upper left we see our “Tab” button.
The “Tab”(s) available are:
 Left “Tab”
 middle “Tab”
 Right “Tab”
 decimal “Tab”
Clicking on the “Tab” button changes the display thereof.
So first select the “Tab” you want, and click on the “Ruler” at the location where you want to put this “Tab”.

The first “Tab” I’ve posted here is a left “Tab”, the second is the decimal “Tab”. A decimal “Tab” is used to align the amounts properly.
The type of “Tab”determines the alignment of the text underneath.
The left “Tab” will align the text to the left, center “Tab” will center the text, the right “Tab” will display the text to the right and the decimal “Tab” will align the numbers on their decimal points.

To remove “Tab” settings, we select the text area and click and drag down the “Tab” that we want to remove.

Unlike “Word” where we can add “Tab”(s) for each paragraph, it is only possible to set “Tab” (s) only for textboxes in “PowerPoint”.

Featured Courses

• Downloading iPad Apps
• Lesson 1: Introduction to Publisher
• Lesson 65: File Formats