Freeform drawing preview colour in Powerpoint 2007

I use a black background for most of my presentations. In PPT 2003 drawing
with the freeform tool would preview in white before the shape was finalised
by double clicking. In PPT 2007 the preview is black and hence invisible
while drawing the freeform, so I can't see what I am drawing! The results
are usually entertaining. I can't find any option to change the contrast
colour of the freeform tool (in 2003 it appeared to change automatically so
was dark on a light background). Same seems to apply to the scribble and
curve tool. I can change the background colour, but this seems unnecessarily
clunky.

Any suggestions on how to modify this behaviour? Many thanks.

Julian Cooper

Echo
Mon May 05 13:19:53 CDT 2008

Oh, yeah, that's nasty. I'll report it as a bug.

Changing the background or drawing off the edge of the slide seem to be the
most likely workarounds.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


"Ju_Cooper" <julian@cooperfrcs.fsnet.co.uk.NO_SPAM> wrote in message
news:%23t%23XditrIHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>I use a black background for most of my presentations. In PPT 2003 drawing
>with the freeform tool would preview in white before the shape was
>finalised by double clicking. In PPT 2007 the preview is black and hence
>invisible while drawing the freeform, so I can't see what I am drawing! The
>results are usually entertaining. I can't find any option to change the
>contrast colour of the freeform tool (in 2003 it appeared to change
>automatically so was dark on a light background). Same seems to apply to
>the scribble and curve tool. I can change the background colour, but this
>seems unnecessarily clunky.
>
> Any suggestions on how to modify this behaviour? Many thanks.
>
> Julian Cooper
>
>

Ju_Cooper
Mon May 05 13:32:25 CDT 2008

Thanks Echo,

Fortunately I still have PPT 2003 on my laptop so I'll go back to that when
drawing needed.

Julian

"Echo S" <msnewsgroups@echosvoiceUGHSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:75B13766-7381-41EF-BD3F-AC8C540ADDCD@microsoft.com...
> Oh, yeah, that's nasty. I'll report it as a bug.
>
> Changing the background or drawing off the edge of the slide seem to be
> the most likely workarounds.
>
> --
> Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
> What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
> Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
> PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx
>
>
> "Ju_Cooper" <julian@cooperfrcs.fsnet.co.uk.NO_SPAM> wrote in message
> news:%23t%23XditrIHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>I use a black background for most of my presentations. In PPT 2003 drawing
>>with the freeform tool would preview in white before the shape was
>>finalised by double clicking. In PPT 2007 the preview is black and hence
>>invisible while drawing the freeform, so I can't see what I am drawing!
>>The results are usually entertaining. I can't find any option to change
>>the contrast colour of the freeform tool (in 2003 it appeared to change
>>automatically so was dark on a light background). Same seems to apply to
>>the scribble and curve tool. I can change the background colour, but this
>>seems unnecessarily clunky.
>>
>> Any suggestions on how to modify this behaviour? Many thanks.
>>
>> Julian Cooper
>>
>>
>
>

Echo
Mon May 05 14:07:27 CDT 2008

To be quite honest, that's what I usually do. I'm surprised, though, we
haven't seen this one reported before. (Maybe it's because we're all using
2003 for drawing?!)

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


"Ju_Cooper" <julian@cooperfrcs.fsnet.co.uk.NO_SPAM> wrote in message
news:OUieo5trIHA.4952@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Thanks Echo,
>
> Fortunately I still have PPT 2003 on my laptop so I'll go back to that
> when drawing needed.
>
> Julian
>
> "Echo S" <msnewsgroups@echosvoiceUGHSPAM.com> wrote in message
> news:75B13766-7381-41EF-BD3F-AC8C540ADDCD@microsoft.com...
>> Oh, yeah, that's nasty. I'll report it as a bug.
>>
>> Changing the background or drawing off the edge of the slide seem to be
>> the most likely workarounds.
>>
>> --
>> Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
>> What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
>> Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
>> PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx
>>
>>
>> "Ju_Cooper" <julian@cooperfrcs.fsnet.co.uk.NO_SPAM> wrote in message
>> news:%23t%23XditrIHA.5060@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>>I use a black background for most of my presentations. In PPT 2003
>>>drawing with the freeform tool would preview in white before the shape
>>>was finalised by double clicking. In PPT 2007 the preview is black and
>>>hence invisible while drawing the freeform, so I can't see what I am
>>>drawing! The results are usually entertaining. I can't find any option to
>>>change the contrast colour of the freeform tool (in 2003 it appeared to
>>>change automatically so was dark on a light background). Same seems to
>>>apply to the scribble and curve tool. I can change the background colour,
>>>but this seems unnecessarily clunky.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions on how to modify this behaviour? Many thanks.
>>>
>>> Julian Cooper
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Pia
Tue May 06 00:35:36 CDT 2008

