Impress Guide

Chapter 5
Managing Graphic Objects

CopyrightThis document is Copyright © 2021 by the LibreOffice Documentation Team. Contributors arelisted below. You may distribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either the GNU General
Public License (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html), version 3 or later, or the Creative
Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), version 4.0 or later.
All trademarks within this guide belong to their legitimate owners.

Contributors
To this edition.
Peter Schofield

Samantha Hamilton

To previous editions.
Peter Schofield
T. Elliot TurnerMichele Zarri
Low Song Chuan

Jean Hollis Weber

Feedback
Please direct any comments or suggestions about this document to the Documentation Team
mailing list: documentation@global.libreoffice.org

Note
Everything sent to a mailing list, including your email address and any other personal
information that is written in the message, is publicly archived and cannot be deleted.

Publication date and software version
Published January 2021. Based on LibreOffice 7.0.

Using LibreOffice on macOS
Some keystrokes and menu items are different on macOS from those used in Windows andLinux. The table below gives some common substitutions for the instructions in this document.
For a detailed list, see the application Help.
Windows or LinuxmacOS equivalent

EffectTools > Options
menu selection

LibreOffice > Preferences

Access setup options

Right-click

Control+click or right-click
depending on computer setup

Open a context menu

Ctrl (Control)⌘ (Command)

Used with other keys

F11

⌘+T

Open the Styles deck in the Sidebar

Documentation for LibreOffice is available at http://documentation.libreoffice.org/en/Contents
Copyright............................................................................................................................2
Contributors.............................................................................................................................. 2
Feedback.................................................................................................................................. 2
Publication date and software version.......................................................................................2
Using LibreOffice on macOS.....................................................................................................2

Introduction........................................................................................................................6
Drawing toolbar.................................................................................................................6
Drawing tools............................................................................................................................ 6

Creating lines and shapes..............................................................................................10
Drawing regular shapes........................................................................................................... 11
Regular shape adjustment.......................................................................................................11
Basic Shapes...................................................................................................................... 11
Symbol Shapes..................................................................................................................12
Block Arrows....................................................................................................................... 12
Callouts.............................................................................................................................. 13
Stars and Banners..............................................................................................................13
Drawing curves, polygons and freeform lines..........................................................................13
Curves................................................................................................................................ 14
Polygons and Polygons 45°................................................................................................14
Freeform lines.................................................................................................................... 14
Drawing lines and arrows........................................................................................................15
Straight lines....................................................................................................................... 15
Arrows................................................................................................................................ 15Grouping objects together.............................................................................................16
Temporary grouping................................................................................................................ 16Grouping................................................................................................................................. 16
Editing or formatting groups....................................................................................................17
Ungrouping............................................................................................................................. 17

Positioning and resizing graphic objects.....................................................................18
Using a mouse........................................................................................................................ 18
Positioning.......................................................................................................................... 18
Resizing............................................................................................................................. 18
Position and Size dialog.......................................................................................................... 19
Positioning.......................................................................................................................... 19
Resizing............................................................................................................................. 20
Sidebar Position and Size section...........................................................................................20
Positioning.......................................................................................................................... 20
Resizing............................................................................................................................. 21

Applying special effects.................................................................................................21
Rotating graphic objects.......................................................................................................... 21
Mouse rotation....................................................................................................................21
Position and Size dialog rotation........................................................................................22
Sidebar rotation..................................................................................................................23
Flipping objects....................................................................................................................... 23
Quick flipping...................................................................................................................... 23
Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects | 3

Flip tool............................................................................................................................... 23
Mirror copies...................................................................................................................... 24
Distorting images.................................................................................................................... 25
Distort tool.......................................................................................................................... 25
Set in Circle (perspective) tool............................................................................................26
Set to circle (slant) tool.......................................................................................................26

Aligning objects...............................................................................................................26
Using grid or snap functions..........................................................................................26
Configuring grid and snap.......................................................................................................27
Snap to grid............................................................................................................................. 28
Using Snap to Grid............................................................................................................. 28
Displaying grid.................................................................................................................... 29
Changing color of grid points..............................................................................................29
Snap points and lines.............................................................................................................. 29
Inserting snap points and lines...........................................................................................29
Displaying snap points and lines........................................................................................30
Editing snap points and lines..............................................................................................30
Deleting snap points and lines............................................................................................31
Configuring snap range......................................................................................................31

Using Helplines................................................................................................................31
Arranging objects............................................................................................................32
Connectors and glue points...........................................................................................33
Connectors.............................................................................................................................. 33
Drawing connectors............................................................................................................ 33
Connector types................................................................................................................. 34
Formatting connectors........................................................................................................34
Glue points.............................................................................................................................. 35
Glue point types................................................................................................................. 35
Adding glue points.............................................................................................................. 36
Customizing glue points.....................................................................................................37
Deleting glue points............................................................................................................ 37

Working with 3D objects.................................................................................................37
Converting objects..........................................................................................................39
Interaction with objects..................................................................................................39
Fontwork...........................................................................................................................40
Creating Fontwork................................................................................................................... 41
Fontwork toolbar..................................................................................................................... 42
Modifying Fontwork................................................................................................................. 42

Animations.......................................................................................................................42
Creating an animation............................................................................................................. 43
Animation options.................................................................................................................... 44
Effect Options dialog............................................................................................................... 45
Effect page......................................................................................................................... 45
Timing page........................................................................................................................ 46
Text Animation page........................................................................................................... 46
Animated images.................................................................................................................... 47
4| Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Creating animated image...................................................................................................47
Animation dialog controls...................................................................................................48

Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects | 5

Introduction
This chapter describes how to manage graphic objects and in particular how to rotate, distort,
arrange, and position them on the slide. Though this chapter focuses on the shapes that can becreated with the available tools in Impress, some of the techniques described in this chapter are
also applicable to images imported into slides.

Drawing toolbar
The Drawing toolbar (Figure 1) contains the majority of the tools normally used to create graphic
objects. If this toolbar is not visible, select View > Toolbars > Drawing from the Menu bar. By
default, the Drawing toolbar is docked vertically at the left side of the Impress window.

Figure 1: Drawing toolbar

NoteYour Drawing toolbar may differ from the one shown in Figure 1 as this depends on
how many drawing tools have been placed on the toolbar. Right-click on an empty
area of the Drawing toolbar, then select Visible Buttons from the context menu todisplay the available tools. From this dialog you can install and remove tools to andfrom the toolbar. See Appendix B, Toolbars for more information.

Drawing tools•

Select – selects objects. To select a group of objects, click above the top left object anddrag the mouse below the bottom right object of the intended selection while keeping themouse button pressed. A rectangle identifying the selection area is displayed. You canalso select several objects by pressing and holding the Shift key while selecting theindividual objects.

•

Insert Text Box – creates a text box with text aligned horizontally. See Chapter 3, Adding
and Formatting Text for more information on working with text.

•

Insert Vertical Text – creates a text box with text aligned vertically. This tool is available
only when Asian language support has been enabled in Tools > Options > Language
Settings > Languages. See Chapter 3, Adding and Formatting Text for more information
on working with text.

•

Line Color – click on the triangle ▼ to the right of the icon to open a color palette andselect a color for the line. More colors are available by selecting a different color palettefrom the drop down list at the top of the color palette.

•

Fill Color – click on the triangle ▼ to the right of the icon to open a color palette andselect a color for the area fill. More colors are available by selecting a different color
palette from the drop down list at the top of the color palette.

•

Insert Line – draws a straight line from the point where you click the mouse to the point
where you drag the mouse pointer and release the mouse button. Press the Shift key torestrict the angle of the line to multiples of 45°. Press the Alt key to draw a line from its
center. Press the Ctrl key to detach the end point of the line from the grid (see ‘Using gridor snap functions’ on page 27).

6 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

•

Rectangle – draws a rectangle when you drag the mouse from the top left to the bottom
right corner. Press the Shift key to draw a square. Press the Alt key to draw a shape fromits center. Press the Shift + Alt keys to draw a square from the center. Release the mousebutton before releasing the Shift or Alt keys.

•

Ellipse – draws an ellipse. Press the Shift key to draw a circle. Press the Alt key to drawa shape from its center. Press the Shift + Alt keys to draw a circle from the center.
Release the mouse button before releasing the Shift or Alt keys.

•

Line and Arrows – draws a straight line ending with an arrowhead. The arrowhead isplaced at the end of the line where you release the mouse button. Click the triangle to
the right of the tool icon to show the available tools (Figure 2). The Shift, Alt and Ctrl keys
have the same effect as for the Line tool. Actual icon shown on the toolbar will dependon the tool that had previously been selected.

Figure 2: Lines and Arrows toolbar•

Curves and Polygons – draws a shape depending on the option that has been selected.
Click the triangle to the right of the tool icon to show the available tools (Figure 3). Actual
icon shown on the toolbar will depend on the tool that had previously been selected.

Figure 3: Curves and Polygons
toolbar•Connectors – draws a connector line between two figures. Click the triangle to the rightof the tool icon to show the available tools. Actual icon shown on the toolbar will dependon the tool that had previously been selected. For more information see “Connectors andglue points” on page 34.

