MICROSOFT OFFICE TUTOR: You don’t need x-ray specs to select transparent PowerPoint objects with ease (2000/2002/2003/2004)
Transparency helps you create complex and attractive PowerPoint slides but you may have trouble selecting a transparent object when you need to edit it. The only things visible are the editing handles around a selected AutoShape, as shown in Figure A, or the border on selected text boxes.
Figure A: If you click away from these objects -- an AutoShape and a text box -- they disappear from view without a trace.
Since you can’t see a transparent AutoShape, trying to resize it means you must find the precise location of its border, which can be frustrating and time-consuming.
Fortunately, there’s a much easier way. The next time you lose track of a transparent AutoShape, simply press [Tab] to cycle through the objects on your slide, both visible and invisible. If you have multiple transparent objects on your slide and want to see all of their editing handles simultaneously, press [Ctrl]A ([command]A on the Mac). You may just find objects you didn’t know existed.
Filed under: Microsoft Office Tutor