Posts Tagged ‘software programs’
Does Your Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation Need Audience Handouts?
April 13, 2010
PowerPoint audience handouts offer a way of giving the attendees of your presentations something to remember you by. They normally consist of printouts of the presentation; one, two, three, four six or nine slides to a page. Naturally, however, whether or not the essence of your presentation can be captured by this kind of printout depends on the nature of the presentation.
You will almost certainly want to personalize the look and feel of your handouts. To do this, click on the View tab of the PowerPoint ribbon and then click on the Handout Master button. In PowerPoint, masters allow you to determine the format of the three main elements within a presentation; slides, speaker notes and handouts. When you are in handout master mode, the Handout Master contextual tab appears. It contains a Page Setup section which allows you to choose the orientation of both the page as a whole and of the individual slide miniatures. It also contains buttons for activating or deactivating the header, footer, date and page number as well as for formatting the background of the slide.
Given that Microsoft PowerPoint allows you to produce three separate elements (slides, speaker notes and handouts), when the print command is used, you need to specify which of these elements you wish to print. This is done by choosing an option from the Print What drop-down menu. In addition to the three elements mentioned above, you can also print the outline of the presentation.
For presentations containing a fair amount of important detail, it may be more useful to print out the slide outline and distribute it to the audience in place of PowerPoint’s usual handouts. Better still, you can export your presentation into Microsoft Word and then customise it for your audience. To export an outline, from the Office button, choose Publish and then Create Handouts in Microsoft Word.
Using the Create Handouts in Microsoft Word command brings up a dialogue box which allows you to choose one of five page layout options. Firstly, you can have speaker notes next to slides. This will create a two column layout with a slide miniature in column one and speaker notes next to it in column two. If you have used the speaker notes feature in your presentation, this may be a useful solution. The second option is Blank Lines Next to Slides: this produces the same two column layout as the first option but the right hand column is blank, so that you can enter notes next to each slide.
The options Speaker Notes Next to Slides and Blank Lines Next to Slide don’t offer you much room for text. If you have made or wish to make extensive notes on each slide, options three and four (Notes below Slides and Blank lines below Slides) provide a layout with the text below the slide miniature and leaves approximately 60 percent of the page free for notes.
If you just want the audience to have a summary of the content of the presentation, you can choose the final option: Outline Only. This simply exports the text on each slide into Microsoft Word.
As is often the case when transferring data from one Microsoft Office application to another, you have the choice of activating the Paste Link option. This will create a link between the exported file and the original PowerPoint presentation, such that, if the presentation is modified, the exported Word file will also be updated.
If you want more information Microsoft PowerPoint training courses, visit On-site Training Courses . Com, an independent IT training web site offering PowerPoint Classes in London and throughout the UK.
Creating Excel VBA Macros That Run On Opening A Workbook
April 1, 2010
In Excel VBA, as well as macros that can be run manually, it is possible to create macros which are executed automatically when a certain event takes place in the Excel environment. One such event is the opening of a workbook. There are two principal methods of creating macros which run when a particular workbook is opened, both of which involve placing code inside the workbook itself.
One technique is to create an event-handling macro within the code module of the workbook. The second is to create a macro in a regular module and give it the special name “Auto_Open”.
If you are taking the event-handling approach, double-click the “ThisWorkbook” object in the Project Explorer window of the Visual Basic Editor. This opens the code window of the workbook object. Next, choose “Workbook” from the drop-down menu in the top left of the code window. Excel will automatically create the default event-handling subroutine for a workbook object which just happens to be the “Open” event. Your code window should now contain the following subroutine:
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
End Sub
Now you can simply insert the code you would like to run when the workbook is opened.
Now let’s look at the second method. Here, you must begin by inserting a regular VBA module, by choosing Module from the Insert menu. Inside the module, enter the following code:
Sub Auto_Open()
End Sub
Once again, just insert any code you would like to execute when the workbook is opened.
Both of the above techniques achieve a similar result; but there is one key difference between them. The “Auto_Open” macro will only execute if you manually open the file: if the file is opened programmatically by another macro, the “Auto_Open” macro will be ignored. By contrast, the event-handling macro will run whenever the workbook is opened, either manually or programmatically.
If you are writing code which opens a workbook with an “Auto_Open” macro inside it, you can still launch the macro by writing a line of code similar to the following.
Application.Workbooks(“WorkbookX.xlsm”).RunAutoMacros xlAutoOpen
You can get up to date information on Excel VBA training courses, visit Macresource Computer Training, an independent computer training company offering Excel VBA Classes in London and throughout the UK.
Ways To Get Microsoft Training Courses
March 31, 2010
When you go to apply for a job, you might find that there is something that you have to have. When it comes to a job, you have to know your stuff on a computer. What’s more, you really have to know how to use Microsoft. For some of you out there, it might mean that you need Microsoft training courses.