Ju_Cooper wrote:
> I use a black background for most of my presentations. In PPT 2003
> drawing with the freeform tool would preview in white before the
> shape was finalised by double clicking. In PPT 2007 the preview is
> black ...


I have no real solution only a workaround: if you change the view to
"Grayscale" you can see your freehand-form. It's nothing some wants to have
but it's a little help.


--
Mit lieben Grüßen
Pia Bork
MVP Powerpoint
http://www.ppt-faq.de
http://www.office-training-muenchen.de

Echo
Tue May 06 07:31:28 CDT 2008

"Pia Bork" <borkpia@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:%23EcMFszrIHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Ju_Cooper wrote:
>> I use a black background for most of my presentations. In PPT 2003
>> drawing with the freeform tool would preview in white before the
>> shape was finalised by double clicking. In PPT 2007 the preview is
>> black ...
>
>
> I have no real solution only a workaround: if you change the view to
> "Grayscale" you can see your freehand-form. It's nothing some wants to
> have but it's a little help.

Oh, that's a nice one, Pia! Much easier than changing your background color
temporarily!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

Ju_Cooper
Tue May 06 13:44:45 CDT 2008

Thank you Pia, that's very helpful. With the shortcuts now on my quick
access toolbar it's a lot easier. If only I could add them to my context
menu!

Best wishes,

Julian

"Echo S" <msnewsgroups@echosvoiceUGHSPAM.com> wrote in message
news:417E2628-1031-45DB-ABD3-1863F26542A3@microsoft.com...
> "Pia Bork" <borkpia@googlemail.com> wrote in message
> news:%23EcMFszrIHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Ju_Cooper wrote:
>>> I use a black background for most of my presentations. In PPT 2003
>>> drawing with the freeform tool would preview in white before the
>>> shape was finalised by double clicking. In PPT 2007 the preview is
>>> black ...
>>
>>
>> I have no real solution only a workaround: if you change the view to
>> "Grayscale" you can see your freehand-form. It's nothing some wants to
>> have but it's a little help.
>
> Oh, that's a nice one, Pia! Much easier than changing your background
> color temporarily!
>
> --
> Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
> What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
> Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
> PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx
>

Pia
Wed May 07 00:19:32 CDT 2008

I'm glad to help! Alter the context menu is above my head, but maybe ALT+W+O
is a quick way to View/Grayscale and ALT+B+C back to color.

Pia

Ju_Cooper wrote:
> Thank you Pia, that's very helpful. With the shortcuts now on my quick
> access toolbar it's a lot easier. If only I could add them to my
> context menu!
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Julian
>
> "Echo S" <msnewsgroups@echosvoiceUGHSPAM.com> wrote in message
> news:417E2628-1031-45DB-ABD3-1863F26542A3@microsoft.com...
>> "Pia Bork" <borkpia@googlemail.com> wrote in message
>> news:%23EcMFszrIHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Ju_Cooper wrote:
>>>> I use a black background for most of my presentations. In PPT 2003
>>>> drawing with the freeform tool would preview in white before the
>>>> shape was finalised by double clicking. In PPT 2007 the preview is
>>>> black ...
>>>
>>>
>>> I have no real solution only a workaround: if you change the view to
>>> "Grayscale" you can see your freehand-form. It's nothing some wants
>>> to have but it's a little help.
>>
>> Oh, that's a nice one, Pia! Much easier than changing your background
>> color temporarily!
>>
>> --
>> Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
>> What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
>> Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
>> PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

--
Mit lieben Grüßen
Pia Bork
MVP Powerpoint
http://www.ppt-faq.de
http://www.office-training-muenchen.de