I need some advanced help with creating "Click to add" placeholder text in PowerPoint. I'm looking for the same concept as the placeholder text you create for the "Master" slide, but this would be for the actual slide not on a Master slide.

I'm building out a communications template where the user will fill in their own content, but I want to put instructions in the text fields that they will be filling out. So, when they click in the text field my instructions disappear and the text field becomes editable for the end user.

I have to do this on the slide and not the Master slide, to many variables in the content/layout.

Anyone know how to tap into the coding/visual basic functions allowed within Powerpoint? Or any other tips??

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks...

This code would add text layout to slide 2:

ActivePresentation.Slides(2).Layout = ppLayoutText



To see the other layout options in the vba enviornment, delete above code past =, enter = and a list of options should be displayed.

Thanks. This is options to modify the Master layout. I'd like to use the same concept but on regular text boxes. Same functions as the Master slide text but using it as random text boxes.

any suggestions for that?

Thanks again.

The code shown here should apply to the slidemaster. Note the slidemaster object in the code. In the previous code, 'SlideMaster' isn't present and when I tested it a few days ago, the previous code I sent to you applied only to the specified slide.

This code should be applied to the slidemaster, and all slides linked to the slidemaster:


Application.ActivePresentation.SlideMaster.Background.Fill _
.PresetTextured msoTextureGreenMarble



If this isn't the case, I probably don't understand what I am talking about.

The first code you suggested worked for me it just wasn't what I needed. It's somewhat close... Not sure if I'm explaining what I need correctly.

I basically want to modify the properties of a text box. I want to add a text box and enter in the text box a short description/instruction for the end user to fill in thier own text. So when the end user click inside the text box my information disappears allowing the end user to enter thier own information, so they don't have to highlight and delete what I entered. But I don't want to do this within the Master slide.

Hopefully that makes more sense. Thanks again...

Now I see what you are trying to accompalish. Played with it for awhile with a few problems. I'll give it a better try tomorrow.

I couldn't get the Text Box from the Text group of the insert menu to accept user text when run so I tried another solution that seems to work.

In the developer tab on the ribbon, a group called controls contains several active x controls. Add the Active Text Box control to your slide and double-click it.

In the properties box at the left, scroll down to Text and set it to "Enter Your Favorite Color". Then add the following code in the code box:


------------------------------
Private Sub TextBox1_MouseDown(ByVal Button As Integer, ByVal Shift As Integer, ByVal X As Single, ByVal Y As Single) 'this should all be on one line

If TextBox1.Text = "Enter Your Favorite Color" Then TextBox1.Text = ""

End Sub

-------------------------------


When you run the slide and click on the text box, the prompt "Enter your Favorite Color" will clear, waiting for the user input.

This will only work once unless you run some code when the slide appears to re-initialize the text to "Enter Your Favorite Color" since it will now contain whatever the user entered.

Hope this helps. I got this from help on another forum so we both learned something here!

Jerry

Jerry,

Your so close... and I thank you. Actually it's what I need, BUT I need it to work when your in "edit mode" vs "Slide Show Mode".

I'm basically providing instructions to the end user how to build their communications plan presentation.

Do you think that's possible?

Scott

Sorry. I just don't know. I've tried everything I can think of . The only way I can think of doing it in the editing mode is to create a layout in the Slide Master group (not the master) that has the prompting text in it. I think this would work but from your statements, working with the Slide Master wasn't an option and I can't think of any other approach.

If I think of anything I will post it but not too hopeful at the moment.

Good Luck.

Jerry

Thanks for all your help. I'll keep playing around to figure out how to make this work. If anything comes to mind, let me know..