Text Pane For SmartArt Graphics
Author: Geetesh Bajaj
Product/Version: PowerPoint 2007
Date Created: September 26th 2009
Last Updated: September 26th 2009
Excerpt/Capsule: This tutorial shows Text pane for SmartArt graphics in PowerPoint 2007.
Although SmartArt contains text, it is not too easy to edit, add, or delete text contained within a shape inside a SmartArt graphic. Thankfully, the Text Pane available to edit text in a SmartArt graphic makes it a whole lot more intuitive!
Related Link: Refer to the Convert Bulleted Text to SmartArt tutorial if you already have bulleted text that you want to convert to a SmartArt graphic.
This page explores options for working with the Text Pane for SmartArt graphics in PowerPoint 2007:
Showing and Hiding the Text Pane
The Text Pane is usually visible when a SmartArt graphic is selected on the slide. As you can see in Figure 1, the Text Pane appears on the left side of the SmartArt graphic.
Figure 1: Text Pane
Sometimes you won't see the Text Pane even if you select the SmartArt graphic. In this case you'll see the bi-directional arrow button, as you can see in Figure 2. Yes, you can click this bi-directional arrow button to make the Text Pane visible as previously shown in Figure 1.
Figure 2: Show the Hidden Text Pane
At any point of time, you can hide the Text Pane by clicking the x button on the top right of the Text Pane.
Working within the Text Pane
Look at Figure 3 -- you'll find that the bottom part of the Text Pane displays information about the SmartArt graphic variant you are working with -- in a later tutorial I will show you how you can change from one SmartArt graphic variant to another.
Figure 3: Add Text
To create a new line of bulleted text in the Text Pane, just press the Enter/Return on you keyboard. Type text for the new bullet, and you'll see that your SmartArt graphic has a new shape representing the new bullet (see Figure 3).
You can also select any text within the Text Pane, and carefully right-click to view context menu options, as shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4: Context Menu Options
You can change selected text as previous or next bullet levels by clicking either the Promote or Demote options -- do note that the Promote or Demote options may be grayed out in some instances -- their availability in the Context Menu depends on what type of SmartArt graphic variant you are working with (see next paragraph). Note the Mini toolbar in Figure 4 -- you can use options therein to change the font, font size, color, etc. within the Text Pane.
As I explained, in some instances you might find that the Promote and/or Demote options are grayed out -- they show up depending upon the SmartArt graphic variant being used. For example you cannot add a new bullet level, or even a demoted level to the Basic Matrix SmartArt graphic variant once you hit the limit of 4 first level bullets (see Figure 5).
Figure 5: Basic Matrix SmartArt graphic
Some SmartArt graphic variants though let you add more bullets / shapes and are not as constrained as the Basic Matrix variant -- the Diverging Radial for instance lets you add many more bullets / shapes to an existing SmartArt graphic (see Figures 6 and 7).
Figures: 6 and 7
Related Link: My book Cutting Edge PowerPoint 2007 For Dummies covers many aspects of PowerPoint 2007. A free chapter excerpt PowerPointing with the Best of Them is available on this site.