There are a few places that you can find these. Right now the big buzz is online. They have classes for people all over the world. The only downfall with that is if you aren’t too sure about how to use a computer, you might not know how to access it and that can be very difficult. However, for those who just need a tutorial and know other aspects about the computer, they enjoyed this.
There are some places that offer computer classes for people. Sometimes these are held at colleges. However, if you go to a college for these classes that are normally open to the public, then you might be paying more than you really have to. Why pay that price?
Other places may offer free training. These can normally be found at the community centers in your area. Many people don’t know where to look for these. Sometimes if you check community calenders, you can then find them. There are usually a whole bunch of them available at different times because different locations are finding that people are needing this sort of training.
The last option are different training course software. They walk you through this and gives you a hands on example of these different Microsoft applications. You can do this from the comfort of your own home. You can do this online, but if you don’t want to have to download anything, you can just pop a CD in and work from that.
So, find something in your area and learn what you need about Microsoft. You don’t have to feel out of the loop. It’s easy and help is out there. It’s more readily available than it was before.
You can find out more about Microsoft Office training courses, visit On Site Training Courses . Com, a UK IT training web site offering Microsoft Office Classes all over the UK.
Sourcing The Best In Microsoft Excel 2007 Training Courses
March 31, 2010
Having taken the plunge and upgraded to Excel 2007, you will almost certainly benefit from some training. Which type of training you choose depends on your existing experience in using the program. However, in general, the ideal course will first of all rid you of the disorientation most Excel users feel when faced with the Excel 2007 interface. In addition, your Excel 2007 training course should show you how to make the most of the new features version 2007 has to offer.
At the end of any training on Excel 2007, you should feel that you have grasped the logic of the new interface and be able to navigate the ribbon and find all the basic commands. You should be getting used to doing things the Office 2007 way rather than the Office 2003 way.
However, after being trained on 2007, you will want to do more than just get back to where you were with 2003. You will want the training to show you what new features have been added to Excel 2007 and how these new features can benefit you.
One fundamental new feature in Excel 2007 is the dimension of a worksheet which is now about 1000 times bigger (in terms of the number of cells) than previous versions. A good Excel 2007 training course should show you how to fully exploit the space available and how to quickly navigate and manage the larger worksheets that will result.
Pivot tables have been considerably improved in Excel 2007. However, given that so many users are a bit vague on getting the best out of pivot tables, why not ask that your training on pivot tables begins with a review of fundamental pivot table concepts before moving on to look at how Excel 2007 implements pivot table features.
Do you or your organisation use charts and graphics when creating Excel reports? If so, be sure that your Excel 2007 training covers the new and improved charting engine within this new version. You should learn how to fully exploit the new chart ribbons: format, layout and design. You should come away from the training knowing all about SmartArt graphics, adding trendlines, scatter charts and pivot charts.
Conditional formatting has been around in Excel for some time. However, this feature has now been considerably improved. If you are getting trained on Excel 2007, you should definitely make sure that you will learn about these improvements and how to use the Color Scale and Data Bars features.
Formulas are the lifeblood of Excel. They analyse the raw data entered in other cells and provide most of Excel’s awesome power. You should definitely request that your Excel 2007 training shows you the improvements that have been made to the entry of formulas in the formula bar and the key new functions that have been introduced, especially AverageIf, SumIfs, and IfError
You can find out more about Excel VBA training courses, visit Macresource Computer Training, a UK IT training company offering Excel VBA Classes at their central London training centre.
Microsoft Excel Charting Basics
March 31, 2010
Charts offer a quick and easy way of graphically illustrating trends within your data. One glance at a chart can make it very plain where there is a dip in sales figures, a surge in visitor numbers and a host of other trends in whatever data is being represented. In this article we will examine the various elements of an Excel chart.
The first requirement is a set of data which can easily be converted into a readable chart. It is normally best to plot data which is a summary of your information. It is also useful if your data is arranged in columns or rows with headings at the top of columns or on the left of rows.
An typical example of information which would be easy to convert into a chart is a selection containing two columns with data on the left and the corresponding values on the right. When the chart is generated, the labels are placed on what is variously known as the category axis, horizontal axis or x axis; while values are arranged on the y axis. When your data is arranged in this format, the chart that Excel plots will not need much modification.
Charts may either be embedded or standalone. Embedded charts are created directly on the worksheet, often alongside the data being plotted. A stand-alone chart has an Excel sheet dedicated solely to the chart. This is known as a chart sheet; in contrast to a worksheet.
Whether embedded or standalone, the key components of the chart are always the same. First of all, we have a chart area. This is the background to the chart as a whole. Next, we have the plot area. This is the area where the graph or chart is actually plotted. Then, as we have seen, there are two or more axes. In a typical, “no frills” chart, there are two axes: the horizontal, or category, axis and the vertical, or value, axis.
Next, we have one or more series of data. In the example given above, where we select a column of labels and one column of values, there would be only one series of data. In a chart containing more than one series, it is necessary to clarify what each column represents. This is done by adding a legend to the chart. The legend acts as a key which tells us what each colour within the chart actually stands for.
