Editing 'PowerSession Designer' objects

Question

If a slide is created using the 'PowerPoint Designer' option (PPT 2016 - O365 Business) , several new objects will be added to the slide.

The colour and layer order of these objects can be changed but the position and size apparently cannot.  A new 'freeform' object for example does not become selected when clicked and can only be selected from the SELECTION PANE.  Even when selected, its position and size become greyed out:

My question is:  How can this object be unlocked so that it can be edited and then re-locked once the editing is done?

Knowing this would be extremely valuable as it would potentially allow the locking of other slide objects which need to be in a preserved position or size.

Answer 1

Hi Martin,

Thanks for your detailed information.

Regarding your question, it’s not feasible to unlock items added by PowerPoint Designer and then re-lock them after finishing editing them.

Given the situation, I would suggest you submit feedback to our related team via UserVoice as this is the best way to improve the product. Many features have been designed or upgraded based on our customers' constructive comments.

Thanks for your understanding.

Allan

Answer 2

Allan

I have just noticed that the screen captures I pasted in line with my last message have not appeared in the thread.  I assume this means they have to be attached.

Have now added these to this post.

1 - pasted an image into a blank slide - "DESIGN IDEAS" is switched on

2 - I selected the second layout

3 - in the SELECTION PANE I  can see that PPT has added two text boxes and two 'FREEFORM' objects which I can switch on or off and also can change the colour, transparency and outline style.

The only way to select the new objects on the slide is from the SELECTION PANE.  It is not possible to click on these objects in the slide area.

4 - However, the bounding box  (thin white line in picture above) for the FREEFORM items is visible when the item is CTRL CLICKED in the SELECTION PANE and at that point the colours can be edited.

There are no Re-Sizing handles on the bounding box for the new items, nor is there any way to re-postion them - their SIZE and POSITION dialogue boxes are greyed out.

It follows therefore that these new items are partially locked (size and position).

So my question is - how do you unlock items added by PowerPoint Designer and then, having edited them, re-lock them so they cannot be edited (accidentally) by someone else?

I do hope you can throw some light on this as it would be very useful to know the answer.

Martin

Answer 3

Hi Allan thanks for responding.  

I have made a 2 minute video that demonstrates what I am trying to do within PowerPoint

http://qlnk.io/ql/57b1e3d5e4b05a25f975f8bd

And here are a few screen caps from that video:

1 - pasted an image into a blank slide

2 - DESIGN IDEAS is switched on and PPT offers a set of layouts.  I select the second one

3 - in the SELECTION PANE I  can see that PPT has added two text boxes and two 'FREEFORM' objects which I can switch on or off and also can change the colour, transparency and outline style.

The only way to select the new objects on the slide is from the SELECTION PANE.  It is not possible to click on these objects in the slide area.

However, the bounding box for the FREEFORM items is visible when the item is CTRL CLICKED in the SELECTION PANE and at that point the colours can be edited.

There are no Re-Sizing handles on the bounding box for the new items, nor is there any way to re-postion them - their SIZE and POSITION dialogue boxes are greyed out.

It follows therefore that these new items are partially locked (size and position).

So my question is - how do you unlock items added by PowerPoint Designer and then, having edited them, re-lock them so they cannot be edited (accidentally) by someone else?

I do hope you can throw some light on this as it would be very useful to know the answer.

Martin

Answer 4

Hi Martindean MSLIVE,

For us to better understand the situation, could you provide us with some more detailed information about “The colour and layer order of these objects can be changed but the position and size apparently cannot.  A new 'freeform' object for example does not become selected when clicked and can only be selected from the SELECTION PANE.  Even when selected, its position and size become greyed out:”?

Some related screenshots will be appreciated.

Regards,

Allan