Hidden slides visible while going backwards

Question

I have prepared a powerpoint presentation which has a few hidden slides. When I go forwards in the slideshow, the presentation behaves as expected i.e. the hidden slides are only visible when I click/move the mouse over their reference object.

However, when I go backwards in the slideshow then, all those hidden slides are visible which I had viewed previously.

For example,

In my presentation, slides 2,3, and 4 are hidden. I have created three different reference objects in slide 1 for viewing each of these hidden slides. Also, I have created a reference object in each of the hidden slides for going back to slide 1.

When going forward in the slideshow, I view slide 1; I go to slide 2 by moving the mouse over the reference object of slide 2; I go back to slide 1 by moving the mouse over the reference object of slide 1; then I move forward to slide 5.

Now if I go backwards from slide 5, I am not directly taken to slide 1. Instead, the presentation goes to the previously viewed hidden slide (slide 2 in this case).

Similarly, if I have viewed all the hidden slides 2,3, and 4 while going forward in the presentation then, the presentation displays all the hidden slides when I go backward from slide 5.

Please let me know the technique to skip the hidden slides while going backwards.

I know this is possible because I have a reference presentation which does not have this problem but I don't know that presentation was prepared. That reference presentation only shows one hidden slide (the most recently viewed) while going backwards.

I hope I am able to explain my problem clearly.

Answer 1

is is by design. If you are within a block of hidden slides PPT assumes that if you go back you DO want to see previously viewed hidden slides.

If you want to avoid this make each hidden slide a custom show and make the link to the custom show (tick show and return). When the custom show slide is over (either on click or ESC) it will return to the calling slide.

Answer 2

Hi John,

Thanks a lot for your reply and suggestion.

I understand your point that when I am within hidden slides, the PPT would assume that when I go back, i would like to go back to previously viewed hidden slide. However, when I have moved ahead of the hidden slides, I think that hidden slides should not be visible while going backwards.

 I will try your suggestion about custom show and see if it solves my problem (first, I will learn to prepare custom show :P).

Thanks again.