!Restored: Export for PowerPoint

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have some usefull suggestions on how to incorporate ArchiCAD plan images into PowerPoint?

Creating a imagefile like JPG,TIFF etc. offers not enough quality. Publishing an EPS gives no image in PP and PDF can't be inserted in PP(2000) unless using a link and opening it in Acrobat reader which is not an option. So far only save the plan as a Windows enhanced Metafile seems to give a reasonable result, but I was wondering if there are more options.

[stefan]

Did you use JPEG? JPEG is best for photographs, where you have lots of colors and lots of small gradients.
It is particulary bad for text & graphical lines. Use TIFF or GIF and the lines will be as sharp as they are in ArchiCAD.

You can use screenprints: what you see is what you get. But it is best to prior set your OS at a resolution of 1024x768; as is the default when doing PP presentations.

Powerpoint will display every single pixel you capture, as long as you don't rescale, so the imagery is identical to what you see in the ArchiCAD plan or 3D-window.

So conclusion: do not rescale screenshots and don't use JPEG for them (unless set at a high quality setting).

[dwyckoff]

For giving away all my secrets I normally charge $80 US per use.
I have found EPS files to be the most consistant. For my process you will need a raster image manipulator such as Photoshop, but any of the others will do. Follow this sequence:

First - calibrate both you PC screen and, if you are using one, your projector. Use a photo card that has a number of colors and gray scale bars and an actual photo. This is necessary because projectors can seriously mess up an image by not showing the proper colors that you originally saw on your PC.

Second- Determine the size of the page you are working on in PP. If you want the image to fill the entire screen you will need to make an image at least that large at 72 dpi.

Third - Print to file (EPS) using the options that you normally would be using for printing, by window, entire drawing. Then open the file in Photoshop telling it to not convert. Then flatten the image and save it to the format of your preferrence. You can manipulate the image any way you want to suite your taste. I find higher contrast and lower white levels work fine. But with experimentation you will find your own preference.

Fourth - Open the file in PP and place and shrink. Do not enlarge. If you need to enlarge, print to the EPS in a larger format and then process again. If you want to use the file to print - instead of using 72dpi use 300dpi and resize the format accordingly.

I have a paypal account for all tips and money you feel obligated to throw at my feet.

[Anonymous]

Laurens wrote:
Does anyone have some usefull suggestions on how to incorporate ArchiCAD plan images into PowerPoint?

I know it doesn't answer your question, but when I see what one has to do to get plans in PowerPoint... Have you ever thought of making your presentation with Adobe Acrobat ?

You could prepare your "slides" on Master layout made to fit your screen def (I guess the first time preparation should take a little time, but will be good for everything)... And then print them on any PDF Driver... You could then edit the PDF in Acrobat (full version) to make links, insert videos, etc.

Dwight and several others have already made several presentation in Nottingham and they used Acrobat : the result was really convincing (for someone like me that doesn't know much about Powerpoint)...

[dwyckoff]

So...can acrobat make things fly in and out? If you are doing a static slide show it may work, but we have arrows and text and graphics fly in from off the page and fly off when we want to go back to the main image.
I had one 45 minute presentation that only had 7 slides, but printed had 64 pages.

Have any Mac users started using Keynote? I hear it can whoop PP in a fight. Native quicktime import...never have been able to get PP to play QT movies in a decent manner.

[Dwight]

AAAAAArgh!!!
DON'T USE ACROBAT FOR SLIDE SHOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Too much RAM needed - some things don't project properly - like animation bits and it can be slow with oversized images.

Invest in Powerpoint or Keynote for Mac.
Use the transition tools to make interesting "animated" slides.
Powerpoint has an advantage currently in that it can make a timed slide show that Keynote cannot.

The easy way to get images into Powerpoint or Keynote is to cut and paste using a screen capture tool like SnapzPro or whatever....
Set the capture size to equal your presentation size and forge onward, copying and pasting from ArchiCAD into Powerpoint as you develop your lecture. You can thro them out later if too many...

Concern for resolution is approriate - I spend a lot of time using 800x600 projectors, so am careful to use large type. Remember that you have an unlimited number of slides, so that you can easily take screenshots of zoomed-in bits as you speak to clearly illustrate the details of your plan as you go. This is better than using a pointer.

Architects always put too much on the screen at once - think of it as telling a story. You will achieve better understanding the more linear you make the thought process of your audience. Lots of slide changes with few pieces of info is better than one overly-detailed plan with a droning voice and a laser pointer. Ask me, I know.

I'll be addressing this very topic at ACUE in March. don't miss it. The EARLY BIRD SPECIAL is going to expire soon.

[Dwight]

Both programs are on my laptop and bigbox. I like Keynote because the interface is more fluid - creative. Keynote can't do a timed slide show. That is importnt and will arrive soon.

Powerpoint is very Microsoft - If you like their other office products then Powerpoint will be fine. I like it. Klunkier.

Since I own a Titanium Powerbook 667 with Panther, Keynote doesn't work properly - why I've gone back to Powerpoint.

If you are considering Keynote for yourself, see:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25677

to learn about the problem on your machine. They will probably fix the issue soon.
_________________

[Dwight]

About movies:

For absolute reliability when making presentations, especially remote presentations with a stranger's projector, avoid animation. There is nothing worse than a black square.

My bias is showing, but [and you'll see it in my Pomona lecture] considering how small an animation is, and how poorly they project, consider making a series of full-screen renderings of high quality at regular intervals along your animation path and in your multi-media presentation doing smooth crossfades between them.

Women like this better than animations. Excuse me. That is a sexist generalization. I mean to say, SOME women have complimented me on the smoothness and clarity of my work because they can see more clearly the details and aren't disoriented by dynamic movements [like the first-person shoot-em-ups some ArchiCAD TALK fellows do] in lousy little animations. With my looks, any compliment is a good compliment.

The advantage to crossfading stills is that notes can be inserted at appropriate pauses - when you get to an important place, you pause there for discussion.

Please comment on this - I think it an important issue seeing how so many uselss animations get touted as good stuff.

[Dwight]

A way to do this is to "keyframe" everything - no in-betweens, with each camera set specifically at an angle that makes a point in your lecture.

[Anonymous]

Dwight wrote:
AAAAAArgh!!!
DON'T USE ACROBAT FOR SLIDE SHOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Too much RAM needed - some things don't project properly - like animation bits and it can be slow with oversized images.

At least we know what not to use now 😉 !