Figure 4: Connectors toolbar•

Basic Shapes – click the triangle ▼ to the right of the tool icon to open a toolbar
showing the available tools (Figure 5). Actual icon shown on the toolbar will depend on
the tool that had previously been selected.

Figure 5: Basic Shapes toolbar•

Symbol Shapes – click the triangle ▼ to the right of the tool icon to open a toolbar
showing the available tools (Figure 6). Actual icon shown on the toolbar will depend on
the tool that had previously been selected.

Drawing toolbar | 7

Figure 6: Symbol Shapes toolbar•

Block Arrows – click the triangle ▼ to the right of the tool icon to open a toolbar showing
the available tools (Figure 7). Actual icon shown on the toolbar will depend on the toolthat had previously been selected.

Figure 7: Block Arrows toolbar•

Flowchart – click the triangle ▼ to the right of the tool icon to open a toolbar showing theavailable tools (Figure 8). Actual icon shown on the toolbar will depend on the tool that
had previously been selected.

Figure 8: Flowchart toolbar•

Callouts – click the triangle ▼ to the right of the tool icon to open a toolbar showing theavailable tools (Figure 9). Actual icon shown on the toolbar will depend on the tool that
had previously been selected.

Figure 9: Callouts toolbar•

Stars and Banners – click the triangle ▼ to the right of the tool icon to open a toolbar
showing the available tools (Figure 10). Actual icon shown on the toolbar will depend on
the tool that had previously been selected.

Figure 10: Stars and Banners toolbar•

3D-Objects – click the triangle ▼ to the right of the tool icon to open a toolbar showing
the available tools (Figure 11). Press the Shift key to draw a 3D object with equal widthand height. Press the Alt key to draw a shape from its center. Actual icon shown on the
toolbar will depend on the tool that had previously been selected. For more information
on 3D objects, see “Working with 3D objects” on page 39.

8 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 11: 3D-Objects toolbar•

Rotate – select an object then click on this tool to switch the object in rotation mode. The
selection handles change color and pivot point appears in the center of the object.

•

Align – click the triangle ▼ to the right of the tool icon to open the available alignment
tools (Figure 12) for two or more objects: See “Aligning objects” on page 27 for more
information.
– Left, Centered, Right – determines the horizontal alignment of selected objects.
– Top, Center, Bottom – determines the vertical alignment of selected objects.

Figure 12: Align Objects
toolbar•Arrange – changes the stack level of an object. Click the triangle ▼ to the right of thetool icon to open the available arrange tools (Figure 13) for a selected object. See“Arranging objects” on page 33 for more information.
– Bring to front – the selected object is moved in front of all other objects.
– Bring forward – the selected object is moved one level up in the stack.
– Send backwards – the selected object is moved one level down in the stack.
– Send to back – the selected object is moved behind all other objects.
– In front of object – moves the first selected object in front of the second selected
object.
– Behind object – moves the first selected object behind the second selected object.
– Reverse – swaps the stacking order of two selected objects.

Figure 13: Position toolbar(arrange)•

Distribution – opens the Distribution dialog (Figure 14) where you can set the horizontal
and vertical spacing between objects.

Drawing toolbar | 9

Figure 14: Distribution dialog•

Shadow – applies a shadow to a selected object using the shadow settings from theArea dialog.

•

Crop Image – this tool only becomes active when an image is selected that you want to
crop.

•

Filter – this tool only becomes active when an image is selected and opens the available
filter options (Figure 15) for application to an image. For more information on image
filters, see the Draw Guide.
– Invert – inverts the color values of a color image, or the brightness values of agrayscale image. Apply the filter again to reverse the effect.
– Smooth – softens or blurs the image by applying a low pass filter.
– Sharpen – sharpens the image by applying a high pass filter.
– Remove Noise – removes noise by applying a median filter.
– Solarization – opens a dialog for defining solarization. Solarization refers to an effectthat looks like what can happen when there is too much light during photodevelopment.
– Aging – all pixels are set to their gray values. The green and blue color channels arethen reduced by the amount you specify. The red color channel is not changed.
– Posterize – opens a dialog to determine the number of poster colors. This effect isbased on the reduction of the number of colors. It makes photos look like paintings.
– Pop Art – converts an image to a pop-art format.
– Charcoal Sketch – displays the image as a charcoal sketch. The contours of theimage are drawn in black, and the original colors are suppressed.
– Relief – displays a dialog for creating reliefs. You can choose the position of theimaginary light source that determines the type of shadow created, and how thegraphic image looks in relief.
– Mosaic – joins small groups of pixels into rectangular areas of the same color. The
larger the individual rectangles are, the fewer details the graphic image has.

Figure 15: Image Filter toolbar•

Points – edits the individual points that form the shape or line. Select this tool and thenselect a shape or a line. You can also press the F8 key to select this tool.

10 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

•Show Glue Points Functions – opens the Gluepoints toolbar allowing you to edit theglue points of a graphic object. Glue points are the positions where connector lines
terminate or start. See “Glue points” on page 36 for more information.

•

Toggle Extrusion – switches 3D effects on or off for the selected object. Clicking on thistool also opens the 3D-Settings toolbar. See “Working with 3D objects” on page 39 fordetails.

Creating lines and shapes
This section is an introduction to creating lines and shapes. For more information on working withlines and shapes, see the Draw Guide.

Drawing regular shapes
Regular shapes that are available on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 1 on page 6) are Rectangle
and Ellipse plus the following shapes•

Basic Shapes (Figure 5 on page 7).

•

Symbol Shapes (Figure 6 on page 8)•

Block Arrows (Figure 7 on page 8)•

Flowchart (Figure 8 on page 8)•

Callouts (Figure 9 on page 8)•

Stars and Banners (Figure 10 on page 8)•

3D Objects (Figure 11 on page 9)Some icons for regular shapes have a triangle ▼ to the right of the icon. Clicking on thistriangle ▼ opens a sub-toolbar giving access to several different types of regular shapes. The
icons on the Drawing toolbar shows the last tool used for each of these regular shapes.
Drawing a regular shape is as follows:
1) Select the required tool from the Drawing toolbar or from a sub-toolbar after clicking thetriangle ▼ to the right of the icon.
2) Place the cursor on the slide, then click and drag the mouse to define an enclosing
rectangle.
3) Release the mouse button and your shape is drawn on the slide.
4) Press and hold the Shift key when creating a shape to maintain equal height and width.
For example, when using the Rectangle or Ellipse tool to draw a square or a circle.
Release the mouse cursor before releasing the Shift key.
5)

Press the Alt key to draw a shape from its center. Release the mouse cursor before
releasing the Alt key.

6)

Press and hold the Shift And Alt keys when creating a shape to maintain equal height andwidth and draw the shape from the center. For example, when using the Rectangle or
Ellipse tool to draw a square or a circle. Release the mouse cursor before releasing theShift and Alt keys.

Creating lines and shapes | 11

Regular shape adjustment
When creating shapes that are included in Impress, one or more dots may be displayed in adifferent color to the selection handles. These dots perform a different function according to theshape they are applied to and are listed below.

Basic Shapes
Refer to Figure 5 on page 7 to identify the following shapes with adjustment dots.
•

Rectangle, Rounded – use the dot to change the radius of the curve that replaces theangled corners of a rectangle or square.

•

Square, Rounded – use the dot to change the radius of the curve that replaces theangled corners of a rectangle or square.

•

Parallelogram – use the dot to change the internal angles between the sides.

•

Trapezoid – use the dot to change the internal angles between the sides.

•

Circle Pie – use the dots to change the size of the filled sector.

•

Block Arc – use the dot to change both internal diameter and size of the filled area.

•

Isosceles Triangle – use the dot to modify the shape and type of the triangle.

•

Hexagon – use the dot to change the internal angles between the sides.

•

Octagon – use the dot to change the internal angles between the sides.

•

Cylinder – use the dot to change the perspective.

•

Cube – use the dot to change the perspective.

•

Folded Corner – use the dot to change the size of the folded corner.

•

Cross – use the dot to change the thickness of the four arms of the cross.

•

Frame – use the dot to change the thickness of the frame.

•

Ring – use the dot to change the internal diameter of the ring.

Symbol Shapes
Refer to Figure 6 on page 8 to identify the following shapes with adjustment dots.
•

Smiley Face – use the dot to change the smile on the face.

•

Heart – use the dot to change the shape of the symbol.

•

Sun – use the dot to change the shape of the symbol.

•

Moon – use the dot to change the shape of the symbol.

•

Prohibited – use the dot to change the thickness of the ring and the diagonal bar.

•

Square Bevel – use the dot to change the thickness of the bevel.

•

Octagon Bevel – use the dot to change the thickness of the bevel.

•

Diamond Bevel – use the dot to change the thickness of the bevel.

•

Double Bracket – use the dot to change the curvature of the bracket.

12 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

•Left Bracket – use the dot to change the curvature of the bracket.

•

Right Bracket – use the dot to change the curvature of the bracket.

•

Double Brace – use the dot to change the curvature of the bracket.

•

Left Brace – use the dots to change the curvature of the brace and the position of thepoint.

•

Right Brace – use the dots to change the curvature of the brace and the position of thepoint.

