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A
Anonymous
December 12, 2016
Answered

Can't Copy a Placeholder?

  • December 12, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 2428 views

I had a SubTitle_autoshape on one slide that I wanted to copy to another page.

I right-clicked trying to copy it.

Copy was NO WHERE on that shortcut menu.

Any reason why you can't copy Sub Title_autoshapes? Maybe because it was placed there by the master layout?

I don't get the logic of this.

Should I stick to just manually inserting shapes?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Lilybiri

    Thank you Li!

    Question:  Are placeholders of any use at all?  I don't mind deleting them. 

    Perhaps I should delete them in the Master slide view.


    They can be useful, I sometimes keep them for titles and subtitles, which will rarely be the same on all sides, to keep consistent styling. I rarely will use other placeholders as you see a lot on content slides in themes. I prefer creating a fully customized theme, with emphasis on object styles and master slides objects but not placeholders. Placeholders have more sense in a template to be used by someone else, but I'm not a big fan of templates.

    2 replies

    warmstrong
    warmstrong
    Inspiring
    December 13, 2016

    If it is on a master slide then I don't believe you can just copy it. You can potentially create an additional master slide with the layout you want to use in the template if it is something that will be used on future slides.

    Select the slide you want to duplicate. Right click the mouse (on windows pc) and select duplicate. Make the design changes you want and then navigate back to the slide.

    mslide_duplicate

    Then simply select that second page option under the properties tab by clicking on the drop down arrow. This should pull in the slide changes you want and will allow you to use that template page design on additional pages should you need.

    mslide_selection

    Like Lilibiri stated I will typically only use templates for the initial design layout and leave each slide open to copy and paste text boxes and smart shapes as needed.

    Hope this helps.

    Lilybiri
    Lilybiri
    Legend
    December 13, 2016

    @warmstrong Not only on master slides, you can never copy a placeholder object, neither on normal slides.

    Maybe you misunderstand: I will very rarely use Templates, always Themes. Master slides with their placeholders are part of a Theme..

    warmstrong
    warmstrong
    Inspiring
    December 13, 2016

    Lilybiri I understand. I think my reference the word template may be a semantic one. I was not referencing template as in creating one but rather referencing the "template" I was trying to related to an understanding in terms of "a basic layout guide" with which to work from.

    Maybe I did not clearly express it enough that I agreed with you about not being able to move placeholders that are set up in the master slide, but was suggesting another possible solution.

    Depending on the parameters of the project, the option could be to add an additional master slide in the theme with a basic layout that has the amended place holder object in the new position that it would be needed (if it was something that would used in additional slides within the project and would remain static in position for each slide). The idea being if it is something that has to be repeated multiple times creating a slide with those parameters in the master slide section to reflect that may be an option.

    Like I said my preference is like yours to keep the master slide option minimal and then add elements when working within the project which would allow for copying elements between slides.

    I am still relatively new to captivate so always willing to be corrected just want make sure you understood what I meant. Do you see any conflict for creating an additional master slide with the new layout being an option?

    Lilybiri
    Lilybiri
    Legend
    December 12, 2016

    That is a placeholder, has not the same functionality as a normal shape.

    Are you working on a master slide or on a normal slide?

    A
    Anonymous
    December 12, 2016

    I'm working --and was attempting to copy-- on a normal slide.

    Lilybiri
    Lilybiri
    Legend
    December 12, 2016

    I will rarely keep to the placeholders, just delete them and replace with a normal shape, use object styles (to preserve consistency in design). Normal shape can be copied, even displayed for multiple slides.

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