Microsoft PowerPoint XP/X

Working with Objects: Layering, Duplicating, and Grouping

Objects can be text characters, images, charts, or any other similar element that you work with in PowerPoint. Objects can be enhanced with resizing, rotating/flipping, 3-D, shading, etc. (see Customizing Objects: Shading, Shadows, and 3-D Effects). Objects can also simply be layered, duplicated, or grouped. This document contains information on the following basics of working with objects:

Selecting Objects
Layering Objects
Duplicating Objects
Working with Groups of Objects

Selecting Objects

When working with your slides, you must select the objects you want to manipulate. To select an object, simply click on it. Once an object is selected, you can layer, duplicate, or group it.

Hold down the [Shift] key
Click on each of the objects you want to work with

Deselecting one object:

Hold down the [Shift] key
Click the object you want to deselect

Layering Objects

Objects can be layered over each other and often must be layered a certain way if objects are to be visible. If you have overlapping objects on a slide, each object can be sent to the back or brought forward. Layering can be performed with any object on a PowerPoint slide. This includes placeholders, objects within placeholders, and drawn objects.
NOTES:
Sending an object to Front or Back brings the object all the way to the front or back of the group of objects.
Sending an object Forward or Backward brings the object forward or backward one layer at a time.

The example below walks you through the layering process using the Forward and Backward options. This general example can be applied to your specific case.

Select the triangle (i.e., the object you wish to move)
Notice it is in the middle of the three layers.
Windows: On the Drawing toolbar, from the Draw pull-down list, select Order » Bring Forward
Macintosh: On the Drawing toolbar, from the Draw pull-down list , select Arrange » Bring Forward
The triangle is brought to the front of the three layers.
Select the triangle (i.e., the object you wish to move) again
Windows: On the Drawing toolbar, from the Draw pull-down list , select Order » Send Backward
Macintosh: On the Drawing toolbar, from the Draw pull-down list, select Arrange » Send Backward
NOTE: If your object does not appear behind the other object(s), repeat step 4
The triangle is sent to the back of the three layers.

Duplicating Objects

If you want to duplicate items, use the copy and paste functions. You can copy and paste items into your PowerPoint presentation as you would in a word processing or desktop publishing program. If you want an item on every slide, place the item once on the Master Slide and it will appear on every subsequent slide (see Creating a Slide Master).

To copy and paste items in PowerPoint:

Select the item(s) which you want to copy
From the Edit menu, select Copy
OR
Windows: Press [Ctrl] + [C]
Macintosh: Press [command] + [C]
Place the insertion point where you want to paste the item
HINT: If you are pasting a graphic, you do not need an insertion point, it will appear randomly on the page (it can then be moved to fit your needs).
From the Edit menu, select Paste
OR
Windows: Press [Ctrl] + [V]
Macintosh: Press [command] + [V]
Your object will appear on the page.

Working with Groups of Objects

When you are preparing your slides, you may need to work on a number of objects at the same time. For example, you may want to change their size and align them horizontally. By grouping objects, you combine them together so you can work on them as if they were one single object.

Selecting two or more objects creates a group. When working with grouped objects, the changes you make are applied to all of the objects in the group.

Grouping Objects

Select the object(s) you want in the group
On the Drawing toolbar, from the Draw pull-down list select Group
OR
Windows: Right click the selection » select Grouping » Group
Macintosh: Press [Control] and click the selection » select Grouping » Group
The handles for the individual objects disappear and handles appear around the group of objects.
Make any necessary changes to the group of objects

Ungrouping Objects

Select the group by clicking on one of the group’s objects
On the Drawing toolbar, from the Draw pull-down listing select Ungroup
OR
Windows: Right click the selection » select Grouping » Ungroup
Macintosh: Press [control] and click the selection » select Grouping » Ungroup

Regrouping Objects

On the Drawing toolbar, from the Draw pull-down listing, select Regroup
OR
Windows: Right click the selection » select Grouping » Regroup
Macintosh: Press [control] and click the selection » select Grouping » Regroup
The handles reappear around the most recently ungrouped group.

Hints for Grouping, Ungrouping, and Regrouping

To work with an individual object after you have ungrouped the objects, first click outside the group’s selection rectangle to cancel the selection, and then click the object.
If you open a dialog box to change an object attribute (i.e., the Format Object dialog box to change a color) and you do not see an option selected, it may be because the group of objects you have selected has a variety of fill colors.
Be sure to regroup while the slide is still active. PowerPoint remembers formerly grouped objects while the slide is still active. If you switch to another slide and then come back and try to regroup, you will have to select the objects, and then group them.
A shortcut for editing text in a single object in a group is to click the TEXT tool on the Drawing toolbar, and then click the text you want to edit. You do not have to ungroup the group.

Aligning Groups

If you have a group of objects in your presentation, you can align the entire group without having to move each object individually.

Select the objects you want to align
On the Drawing toolbar, from the Draw pull-down list, select Align or Distribute » the type of alignment you want