Block Arrows
Refer to Figure 7 on page 8 to identify the following shapes with adjustment dots.
•

Right Arrow – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

Left Arrow – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

Down Arrow – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

Up Arrow – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

Left and Right Arrow – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

Up and Down Arrow – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

Circular Arrow – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

4-way Arrow – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•Chevron – use the dot to change the angle between the sides and the shape.

•

Pentagon – use the dot to change the angle between the sides and the shape.

•

Striped Right Arrow – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

Up, Right and Down Arrow – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of thearrow.

•

Notched Right Arrow – use the dot to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

Up and Right Arrow – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of the arrow.

•

Right Arrow Callout – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of the callout.

•

Left Arrow Callout – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of the callout.

•

Down Arrow Callout – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of the callout.

•

Up Arrow Callout – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of the callout.

•

Left and Right Arrow Callout – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of thecallout.

•

Up and Down Arrow Callout – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of thecallout.

•

4-way Arrow Callout – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of the callout.

•

Up and Right Arrow Callout – use the dots to change the shape and thickness of thecallout.

Creating lines and shapes | 13

Callouts
For all callouts (Figure 9 on page 8) use the adjustment dots to change the length, position andangle of the pointer.

Stars and Banners
Refer to Figure 10 on page 8 to identify the following shapes with adjustment dots.
•

4-Point Star – use the dot to change the thickness and shape of the star points.

•

8-Point Star – use the dot to change the thickness and shape of the star points.

•

24-Point Star – use the dot to change the thickness and shape of the star points.

•

Vertical Scroll – use the dot to change the width and shape of the scroll.

•

Horizontal Scroll – use the dot to change the width and shape of the scroll.

•

Doorplate – use the dot to change the inward curvature of the corners.

Drawing curves, polygons and freeform lines
Curves, polygons and lines on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 1 on page 6) have a triangle ▼ to theright of the icon. Clicking on this triangle ▼ opens a sub-toolbar giving access to several different
types of curves, polygons and lines. The icons on the Drawing toolbar show the last tool used foreach of these curves, polygons and lines. If a filled curve, filled polygon, or filled freeform line
was selected, Impress draws the line connecting the last point to the start point and fills theinside area with the default color.

Curves1) Click the triangle ▼ to the right of Curves and Polygons on the Drawing toolbar to open
the Curves and Polygons sub-toolbar (Figure 3 on page 7).
2) Select either Curve or Curve Filled.
3) Place the cursor on the slide, then click and drag to create the starting point of yourcurve.
4) Release the mouse button and drag the cursor to draw a curve on the slide, bending theline into a curve.
5) Click to set the end point of the curve and fix the curve on the slide.
6) Drag the cursor to continue drawing a straight line. Each mouse click sets a corner point
and allows you to continue drawing another straight line from the corner point.
7) Double-click to end the drawing of your curve.
8) If Curve Filled was selected, Impress automatically fills the curve with the default color.

Note
Holding down the Shift key when drawing lines with the curve or polygon tools will
restrict the angles between lines to 45 or 90 degrees.

Polygons and Polygons 45°
1) Click the triangle ▼ to the right of Curves and Polygons on the Drawing toolbar to open
the Curves and Polygons sub-toolbar.
2) Select either Polygon, Polygon Filled, Polygon (45°) or Polygon Filled (45°).
14 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

3) Place the cursor on the slide, then click and drag to draw the first line from the start point.
Release the mouse button and a line between the first and second points is drawn.
4) Move the cursor to draw the next line. Each mouse click sets a corner point and allows
you to draw another line.
5) Double-click to end the drawing of your polygon.
6) If Polygon Filled or Polygon Filled (45°) was selected, Impress automatically fills thepolygon with the default color.

Note
If Polygon (45°) or Polygon Filled (45°) were selected, the movement of the cursor
and the angles between lines is restricted 45°.

Freeform lines
Using the Freeform Line or Freeform Line Filled tools is similar to drawing with a pencil on
paper.
1) Click the triangle ▼ to the right of Curves and Polygons on the Drawing toolbar to open
the Curves and Polygons sub-toolbar (Figure 3 on page 7).
2) Select either Freeform Line or Freeform Line Filled.
3) Click and drag the cursor to the line shape you require.
4) When you finished drawing your freeform line, release the mouse button and the drawing
is completed.
5) If Freeform Line Filled was selected, Impress automatically fills the drawing between
the start and end points with the default color.

Drawing lines and arrows
Straight lines
A straight line is the simplest element or object in Impress to create.
1) Use one of the following methods to draw a line:– Click insert Line in the Drawing toolbar (Figure 1 on page 6).
– Click the triangle ▼ on the right of Lines and Arrows on the Drawing toolbar andselect Insert Line from the sub-toolbar (Figure 2 on page 7).
2) Click at at the point where you want to start the line and drag the cursor.
3) Release the mouse button at the point where you want to end the line. A selection handle
appears at each end of the line. The selection handle at the starting point of the line isslightly larger than the end selection handle, as shown in Figure 16.
4) Keep the Ctrl key pressed while drawing a line to enable the end of the line to snap to thenearest grid point.
5) Keep the Shift key pressed while drawing a line to restrict the drawing angle of a line tomultiple of 45 degrees.
6) Keep the Alt key pressed while drawing a line to cause the line to extend outwards
symmetrically in both directions from the start point. This lets you draw lines by startingfrom the middle of the line.

Creating lines and shapes | 15

Figure 16: Line starting
point

ArrowsArrows are drawn like lines and are classified as a subgroup of lines, that is lines witharrowheads. Hovering the cursor over each type of arrow that is available will tell you the type ofendings each tool will draw.
1) Click the triangle ▼ on the right of Lines and Arrows on the Drawing toolbar and selectthe type of arrow from the sub-toolbar (Figure 2 on page 7).
2) Click at the point where you want to start the arrow, then drag the cursor. The
arrowhead(s) is drawn at the end of the line when you release the mouse button.
3) Keep the Ctrl key pressed while drawing an arrow to enable the end of the arrow to snap
to the nearest grid point.
4) Keep the Shift key pressed while drawing an arrow to restrict the drawing angle of anarrow to multiple of 45 degrees.
5) Keep the Alt key pressed while drawing an arrow to cause the arrow to extend outwards
symmetrically in both directions from the start point. This lets you draw arrows by startingfrom the middle of the arrow.

Grouping objects together
Grouping of objects is similar to putting objects into a container. You can move the objects as agroup and apply global changes to the objects within the group. A group can always be undone
and the objects that make up the group can always be manipulated separately.
This section gives only a brief introduction to grouping of objects. An example of grouping two
objects together is shown in Figure 17. For more information on working with grouped objects,
see the Draw Guide.

Figure 17: Grouping example

16 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Temporary grouping
Temporary grouping is when several objects are selected. Any changes to object parameters thatyou carry out are applied to all of the objects within the temporary group. For example, you canrotate a temporary group of objects in its entirety.
A temporary group is created using one of the following methods:•

Hold down the Shift key whilst clicking multiple objects on a slide.

•

Click and drag the cursor to create a marquee around multiple objects. Release themouse button and all the objects within the marquee are selected.

To cancel a temporary grouping of objects, simply click outside of the selection handles displayedaround the objects.

Grouping
To group objects together permanently:
1) Objects are grouped using one of the following methods:– Hold down the Shift key whilst clicking multiple objects on a slide.
– Click and drag the cursor to create a marquee around multiple objects. Release themouse button and all the objects within the marquee are selected.
– To select all the objects, go to Edit > Select All on the Menu bar or use the keyboard
shortcut Ctrl+A.
2) With selection handles displayed, use one of the following methods to create a group of
selected objects:– Go to Format > Group > Group on the Menu bar.
– Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+G.
– Right-click on an object within the selected group and select Group from the context
menu.

Editing or formatting groups
1) Click on an object in the group to select the group. Any editing or formatting can then be
carried out on all the objects within the group or on individual objects within the group.
2) To edit an individual object within a group, you have to enter the group using one of thefollowing methods:– Use the keyboard shortcut F3.
– Go to Format > Group > Enter Group on the Menu bar.
– Right-click and select Enter Group from the context menu.
3) Select individual objects within the group for editing or formatting. An example of editing
individual objects in a group is shown in Figure 18.
4) When you have finished editing or formatting, use one of the following methods to exit
the group and the whole group then becomes selected:– Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+F3.
– Go to Format > Group > Exit Group on the Menu bar.
– Right-click and select Exit Group from the context menu.

Grouping objects together | 17

Figure 18: Example of editing in a group

Ungrouping
1) Click on any one of the objects in the group to select the group.
2) With selection handles displayed, use one of the following methods to ungroup a group of
objects:– Go to Format > Group > Ungroup on the Menu bar.
– Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Shift+G.
– Right-click on the group and select Ungroup from the context menu.

Tip
If you use group and ungroup commands often, or any other command, you can add
commands to a toolbar so that they are readily available. See Chapter 11, Setting Up
and Customizing Impress for more information on customizing the user interface.

Positioning and resizing graphic objects
Using a mouse
Positioning
For quick positioning of a graphic object on a slide, use the mouse as follows:
1) Click on a graphic object or a group of objects to display the selection handles.
2) Move the cursor over a selected graphic object until the cursor changes shape. The
cursor shape depends on the computer setup and the computer operating system.
3) Click and drag the graphic object to the desired position. During movement, a ghost
image of the object appears to help with repositioning (Figure 19).
4) Release the mouse button when the graphic object is in the desired position.

