VSTO For Dummies

Chapter 9. Presenting PowerPoint

In This Chapter

• Reviewing the PowerPoint object model

• Building add-ins that work with presentations

• Helping PowerPoint work better in your company

In this chapter, you use VSTO to change the way PowerPoint works. PowerPoint is the most used presentation software in the world and is quite powerful. Nonetheless, part of the power is in its simplicity.

You can use VSTO to create add-ins that make PowerPoint work better in your company, although PowerPoint is a really flexible application on its own. All you can do is make PowerPoint better.

Introducing PowerPoint

PowerPoint is presentation construction software. It's designed to give nontechnical users complete control of a basic presentation model: text, images, and movement within a presentation, as well as management of the presentation itself. PowerPoint is the de facto standard presentation software the world over. If you run a conference center, the Windows machines are expected to have PowerPoint installed.

PowerPoint 2007 added the Ribbon along with the new XML file format. PowerPoint 2010 now includes many of the other features that presenters have been looking for:

• Presenter view: If you're using two monitors, you can see your notes on the second monitor, along with your presentation on the first. You see only the presentation on the first monitor.

• Security: Ever handed out a presentation with all your jokes still in the presenter notes? Those days are over: You can delete all your personal information. ...