PPT: Using Transitions to Achieve Smoother Branching (134877)

SUMMARY

It is possible to use Play Settings in PowerPoint 4.0 to display a branched slide show before the slide in which the branch is inserted. This has two advantages:

It helps to ensure a smoother-looking transition when the branch is activated.
It ensures that the host slide (the one the branch is inserted on) displays only once, rather than twice.

While the same Play Settings are not available in PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0, it is possible to simulate the same behavior. This article lists a number of steps to help ensure a smooth transition to branches.

MORE INFORMATION

The following steps assume you have not yet inserted the presentation to which you want to branch.

Add a new slide to your host presentation. (You will insert the branch on this slide.)
On the Insert menu, click Object. Click "Create From File and Display As Icon."
Click Browse to find the presentation you want to branch to, select it, and then click OK.
Click OK again.

You should see the icon for the branch on your new slide.
On the Tools menu, click Animation Settings and set the play options to Show.
Click More and select the "Automatically after 0 seconds" and "Hide while not Playing" options. Click OK two times.
On the Format menu, click Custom Background. Choose Black as the background color and select the "Omit Background Graphics from Master" option. Click Apply (not Apply To All).

PowerPoint Version 4.0

To branch to an embedded presentation when the transition to the host slide starts in PowerPoint 4.0, follow these steps:

Select the embedded presentation.
On the Tools menu, click Play Settings.
Under Start Play, select both Hide While Not Playing and When Transition Starts.
Click OK.