18 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 19: Example of moving objects
with mouse

Note
You can also use the arrow keys to quickly move a selected object or group to a newposition.

Tip
By default Impress snaps objects the grid when objects are being repositioned. If you
need to position the object between two points of the grid, hold down the Ctrl key,then click on the object and move it to the desired position. Alternatively, you can turnthis snap function off or modify the grid resolution by going to Tools > Options >LibreOffice Impress > Grid.

Resizing
For quick positioning of a graphic object on a slide, use the mouse as follow:
1) Click on a graphic object or a group of objects to display the selection handles.
2) Move the cursor over a selection handle.
3) Click and drag the selection handle to resize the graphic object. During resizing, a ghost
image of the object appears to help with resizing (Figure 20).
4) To maintain the width to height ratio, hold down the Shift key before clicking and dragging
on a selection handle. Remember to release the mouse button before releasing the Shift
key.
5) Release the mouse button when the graphic object is at the desired size.

Figure 20: Example ofresizing objects withmouse

Positioning and resizing graphic objects | 19

Figure 21: Position and Size dialog

Position and Size dialog
Positioning
For a more accurate placement of a graphic object on a slide, use the Position and Size dialog(Figure 21) as follows:
1) Select a graphic object to display the selection handles and open the Position and Sizedialog using one of the following methods:– Use the keyboard shortcut F4.
– Go to Format > Object and Shape > Position and Size on the Menu bar.
– Right-click on the selected object and select Position and Size from the context
menu.
– Click on More Options on the right of the title bar for the Position and Size section in
the Properties deck on the Sidebar.
2) Click on the Position and Size tab.
3) In the Position section, specify Position X (horizontal) and Position Y (vertical) position of
the graphic object. The values represent the distance from the Base point selected on theright hand side of the dialog. The default selection for Base point is relative to the top left
corner of the slide.
4) If necessary, in the Protect section of the dialog, select the Position option to prevent thegraphic object from being repositioned.
5) Click OK to save the changes and to close the dialog.

Note
The units of measurement used in this dialog and other Impress dialogs are set inTools > Options > LibreOffice Impress > General.
20 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Resizing1) Select a graphic object to display the selection handles and open the Position and Sizedialog using one of the following methods:– Use the keyboard shortcut F4.
– Go to Format > Object and Shape > Position and Size on the Menu bar.
– Right-click on the selected object and select Position and Size from the context
menu.
– Click on More Options on the right of the title bar for the Position and Size section in
the Properties deck on the Sidebar.
2) Click on the Position and Size tab.
3) In Size, select a Base point that you would like to use as an anchor when resizing thegraphic object. The default selection of top left corner means that the top left corner ofthe object will not change position when resizing.
4) To maintain the proportions between width and height, in the Size section select the
Keep ratio option before changing the Width or Height. When Keep ratio is selected,changes to one dimension results in an automatic change to the other maintaining theratio between object width and height.
5) In the Size section, specify the Width and Height of the graphic object.
6) If necessary, in the Protect section of the dialog, select the Size option to prevent thegraphic object from being resized.
7) Click OK to save the changes and to close the dialog.

Sidebar Position and Size section
Positioning
Use the Position and Size section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar to position a graphic
object as follows:
1) Select a graphic object to display the selection handles.
2) Click on Properties in the Sidebar to open the Properties deck.
3) Click on Position and Size section to open the section (Figure 22).
4) Specify Position X (horizontal) and Position Y (vertical) position of the graphic object. The
values represent the distance from the Base point that has been selected in the Position
and Size dialog.

Positioning and resizing graphic objects | 21

Figure 22: Position and Size section in
Properties on Sidebar5) Press the Enter key to make the changes.

Resizing
Use the Position and Size section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar to resize a graphic object
as follows:
1) Select a graphic object to display the selection handles.
2) Click on Properties in the Sidebar to open the Properties deck.
3) Click on Position and Size section to open the section (Figure 22).
4) To maintain the proportions between width and height, select the Keep ratio option beforechanging the Width or Height. When Keep ratio is selected, changes to one dimension
results in an automatic change to the other maintaining the ratio between object widthand height.
5) Press the Enter key to make the changes.

Applying special effects
As well as the basic actions of moving and resizing an object, a number of special effects canalso be applied to objects in Impress. This section describes how to rotate, flip, distort and setting
an object in a circle.

Rotating graphic objects
Mouse rotation
1) Click on a graphic object and the selection handles are displayed.
2) On the Line and Filling toolbar, click on the triangle ▼ to the right of Transformations
then click on Rotate on the sub-toolbar. The selection handles change shape and alsochange color as shown in Figure 23. A pivot point indicating the rotation center also
appears in the center of the object.

22 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 23: Example of rotating
objects
3) Move the mouse over one of the corner handles and the mouse cursor shape willchange.
4) Click on a corner selection handle and move in the direction in which you want to rotate
the graphic object. Only the corner selection handles are active for rotation.
5) When satisfied with the rotation, release the mouse button.
6) To change the rotation center of the object, click and drag the pivot point to the desired
position before rotating. The pivot point can be moved to any position on the slide, evenoutside of the object boundaries.
7) To restrict the rotation angles to multiples of 15 degrees, press and hold the Shift key
while rotating the graphic. This is useful for rotating pictures through a right angle, forexample from portrait to landscape. Remember to release the Shift key before releasing
the mouse button.

Position and Size dialog rotation
Instead of rotating a graphic object manually, use the Rotation page of the Position and Sizedialog (Figure 24) to accurately rotate an object.
1) Select a graphic object to display the selection handles and open the Position and Sizedialog using one of the following methods:– Use the keyboard shortcut F4.
– Go to Format > Object and Shape > Position and Size on the Menu bar.
– Right-click on the selected object and select Position and Size from the context
menu.
– Click on More Options on the right of the title bar for the Position and Size section in
the Properties deck on the Sidebar.
2) Click on the Rotation tab to open the Rotation page.
3) In Pivot Point and, if necessary, enter a measurement for Position X and Position Y tomove the position of the pivot point. The default position of the pivot point is the center ofthe object. Alternatively, select a pivot point from one of the 9 positions in Default
settings.
4) In Rotation Angle, enter the degree amount for rotation in the Angle text box.
Alternatively, in Default settings, click on the rotation angle indicator and drag it to a new
angle. The angle of rotation is displayed in the Angle text box.
5) Click OK to save your changes and to close the dialog.

Applying special effects | 23

Figure 24: Position and Size dialog - Rotation page

Sidebar rotation
Use the Position and Size section in the Properties deck on the Sidebar to rotate a graphic object
as follows:
1) Select a graphic object to display the selection handles.
2) Click on Properties in the Sidebar to open the Properties deck.
3) Click on Position and Size section to open the section (Figure 22 on page 22).
4) In Rotation, enter the degree amount for rotation in the text box or click on the rotation
angle indicator and drag it to a new angle. The angle of rotation is displayed in the
Rotation text box.
5) Press the Enter key to make the changes.

Flipping objects
Quick flipping1) Click on a graphic object to display the selection handles.
2) Quickly flip a selected object so it faces the other direction using one of the following
methods:– Right-click on the selected object and select Flip > Vertically or Horizontally fromthe context menu.
– Click on the Vertically or Horizontally flip tool on the Standard toolbar.
– Go to Format > Flip > Vertically or Horizontally on the Menu bar.
– Click on the Flip Vertically or Flip Horizontally flip tool in the Position and Sizesection on the Properties deck of the Sidebar.

Flip tool
To change the position and angle that an object flips over, the Flip tool on the Transformations
toolbar has to be used as shown in Figure 25.
1) Click on a graphic object and the selection handles will show.

24 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 25: Example of using Flip tool

Figure 26: Transformations
toolbar2) Go to View > Toolbars > Transformations to open the Transformations toolbar(Figure 26).
3) Click on Flip on the Transformations toolbar and an axis of symmetry appears as adashed line through the center of the object. The object will be flipped about this axis ofsymmetry.
4) Click and drag the axis of symmetry to a new position, or position the cursor in one of thecircles at each end of the axis of symmetry and drag with your mouse cursor to change
the angle.
5) Place the cursor over one of the selection handles for the object.
6) Click and drag the cursor across the axis of symmetry to flip the object. The new positionof the object is shown faintly until the mouse is released.
7) Release the mouse button and the object will appear flipped over. Angle and position of
the flip will depend on the angle and position of the axis of symmetry.

Note
Press the Shift key while moving the axis of symmetry to rotate it in 45-degreeincrements.

Mirror copies
Impress does not include a mirror command. However, mirroring an object can be emulated byflipping the object:
1) Select the object you want to make a mirror copy of and copy the object to the clipboard.
2) Flip the object using one of the methods in “Quick flipping” on page 24, then move theflipped object to one side.
3) Click on an empty area of the page to deselect the object.
4) Paste from the clipboard to put a copy of the object into your slide.

Applying special effects | 25

5) Select both images, then right-click and select Alignment from the context menu andselect the type of alignment you want to use. Top, Center, or Bottom if you are creatinga horizontal mirror copy. Left, Centered, or Right if you are creating a vertical mirror
copy.

