Even More Outline Pane Options in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows

Continued from Page 2

The Hierarchy in PowerPoint
Promote
Demote
Move Up and Move Down
Hyperlink and Show Text Formatting

On the previous page, we explained some of the options found in the Outlining pane, here is a description of the remaining options.

The Hierarchy in PowerPoint

Before we get to discuss the Promote and Demote options, let me tell you few things about how the hierarchy of the outline works in PowerPoint, here's a listing from higher to lower:

• Title
• Bullet Level 1
• Bullet Level 2
• Bullet Level 3
• Bullet Level 4
• and so on.

So if we demoted a Title by one level, it would end up being Bullet Level 1, or a demoted Bullet Level 1 will end up being a Bullet Level 2. On the other hand, if you promote Bullet Level 1, you end up with a Title, this also results in a new slide being created!

Promote

This option changes the selected text or slide to one level ahead, as explained within the Hierarchy section earlier on this page. For example, if Promote is applied to a Bullet Level 1 text, it will be converted to a Title of a new slide.

Look at Figure 6. Here, we selected one of the Level 1 bullets called "Shapes", and then accessed the right-click context menu to select the Promote option.

Figure 6: Promote one level

Now look at Figure 7. This shows the result of clicking the Promote option. As you can see, the Level 1 bullet called "Shapes" is now the title of the slide, and the earlier title has moved up as a new slide.

Figure 7: Promoted by one level

Demote

This option is the exact opposite of the Promote option explained in the preceding section. It demotes (or reduces the hierarchy by one level of) the selected text or title to the lower level, applying that level's style and formatting.

For example, Bullet Level 1 text will be changed to Bullet Level 2, and Title will be changed to Bullet Level 1, and so on.

Look at Figure 8. Here we selected one of the Level 1 bullets called "Shapes", and then accessed the right-click context menu to select the Demote option.

Figure 8: Demote one level

Now, look at Figure 9. This shows the result of clicking the Demote option, as you can see, the Level 1 bullet called "Shapes" is now changed to Bullet Level 2.

Figure 9: Demoted by one level

Move Up and Move Down

These options move the selected text or title up or down so that it appears before or after the previous item in the Outline tab. The text or title is moved up or down without making any changes to its hierarchy though.

Look at Figure 10. Here, we selected one of the Level 1 bullets called "Sun", and then accessed the right-click context menu to select the Move Up option.

Figure 10: Move Up one level

Now look at Figure 11. This shows the result of clicking the Move Up option. As you can see, the Level 1 bullet called "Sun" has now not affected the title of the slide, but it moved up next to the closest Level 1 bullet in the previous slide.

Figure 11: Moved Up by one level

The Move Down option works the same way. Look at Figure 12. Here we selected one of the Level 1 bullets called "Shapes" (the first of the Level 1 bullets on this slide), and then accessed the right-click context menu to select the Move Down option.

Figure 12: Move Down one level

Now, look at Figure 13. This shows the result of clicking the Move Down option, as you can see, the Level 1 bullet called "Shapes" has now moved down so that it is now the second of the Level 1 bullets on this slide.

Figure 13: Moved Down by one level

Hyperlink and Show Text Formatting

Hyperlink: This option allows you to add a hyperlink to any selected text in Outline tab. Personally, we prefer doing this sort of stuff on the slide itself rather than the outline, but that's just my opinion.

Show Text Formatting: This shows the actual font formatting on the Outline tab. Again, we hardly ever use this option!