PowerPoint Tips & Tutorials

Create a looping introduction, p.2

Return to p. 1, Use a looping presentation and link to a later "first" slide

On the 1st page of this tip, I explained how to use a looped presentation and hidden slides to create a looping introduction. This page offers a different technique, that of a looping animation, created with a motion path.

Loop a motion path animation on one slide

Motion path animation has one unique quality; you can auto-reverse it. This plays the animation in reverse after the original path is complete, so that your object returns to its starting point. You can repeat motion path animation (like any other animation) and the net effect of both features is to loop the animation. Here are the steps:

Insert a new slide before your main presentation. It might have some Welcome text on it. Insert an object that you want to move around continuously on the slide. A good location is at a corner of the slide.

Choose Slide Show> Custom Animation. (In PowerPoint 2007, choose Custom Animation on the Animations tab.)

Select the object that you inserted. In the Custom Animation task pane, choose Add Effect> Motion Paths> Draw Custom Path> Curve.

Click on the object. Then continue to click at points where you want the curve to change direction, until you end up at the opposite corner of the slide. The more complex the curve, the more interesting the animation will be. Double-click to end the motion path. (I've changed the coloring of the slide so you can see the motion path more clearly.)

Select the animation's item in the task pane. Change the Start value to With Previous, so that the animation starts automatically. Change the speed to Slow or Very Slow so that your audience doesn't get a headache trying to follow the object.

Click the item's down arrow and choose Effect Options. Check the Auto-reverse check box. I left the Smooth Start and Smooth End check boxes checked, but you can try the animation without a smooth start and end, to see if you like it better.

Click the Timing tab. From the Repeat drop-down list, choose Until Next Click. Choose OK.

Try out the animation. The animation will loop until you click the slide. Then you'll move on to the next slide, which is the first slide of your main presentation.

Download the sample presentation, Looped_intro_1.ppt

For another technique, look at Taj Simmons' "Looping Presentations -- but not all of them!" technique.

back to main tips menu for more tips