Distorting images
Three tools on the Transformations toolbar (Figure 26 on page 25) allow an object to be
distorted.
•

Distort – distorts an object in perspective.

•

Set to circle (slant) and Set in Circle (perspective) – both create a pseudo 3D effect.

Note
When using these tools, an object has to be transformed to a curve before distorting.
Transforming an object into a curve cannot be reversed and can only be undone byusing the Undo function.

Distort tool
1) Select an object and click on the Distort icon on the Transformations toolbar.
2) Click Yes to convert the object to a curve. If the object is already a curve, this dialog does
not appear.
3) Click and drag a corner selection handle to distort the object using the opposite corner
selection handle as an anchor point for the distortion (Figure 27).
4) Click and drag the vertical selection handles to distort the object using the opposite
vertical side as an anchor point for the distortion.
5) Click and drag the horizontal selection handles to distort the object using the opposite
horizontal side as an anchor point for the distortion.

Figure 27: Example of object distortion

Figure 28: Example of Set in Circle (perspective)

26 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Set in Circle (perspective) tool
1) Select an object and click on the Set in Circle (perspective) icon in the Transformations
toolbar.
2) Click Yes to convert the object to a curve. If the object is already a curve, this dialog does
not appear.
3) Click and drag one of the selection handles to give a pseudo 3D perspective using the
opposite side as an anchor point (Figure 28). A ghosted image appears as you drag togive an indication of how the resulting object will look.

Set to circle (slant) tool
1) Select an object and click on the Set to circle (slant) tool in the Transformations toolbar.
2) Click Yes to convert the object to a curve. If the object is already a curve, this dialog does
not appear.
3) Click and drag one of the selection handles to give a pseudo 3D perspective using the
opposite side as an anchor point (Figure 29). A ghosted image appears as you drag togive an indication of how the resulting object will look.

Figure 29: Example of Set in circle (slant)

Aligning objects
Use the alignment tools in LibreOffice to adjust the relative position of an object compared toanother object. These alignment tools are only active if two or more objects are selected. The
alignment options are as follows:•

Left, Centered, Right – determines the horizontal alignment of selected objects.

•

Top, Center, Bottom – determines the vertical alignment of selected objects.

Select the objects you want to align and use one of the following methods to access the alignoptions:•

Click on the triangle ▼ to the right of Align on the Line and Filling toolbar. Select analignment option from the tools available. The Align icon shown on the Line and Filling
toolbar will depend on the last tool used.

•

Go to View > Toolbars > Align Objects on the Menu bar to open the Align Objects
toolbar (Figure 12 on page 9). Select an alignment option from the tools available.

•

Right-click on the group of selected objects and select Align and then one of thealignment options from the context menu.

Using grid or snap functions
In Impress, you can also position objects accurately and consistently using grid points, snap
points and lines, object frames, individual points on objects, or page edges. This function is
known as Snap. It allows you to position an object in exactly the same place on multiple slides.

Using grid or snap functions | 27

Figure 30: Grid dialog
It is easier to use snap functions at the highest practical zoom value for your presentation. You
can use two different snap functions at the same time. For example, snapping to a guide line andthe slide edge. It is recommended to activate only those snap functions that you really need.

Configuring grid and snap
To configure the grid and snap in your presentation, go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice
Impress > Grid on the Menu bar to display the Grid dialog (Figure 30).
•

Grid – specifies the settings for the configurable grid on your slides. This grid helps you
determine the exact position of your objects. You can also set this grid in line with thesnap grid. If you have activated the snap grid but wish to move or create individual
objects without snap positions, keep the Shift key pressed to deactivate this function for
as long as needed.
– Snap to grid – specifies whether to move frames, drawing elements, and controls only
between grid points. To change the status of the snap grip only for the current action,
drag an object while holding down the Ctrl key.
– Visible grid – specifies whether to display the grid.

•

Resolution– Horizontal – defines the unit of measure for the spacing between grid points on the
X-axis.
– Vertical – defines the grid points spacing in the desired unit of measurement on the
Y-axis.

•Subdivision– Horizontal – specify the number of intermediate spaces between grid points on the
X-axis.
– Vertical – specify the number of intermediate spaces between grid points on the
Y-axis.

•Synchronize axes – specifies whether to change the current grid settings symmetrically.
The resolution and subdivision for the X and Y axes remain the same.

•

Snap– To snap lines – snaps the edge of a dragged object to the nearest snap line when you
release the mouse button. You can also define this setting by using Snap to Snap
Guides on the Options toolbar (Figure 31).

28 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 31: Options toolbar– To the page margins – specifies whether to align the contour of the graphic object tothe nearest page margin. The cursor or a contour line of the graphics object must bein the snap range. In a drawing, this function can also be accessed with Snap to page
Margins in the Options toolbar.
– To object frame – specifies whether to align the contour of the graphic object to theborder of the nearest graphic object. The cursor or a contour line of the graphics
object must be in the snap range. In drawing, this function can also be accessed with
Snap to Object Border in the Options toolbar.
– To object points – specifies whether to align the contour of the graphic object to thepoints of the nearest graphic object. This only applies if the cursor or a contour line of
the graphics object is in the snap range. In a drawing, this function can also beaccessed with Snap to Object Points in the Options toolbar.
– Snap range – defines the snap distance between the mouse pointer and the object
contour. Snaps to a snap point if the mouse pointer is closer than the distanceselected.
•

Constrain Objects– When creating or moving objects – specifies that graphic objects are restrictedvertically, horizontally or diagonally (45°) when creating or moving them. You cantemporarily deactivate this setting by pressing the Shift key.
– Extend edges – specifies that a square is created based on the longer side of arectangle when the Shift key is pressed before you release the mouse button. This
also applies to an ellipse (a circle will be created based on the longest diameter of theellipse). When Extend edges is not selected, a square or a circle will be created basedon the shorter side or diameter.
– When rotating – specifies that graphic objects can only be rotated within the rotation
angle that you selected. If you want to rotate an object outside the defined angle,
press the Shift key when rotating. Release the key when the desired rotation angle isreached.
– Point reduction – defines the angle for point reduction. When working with polygons,
you might find it useful to reduce their editing points.

The grid and snap functions can also be displayed and switched on or off using one of thefollowing methods:•

Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Impress > Grid on the Menu bar to display the
Grid dialog.

•

Right-clicking on a slide and using the options in the context menu.

•

Using the tools in the Options toolbar. If the Options toolbar is not open, go to View >Toolbars > Options on the Menu bar.

Snap to gridUsing Snap to Grid
Use the Snap to Grid function to move an object exactly onto a grid point in a slide. This function
can be switched on and off using one of the following methods:

Using grid or snap functions | 29•Go to View > Snap Guides > Snap to Grid on the Menu bar.

•

Right-click on a slide and selecting Snap Guides > Snap to Grid from the context menu.

•

Click on Snap to Grid on the Options toolbar.

Displaying grid
Display or turn off the grid in a presentation using one of the following methods:•

Go to View > Grid and Helplines > Display Grid on the Menu bar.

•

Click on Display Grid on the Options toolbar.

•

Right-click on a slide and select Grid and Helplines > Display Grid from the context
menu.

•

Selecting Visible grid option in the Grid dialog.

Changing color of grid points
By default and depending on your display and computer setup, the grid points are gray and are
not always easy to see. To change the color of the grid points, go to Tools > Options >LibreOffice > Application Colors to open the Application Colors dialog (Figure 32). In the
Drawing/Presentation section, select a more suitable color for the grid from the drop-down list.

Snap points and lines
Unlike the grid, snap lines and snap points are inserted when you want to position an object to a
specific position on a slide. Snap lines can either be horizontally or vertically and appear as
dashed lines. Snap points appear as small crosses with dashed lines. Snap points and snap lines
do not appear in printed output.

Inserting snap points and lines
To insert a snap point or line use one of the following methods to open the New Snap Object
dialog (Figure 33):•

Go to Insert > Snap Guide on the Menu bar.

•

Right click in an empty space on a slide and select Insert Snap Guide from the context
menu.

Figure 32: Application Colors dialog

30 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 33: New Snap Object dialog
The options available in the New Snap Object dialog are as follows:•

Position – sets the position of a selected snap point or line relative to the top left cornerof the page.
– X – enter the amount of space required between the snap point or line and the leftedge of the page.
– Y – enter the amount of space required between the snap point or line and the topedge of the page.

•Type – specifies the type of snap object required.
– Point – inserts a snap point. Both X and Y text boxes are active.
– Vertical – inserts a vertical snap line. Only X text box is active.
– Horizontal – inserts a horizontal snap line. Only Y text box is active.

Tip
When positioning snap lines, it is useful to display the rulers by selecting View >Rulers on the Menu bar. Drag a snap line directly onto a slide by clicking on thehorizontal or vertical ruler and dragging a snap line onto the slide.

Displaying snap points and lines
Display or turn off snap points and lines in a presentation using one of the following methods:•

Go to View > Snap Guides > Display Snap Guides on the Menu bar.

•

Click on Display Snap Guides on the Options toolbar.

•

Right-click on a slide and select Snap Guides > Display Snap Guides from the context
menu.

Editing snap points and lines
Edit a snap point as follows:
1) Right-click on a snap point and select Edit Snap Point from the context menu to open
the Edit Snap Point dialog (Figure 34).
2) Enter new X and Y coordinate settings for the snap point and click OK. Alternatively, dragthe snap point to a new position on the slide.

