Types of Animation in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows

In one of our previous tutorials, you learned what animation is? (and where you should draw the limits as far as animation goes).

In this tutorial, we will explore the many types of animations available within PowerPoint 2010 for Windows.

When we say, "many types", we do not mean the animation effects themselves but the several types wherein these effects can be categorized.

All animation in PowerPoint can be divided into four types:

1. Entrance
2. Emphasis
3. Exit
4. Motion Path

In addition, you also have the concept of trigger animations, where an action on one object triggers an animation on another object. Hence the name Trigger animation. We'll cover Trigger animations in a subsequent tutorial. For now, let us tell you more about the entrance, emphasis, exit, and motion path animations.

A. Entrance

Animations are used to introduce a slide object within a slide. If a slide was a room, and you were a slide object. Then an entrance animation will be akin to you entering the room.

B. Emphasis

Animations are used to animate slide objects that are already present on a slide. Using the same analogy as we used for Entrance animations, you would already be in the room, and would move from one area in the room to another. This would be akin to an Emphasis animation.

C. Exit

Animations are used to animate slide objects off a slide. So, if you were a slide object in a room (slide), then walking out of the room would be akin to an Exit animation.

D. Motion Path

Animations are similar to Emphasis animations since they are typically used to move slide objects already on a slide. They are different from other animations though since motion path animations cause movement set on a path. This path could be a circle, a line, or anything else.

What's important to realize is that the same slide object can have all four animation types added to it and set to play one after the other (or even at the same time in some instances). This sort of sequencing is controlled by animation events such as On Click, With Previous, and After Previous. We'll explain these animation events in detail in a Animation Events tutorial. Another concept that you need to know is how to control the speed of an animationhis is explained in our Animation Speed tutorial.