Using grid or snap functions | 31

Figure 34: Edit Snap Point dialog

Figure 35: Edit Snap Line dialog
Edit a snap line as follows:
1) Right-click on a snap line and select Edit Snap Line from the context menu to open the
Edit Snap Line dialog (Figure 35).
2) Enter a new X coordinate setting for vertical snap lines or a new Y coordinate setting forhorizontal snap lines and click OK. Alternatively, drag a snap line to a new position on theslide.

Deleting snap points and lines
1) Right-click on a snap point or line.
2) Select Delete Snap Point or Delete Snap Line from the context menu.

Note
Clicking on Delete in the Edit Snap Point or Edit Snap Line dialog also deletes asnap point or snap line.

Configuring snap range
To configure the snap range of when an object snaps to a position.
1) Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Impress > Grid on the Menu bar to open the Grid
dialog (Figure 30 on page 28).
2) Enter the number of pixels to set the proximity of when the object snaps into position in
the Snap range text box. The default setting is 5 pixels.
3) Click OK to set the new snap range and close the dialog.

Using Helplines
Helplines are a function in Impress to help position objects and can be displayed while an object
is being moved. They extend from the edges of the object to the rulers at the top and left side ofyour workspace and do not have a snap function (Figure 36).

32 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 36: Example of using helplines

Figure 37: Options LibreOffice Impress View dialog
Use one of the following methods to display helplines while moving an object:•

Go to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Impress > View to open the View dialog(Figure 37) on the Menu bar and select Helplines while moving option.

•

Click on Helplines While Moving on the Options toolbar.

•

Right-click in an empty area on a slide and select Grid and Helplines > Helplines While
Moving from the context menu.

Arranging objects
Impress organizes objects in a stack so that the objects on the top level of the stack cover theobjects on lower levels if any overlapping occurs. The stack level of each object can be changed
by arranging shapes on a slide.
Select an object or objects and use one of the following methods to change the stack level:•

Click on the required arrange tool on the Line and Filling toolbar.

•

Right-click on selected objects and select Arrange, then select the required arrange
option from the context menu.

The options available for arranging the object stack level on a slide are as follow:•

Bring to Front (Ctrl+Shift++) – the selected object is moved in front of all other objects.
Arranging objects | 33•Bring Forward (Ctrl++) – the selected object is moved one level up in the stack.

•Send Backward (Ctrl+–) – the selected object is moved one level down in the stack.

•Send to Back (Ctrl+Shift+–) – the selected object is moved behind all other objects.

•

In Front of Object – moves the first selected object in front of the second selected
object. Select the first object, then click on the second object and the objects swap
position.

•

Behind Object – moves the first selected object behind the second selected object.
Select the first object, then click on the second object and the objects swap position.

•Reverse – swaps the stacking order of two selected objects.

Connectors and glue points
Connectors are lines that can be anchored to glue points and by default are positioned on theborder of an object. When an object with a connector attached is moved or resized, theconnector automatically adjusts to the change. When creating a flowchart, organization chart,
schematics, or diagrams, it is highly recommended to use connectors instead of simple lines.

Connectors
When a connector is drawn or selected, Impress displays selection handles that are different tothe selection handles for normal lines. The termination points of a connector are square at thestart of a connector and round at the end of a connector. The selection handles on a connectorline are used to change the routing of a connector where applicable.
Impress offers a wide variety of predefined connectors, which differ in the termination shape(none, arrow, custom) and in the way the connector is drawn (straight, line, curved).

Drawing connectors
1) Click on the triangle ▼ to right of Connectors on the Drawing toolbar (Figure 1 on
page 6) to open the Connectors sub-toolbar (Figure 4 on page 7). The Connectors icon
shown on the Drawing toolbar depends on the last connector that had been previously
used.
2) Select the type of connector required from the Connectors sub-toolbar.
3) Move the mouse cursor over one of the objects to be connected and small crosses
appear around the object edges, normally in the same position as selection handles.
These crosses are the glue points to which a connector can be attached (Figure 38).

Figure 38: Example ofconnector glue points

34 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

4) Click on the required glue point to attach one end of the connector, then hold the mousebutton down and drag the connector to another object.
5) When the cursor is over the glue point of the target object release the mouse button andthe connector is drawn.
6) The selection handles that appear on the connector are used to adjust the path of theconnector so that the connector does not cover another object in its path.

Connector types
The full range of predefined connectors can be accessed by clicking on the triangle ▼ on the title
bar of the Connectors sub-toolbar and selecting Visible Buttons (Figure 4 on page 7). The
connectors available on the toolbar are indicated either by the connector icon being highlighted
or by a check mark against the name.
Connectors fall into four type groups:•

Standard connectors – connector name starts with Connector. Line segments run
vertically and horizontally. Draws a connector with one or more 90-degree angle bends.

•

Line connectors – connector name starts with Line. Consists of a line segment with two
smaller segments at the ends and draws a connector that bends near a glue point. To
adjust the length of the line segment between a bend point and a glue point, click theconnector and drag the bend point.

•

Straight connectors – connector name starts with Straight. Consists of a single line anddraws a straight line connector.

•

Curved connectors – connector name starts with Curved. Based on Bézier curves andcurve around objects. Draws a curved line connector.

Formatting connectors
To detach or reposition a connector, click and drag either end of the connector line to a different
location.
To change the connector route between objects avoiding any objects on the route, click on acontrol point on the connector line and drag it to a new position. In Figure 39, the control points
are shown as small squares.
To change a connector type, right-click on the connector and select Connector from the context
menu to open the Connector dialog (Figure 40). Use this dialog to select a connector type andchange the connector properties.
•

Line skew – defines the skew of the line and the dialog preview displays the result.

•Line spacing – sets the spacing for the connectors.
– Begin horizontal – enter the amount of horizontal space you want at the beginning of
the connector.
– Begin vertical – enter the amount of vertical space you want at the beginning of theconnector.
– End horizontal – enter the amount of horizontal space you want at the end of theconnector.
– End vertical – enter the amount of vertical space you want at the end of the connector.

•

Preview window – a left click zooms in on the preview and a right click zooms out.

Connectors and glue points | 35

Figure 39: Connector between two
objects

Figure 40: Connector dialog

Note
You cannot swap the ends of the connector using the Connector dialog, that is startpoint becomes the end point and the end point becomes the start point. To swap theends of a connector, you have to draw a new connector in the opposite direction.

Glue points
Glue points are not the same as the selection handles of an object. The selection handles are formoving or changing the shape of an object. Glue points are used to fix or glue a connector to an
object so that when the object moves, the connector stays fixed to that object.
All objects have glue points, which are not normally displayed and only become visible when
Connectors on the Drawing toolbar is selected. Note that the Connectors icon changes shapedepending on the last connector tool used.

Figure 41: Gluepoints toolbar

36 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

To add, customize or delete glue points on an object, open the Gluepoints toolbar (Figure 41)
using one of the following methods:•

Go to View > Toolbars > Gluepoints on the Menu bar.

•

Go to Edit > Glue Points on the Menu bar.

•

Click on Show Glue Point Functions on the Drawing toolbar.

Glue point types
When the Gluepoints toolbar (Figure 41) opens, only the six tools on the left of the toolbar are
active. The remaining six tools on the right of the toolbar only become active when Glue Point
Relative is deselected.
The following briefly describes the function of each tool on the Gluepoints toolbar:•

Insert Glue Point – inserts a glue point when you click on an object.

•

Exit Direction Left – connector attaches to the left edge of the selected glue point.

•

Exit Direction Top – connector attaches to the top edge of the selected glue point.

•

Exit Direction Right – connector attaches to the right edge of the selected glue point.

•

Exit Direction Bottom – connector attaches to the bottom edge of the selected glue
point.

•

Glue Point Relative – maintains the relative position of a selected glue point when you
resize an object. This tool is selected by default when the Gluepoint toolbar opens.

The following six tools only become active when the Glue Point Relative tool is deselected.
•

Glue Point Horizontal Left – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the left edge of the object.

•

Glue Point Horizontal Center – when the object is resized, the current glue point
remains fixed at the center of the object.

•

Glue Point Horizontal Right – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the right edge of the object.

•

Glue Point Vertical Top – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the top edge of the object.

•

Glue Point Vertical Center – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the vertical center of the object.

•

Glue Point Vertical Bottom – when the object is resized, the current glue point remains
fixed at the bottom edge of the object.

Note
Each glue point you have added can have only one horizontal position and one
vertical position. Only one of the horizontal position tools and one of the vertical
position tools can be selected and used at any one time.

Adding glue points
By default, most objects normally have four glue points. Add additional glue points to an object asfollows:
1) Make sure no objects are selected and use one of the following methods to open the
Gluepoints toolbar:

Connectors and glue points | 37

– Go to View > Toolbars > Gluepoints on the Menu bar.
– Go to Edit > Glue Points on the Menu bar.
– Click on Show Glue Point Functions on the Drawing toolbar.
2) Select the object, then click on Insert Glue Point on the Gluepoints toolbar Alternatively,
right click on a glue point you have previously inserted and select Insert Glue Point fromthe context menu.
3) Move your cursor to a position where you want the glue point on an object and click toinsert the glue point.
4) Select the type of glue point required from the options on the Gluepoints toolbar.
5) To move a glue point to another position, click on the glue point and drag it to its new
position.

Tip
When adding, moving or customizing glue points, it is recommended to use the zoom
function to make it easier to work with glue points. Also, glue points snap to the grid
making it easier to position a glue point.

Customizing glue points
Only glue points that have been added to an object can be customized. The default glue points
included with an object cannot be customized.
Customize the exit direction for an added glue point as follow:
1) Make sure no objects are selected and use one of the following methods to open the
Gluepoints toolbar:– Go to View > Toolbars > Gluepoints on the Menu bar.
– Go to Edit > Glue Points on the Menu bar.
– Click on Show Glue Point Functions on the Drawing toolbar.
2) Double-click on a glue point that you have added to select the glue point forcustomization.
3) Select an exit direction you want to use for the connector from the options available on
the Gluepoints toolbar, or right click on the glue point and select the exit direction fromthe context menu.
Customize the horizontal and vertical positioning for the added glue point as follow:
1) Make sure no objects are selected and use one of the following methods to open the
Gluepoints toolbar:– Go to View > Toolbars > Gluepoints on the Menu bar.
– Go to Edit > Glue Points on the Menu bar.
– Click on Show Glue Point Functions on the Drawing toolbar.
2) Double-click on a glue point that you have added to select the glue point forcustomization.
3) Click on Glue Point Relative on the Gluepoints toolbar to deselect this tool, or right-clickon the glue point and deselect Glue Point Relative from the context menu.
4) Select the horizontal and vertical positioning tools you want to use for the glue point. Only
one horizontal positioning tool and one vertical positioning tool can be used at any onetime.
38 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Deleting glue points
Only glue points that have been added to an object can be deleted. The default glue points
included with an object cannot be deleted.
1) Select the glue point you have previously added and now want to delete.
2) Press the Delete key or go to Edit > Cut on the Menu bar.

Working with 3D objects
Although Impress offers advanced functions to manipulate 3D objects, this guide describes only
the 3D settings applicable to an object. For additional information on how to use advanced 3D
effects such as geometry and shading, refer to the Draw Guide.
3D objects can be created in Impress in any of the following ways:•

Click on the triangle ▼ to the right of 3D Objects on the Drawing toolbar and select a 3D
object from the drop down list. After selection, draw your 3D object on a slide as you
would with any object. The 3D Objects icon shown on the Drawing toolbar depends on
the 3D object that had been previously selected and used.

•

Go to View > Toolbars > 3D-Objects on the Menu bar to open the 3D-Objects toolbar(Figure 11 on page 9). The selection and drawing of 3D objects is the same as using 3D
Objects on the Drawing toolbar.

•

Right-click on an object already drawn on a slide and select Convert > To 3D or To 3D
Rotation Object from the context menu. To 3D adds thickness to the object to create a
3D object. To 3D Rotation Object creates a 3D object by rotating the object around an
axis.

•

Select an object and click on Toggle Extrusion on the Drawing toolbar to apply a basic
3D effect and open the 3D-Settings toolbar (Figure 42). Select one of the options on the
3D-Settings toolbar to apply a different 3D effect.

Figure 42: 3D-Settings toolbar
The options available on the 3D-Settings toolbar are as follows:•

Toggle Extrusion – adds thickness to an object and activates the 3D properties.

•

Tilt Down – tilts the object downwards around a horizontal axis.

•

Tilt Up – tilts the object up around a horizontal axis.

•

Tilt Left – tilts the object left around a vertical axis.

•

Tilt Right – tilts the object right around a vertical axis.

•

Depth – determines the thickness of the shape. An extended toolbar opens where somedefault values are given. If none of the values are satisfactory, select Custom and thenenter the desired thickness.

•

Direction – clicking on the triangle ▼ to the right of the icon opens a sub-toolbar that lets
you select the direction of the perspective as well as the type (parallel or perspective).

•

Lighting – clicking on the triangle ▼ to the right of the icon opens a sub-toolbar that lets
you specify the direction and intensity of light.

Working with 3D objects | 39•Surface – clicking on the triangle ▼ to the right of the icon opens a sub-toolbar thatallows you to specify the type of surface from Wire Frame (useful when manipulating theobject), Matt, Plastic, or Metal.

•

3D Color – clicking on the triangle ▼ to the right of the icon opens a color palette letting
you select a color for the object thickness.

Note
Most of the Fontwork shapes (see “Fontwork” on page 42) have 3D properties andcan be manipulated with the 3D-Settings toolbar.

Converting objects
You can convert an object into a different type using one of the following methods:•

Right-click on the object and select Convert from the context menu, then select aconversion option from the context menu.

•

Select an object and go to Format > Convert on the Menu bar and select a conversion
option from the context menu.

The conversion options are as follows:•

To Curve – converts the selected object to a Bézier curve. Click on Points on the
Drawing toolbar to edit the points after conversion to a Bézier curve.

•

To Polygon – converts the selected object to a polygon. Click on Points on the Drawing
toolbar to edit the object after conversion to a polygon. A polygon always consists ofstraight segments.

•

To Contour – for basic shapes and is equivalent to converting to polygon. For more
complex shapes (or for text objects) this conversion creates a group of polygons that you
can then manipulate by entering the group.

•

To 3D – converts the selected object to a 3D object.

•

To 3D Rotation Object – creates a three-dimensional shape by rotating the selected
object around its vertical axis.

•

To Bitmap – converts the selected object to a bitmap.

•

To Metafile – converts the selected object to Windows Metafile Format (WMF),
containing both bitmap and vector graphic data.

Note
In most cases the conversion to a different type does not immediately produce visible
results.

Tip
To Curve, To Polygon, To 3D, and To 3D Rotation Object can be added to the
Drawing toolbar as additional tools by right-clicking in an empty area on the toolbar
and selecting Visible Buttons. See Appendix B, Toolbars for more information.

40 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 43: Interaction dialog

Interaction with objects
You can associate an object to an action that is performed when it is clicked and this is called aninteraction:
1) Select the object for interaction.
2) Open the Interaction dialog (Figure 43) using one of the following methods:– Click on Interaction on the Line and Filling toolbar.
– Right-click on the object and select Interaction from the context menu.
– Go to Format > Interaction on the Menu bar.
3)

Select the interaction from the available options in Action at mouse click: and any
parameters (if applicable) that maybe available. The Interaction dialog changes
depending on the type of interaction selected. The interactions and parameters are
explained in Table 1.

4) Click OK to save the changes and close the dialog.
5) To remove an interaction from a graphic object follow Steps 1 and 2 and then select No
action as the interaction type at Step 3.
Table 1: Interaction types and their parameters
Interaction
Parameters
No action

No parameters.

Go to previous slide

No parameters.

Go to next slide

No parameters.

Go to first slide

No parameters.

Go to last slide

No parameters.

Go to page or object

Specify the target from the list in the Target box. You can search for a
specific target in the Slide/Object box at the bottom of the screen.

Go to document

Select the document in the Document box. Use Browse to open a filebrowser. If the document to be opened is in Open Document Presentation
format, the target list will be populated allowing selection of the specifictarget.

Play soundSelect the file containing the sound to be played. Use Browse to open afile browser.
Interaction with objects | 41

Interaction

Parameters

Run program

Select the program to execute. Use Browse to open a file browser.

Run macro

Select a macro that will run during the presentation. Use Browse to open
the Macro Selector dialog.

Exit presentation

When the mouse is clicked over the object, the presentation will terminate.

Fontwork
With Fontwork you can create graphical text art objects to make your work more attractive. There
are many different settings for text art objects (line, area, position, size, and more), so you have alarge choice. For more information about Fontwork, see the Getting Started Guide.
Fontwork is also available with the Writer, Calc, and Draw modules of LibreOffice, but you will
notice small differences in the way that each component displays it.

Creating Fontwork
1) Click on Fontwork on the Standard toolbar or go to Insert > Fontwork on the Menu bar
to open the Fontwork Gallery dialog (Figure 44).
2) Select a Fontwork style from the dialog and click OK. The selected Fontwork appears on
your slide and the dialog closes.
3) Double-click on the word Fontwork to switch on editing mode.
4) Type your own text to replace the word Fontwork and your text appears over the word
Fontwork as shown in Figure 45.
5) Press the Esc key or click outside the selected area and your text replaces the word
Fontwork.

Figure 44: Fontwork Gallery dialog
42 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 45: Editing Fontwork text

Figure 46: Fontwork toolbar

Figure 47: Fontwork Shape toolbar

Fontwork toolbar
The Fontwork toolbar (Figure 46) becomes visible and active on the workspace when you selecta Fontwork object. If the toolbar is not visible, go to View > Toolbars > Fontwork on the Menu
bar. The Fontwork toolbar contains the following tools:•

Insert Fontwork Text – opens the Fontwork Gallery dialog.

•

Fontwork Shape – changes the shape of the selected object. Shapes available areshown in the Fontwork Shape toolbar (Figure 47).

•

Fontwork Same Letter Heights – changes the height of characters in the selected
Fontwork object. Toggles between normal height where the characters have different
heights to where all characters have the same height.

•

Fontwork Alignment – specifies the text alignment within the frame. Options available
are left align, center, right align, word justify, and stretch justify. The effects of the textalignment can only be seen if the text spans over two or more lines. In the stretch justify
mode, all lines are filled completely.

•

Fontwork Character Spacing – selects the spacing between characters and whether
kerning pairs should be used. Options available are very tight, tight, normal, loose, veryloose and custom spacing. For custom spacing, input a percentage value: 100% isnormal character spacing, less than 100% character spacing is tighter, and more than
100% character spacing is looser.

•

Toggle Extrusion – converts the Fontwork object into a 3D shape using extrusion. See
the Draw Guide for more information.

Fontwork | 43

Modifying Fontwork
It is possible to treat Fontwork text as an object and apply all the formatting that has been
described in this chapter. Assign line properties only to Fontwork which does not have a 3D
effect, otherwise the changes will not be visible. You can also modify some of the Fontwork
shapes just as you modify the angles of trapezoid and parallelogram basic shapes by moving the
dot that is displayed along with the selection handles.

Animations
Animated slide transitions can be added between slides to give your presentation a more
professional look when you change to the next slide (see Chapter 9, Slide Shows for more
information on transitions). However, Impress also allows you to add animations onto the slides
to create more interest in your presentation.
An animation consists of a sequence of images or objects called frames that are displayed insuccession when the animation runs. Each frame may contain one or more objects. For example,
make bullet points appear one by one; make pictures, shapes or other objects appear singly or
as a group onto a slide. Animations can be controlled using the keyboard, mouse click, or
automatically in a timed sequence.

Note
Anything that can be placed onto a slide is an object. For example, an object can be
an image, clip art drawing, text, and so on.

Tip
Animations can look great in a presentation, but overuse of animations can make agood presentation into a poor presentation. Always use discretion when adding
animations to your presentation.

Creating an animation
1) Select an object on a slide.
2) Open the Animation deck in the Sidebar (Figure 48) using one of the following methods:– Click on Animation on the Sidebar.
– Right-click on a selected object and select Animation from the context menu.
– Go to View > Animation on the Menu bar.
3) Click on Add Effect to add the selected object into the Animation preview box.
4) Select a category type from the options available in the Category drop down list.
5) Select an animation effect from the options available in the Effects list.
6) Select how the animation starts from the options available in the Start drop down list.
7) Select how the animation appears from the options available in the Direction drop down
list.
8) Enter a time in seconds for how long the animation lasts in the Duration box.
9) Enter a timing delay in seconds for when the animated object appears in the presentationin the Delay box.

44 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 48: Animation deck on Sidebar10) If necessary, click on Options to open the Effect Options dialog to set any effect options
required for the animation, then click OK to close the dialog.
11) If necessary, change the order of when the selected object appears in the animation
using Move Up or Move Down below the Animation preview box.
12) Click on Play to preview the animation effect.
13) If necessary, select Automatic Preview so that each time the animation is changed,
there is a preview of the effect.
14) When you are satisfied, run the slide show to check your presentation.

Animation options
The available options on the Animation deck on the Sidebar allows you to control how an object
is animated on a slide.
•

Add Effect – click on this tool to add a selected object to the Animation preview box andadd animation effects to the object.
Animations | 45

•Remove Effect – click on this tool to remove a selected object and its animated effects
from the Animation preview box.

•

Move Up – click on this tool to move the selected object and its animation effect up theorder of animation effects that have been applied to an object.

•

Move Down – click on this icon to move the selected animation effect down the order ofanimation effects that have been applied to an object.

•

Category – select a category from the options available in the drop down list.

•

Effect – select an animation effect from the options available in the list.

•

Start – select from the drop-down list how an animation effect starts when running an
animation:– On click – the animation stops at this effect until the next mouse click.
– With previous – the animation runs immediately.
– After previous – the animation runs as soon as the previous animation ends.

•

Direction – select from the drop-down list how an animation effect appears on the slide.
The options available depend on the animation effect selected.

•

Options – click this icon to open the Effect Options dialog where you can select, adjust
and apply options to the animation effect and timing.

•

Duration – select the duration in seconds of the selected animation effect.

•

Delay – select the delay in seconds of when the animation effect starts.

•

Automatic Preview – select this option to automatically preview an animation effectwhen it is applied to an object.

•

Play – click on this icon to test run the animation.

Figure 49: Effect Options dialog - Effectpage

46 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Effect Options dialog
Effect page
The Effect page (Figure 49) contains the following options:•

Direction – specifies the direction for the animation effect.

•

Sound – select a sound from the drop-down list when the animation effect is run.

•

After animation – select from the drop-down list what happens after an animation effectends.
– Don't dim – no after-effect runs.
– Dim with color – after the animation a dim color fills the shape.
– Hide after animation – hides the shape after the animation ends.
– Hide on next animation – hides the shape on the next animation.

•

Dim color – select a dim color from the available color palettes.

•

Text animation – select the animation mode for the text in an object:– All at once – animates the text all at once.
– Word by word – animates the text word by word.
– Letter by letter – animates the text letter by letter.

•

Delay between characters – specifies the percentage of delay between animations ofwords or letters.

Timing page
The Timing page (Figure 50) contains the following options:•Start – displays the start property of the selected animation effect.
– On click – the animation stops at this effect until the next mouse click.
– With previous – the animation runs immediately.
– After previous – the animation runs as soon as the previous animation ends.

Figure 50: Effect Options dialog - Timing

Animations | 47

•Delay – specifies a delay in seconds before the effect starts.

•

Speed – specifies the duration in seconds of the effect.

•

Repeat – specifies whether and how to repeat the current effect. Enter the number of
repeats, or select from the list:– none – the effect is not repeated.
– Until next click – the animation is repeated until the next mouse click.
– Until end of slide – the animation repeats as long as the slide is displayed.

•

Rewind when done playing – specifies whether to let the animated object returns to its
starting state after the animation ends.

•

Animate as part of click sequence – specifies whether to let the animation start in thenormal click sequence.

•Start effect on click of – specifies whether to let the animation start when a specified
shape is clicked. Select the shape by its name from the drop-down list.

Text Animation page
The Text Animation page (Figure 51) contains the following options and only appears when text
is selected for animation:•

Group text – specifies how the text is animated– As one object – the whole text object is animated.
– All paragraphs at once – all text paragraphs are animated.
– By XX level paragraphs – text for the outline level selected is animated. The options
available depends on how many outline levels there are in the animated text.

•

Automatically after – specifies a delay in seconds before the text animation effectstarts.

•Animate attached shape – animates an object that contains text.

•

In reverse order – text paragraphs are animated in reverse order.

Animated images
You can animate drawing objects, text objects, and graphic objects (images) on your slides tomake your presentation more interesting. LibreOffice Impress provides has a simple animation
editor where you can create animation images (frames) by assembling objects from your slide.
The animation effect is achieved by rotating through the static frames that you create.

Figure 51: Effect Options dialog - Text
Animation page48 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects

Figure 52: Animation dialog
Creating animated image
1) Select an object or group of objects that you want to include in your animation and go toInsert > Media > Animated Image to open the Animation dialog (Figure 52).
2) Add an object or objects using one of the following methods:– Click on Apply Object to add a single object or a group of objects to the current
animation frame.
– Click on Apply Objects Individually button to create a separate animation frame foreach of the selected objects.
3) In Animation Group, select Bitmap object.
4) Enter the frame (image) number in the Image Number box for the image you want tosetup.
5) In Duration specify the duration time in seconds for displaying a frame.
6) Specify the number of times a frame is displayed in the animation sequence in Loop
Count. This is called looping.
7) Repeat Steps 4 thru 6 for each image or object used for the animated image.
8) Click on Create and the animated image appears centrally on the slide.

Note
If the image to be copied consists of several objects, you can choose to treat eachobject as a separate frame. In this case, click on Apply Objects Individually.
Remember that each object will be centered in the animation.
Animation dialog controls•

First Image – jumps to the first image in the animation sequence.

•

Backwards – plays the animation backwards.

•

Stop – stops playing the animation.

Animations | 49

•Play – plays the animation.

•

Last Image – jumps to the last image in the animation sequence.

•

Image Number – indicates the position of the current image in the animation sequence.
If you want to view another image, enter its number or click the up and down arrows.

•

Duration – enter the number of seconds to display the current image. This option is only
available if you select Bitmap object in Animation group.

•

Loop Count – sets the number of times that animation will play. If you want the
animation to play continuously, select Max. This option is only available if you selectBitmap object in Animation group.

•

Apply Object – adds selected object or objects as a single image.

•

Apply Objects Individually – adds an image for each selected object. If you select agrouped object, an image is created for each object in the group.

Note
You can also select an animation, such as an animated GIF, and click this icon to
open it for editing. When you are finished editing the animation, click Create to insert
a new animation into your slide.
•

Delete Current Image – deletes the current image from the animation sequence.

•

Delete All Images – deletes all images in the animation.

•

Number – total number of images in the animation.

•

Group object – assembles images into a single object so that they can be moved as agroup. You can still edit individual objects by double-clicking the group in the slide.

•

Bitmap object – combines images into a single image.

•

Create – inserts the animation into the current slide.

50 | Chapter 5, Managing Graphic Objects