As well as the text labels associated with the axes and with the legend, we can also include chart titles. In addition to the main chart title, we also have the option of placing titles on the axes. Within the plot area, we can also choose to display grid lines. These make it easy to read the value associated with each point on the chart.
These then are the main components within a chart. However, Excel allows you to customise each of these components and add other elements which enable you to create charts which convey exactly the message you have in mind.
For more information on Excel VBA training courses, visit Macresource Computer Training, a UK IT training company offering Excel VBA Classes at their central London training centre.
Understanding Arrays In Microsoft Excel VBA
March 29, 2010
An array is basically a variable which can hold multiple, related values. One of the most useful benefits of using arrays is that you can loop through the values within the array, performing actions which use, test or modify those values. Excel itself contains dozens of arrays which are referred to as collections. For example, the “Workbooks” collection is essentially an array containing a reference to all of the workbooks currently open in Excel.
Since it is capable of holding multiple values, when you declare it, you must also declare the size of the array. The syntax for doing so is to put the size in brackets after the name of the array. For example, the line:
Dim strBranches(12) As String
could be used to declare an array capable of holding 12 string values.
When you need to refer back to the data within the array, both for the purposes of retrieval and modification of data, use the name of the array followed by an index number in brackets. However, by default the first item in an array has an index number of zero rather than one. Thus, to place the word “London” in the first item in our “strBranches” array in the example above, we would say:
strBranches(0) = “London”
Array indexing differs from the way that collection indexes are handled within Excel VBA. To access the first worksheet in the active workbook, you would say:
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets(1)
You will find that the convention of using zero as the first index of an array is used in most programming languages; so it is probably as well to go with the flow. However, if you prefer to have one as the first index, VBA offers you two methods of doing so.
One approach is to use an “Option” declaration at the top of the module above any sub routines and variable declarations. The syntax is simple.
Option Base 1
An alternative approach is to specify the start and end index numbers in brackets after the array name when the array is declared. This approach offers more flexibility since it allows you to map the array numbers to any other numbers referred to elsewhere in your code. Thus, we could map the array index numbers to years, using a statement like the following.
Dim intYear(2000 to 2010) As Integer
If you would like to learn more about Excel VBA training courses, visit Macresource Computer Training, a UK IT training company offering Excel VBA Classes in London and throughout the UK.
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Creating Event-Handler Macros In Microsoft Excel VBA
March 29, 2010
For a lot of people create an Excel macro means using the recorder facility which generates a VBA macro that the user can then manually launch. Some people then graduate to editing recorded macros and perhaps writing their own code. As well as writing macros, Excel VBA also supports the creation of event-handlers which will execute when certain events take place in the Excel environment.
The easiest event handlers to create are those which relate to workbooks and worksheets. When you enter the Visual Basic Editor (VBE), the Project Explorer displays a series of icons representing each open workbook and, nested inside each, the worksheets they contain. These icons represent workbook and worksheet objects and Excel VBA allows you to enter special subroutines called event handlers directly inside them.
To create an event-handler, simply double-click the icon representing the worksheet or workbook in which you would like to place the event handler. This opens the code window at the top of which two drop-down menus are displayed, the one on the left labelled “General” and the one on the right “Declarations”. Click on the drop-down on the left and choose “Workbook” or “Worksheet”, depending on which object you are editing.
The first drop-down, on the left of the code window, displays all of the events available for event-handlers for that object. Choose an event from the list and Excel will automatically create and event-handler subroutine with the appropriate name. For example, if the object is a workbook and you choose the event “Activate”, Excel will create a subroutine called “Workbook_Activate”.
Another Excel object which supports event handlers is Excel UserForms and all of the objects they contain. To create a user form, simply choose UserForm from the Insert menu then use the Toolbox to add controls to the form. To create an event handler for any item you add to the form, simply double-click the object to open the code window for the form. Excel will then create the default event-handler for that object. If this is not the event-handler you wish to create, choose a different event from the drop-down menu in the top right of the code window.
You can find out more about Excel VBA training courses, visit Macresource Computer Training, a UK IT training company offering Excel VBA training courses at their central London training centre.
What To Expect In Microsoft Visio Training Courses
March 29, 2010
If you take Microsoft Visio training courses, you will be on the right road to achieving a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist certificate or a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certificate. Both are very valuable in the Information Technology world.
The skill of diagramming is beneficial when using the shapes and vector pictures. Using geometrical shapes which will consist of curves, lines, points, and polygons will help you create the bigger picture in your profession.
Think of a plan and the bigger picture, you can use the lessons learned in the courses to present a visible outline of steps and goals to your peers. Using the Visio for creating a visible sketch of how your programming codes will work is helpful. Most programmers will use visio to visually express to their team what needs to be done and how it needs to be done.
Visio is used to present the interactivity of shapes and lines that show the relationship with each step and object. Usually, Visio alone is not enough to impress superiors but it is typically used along side with other expertise. Particularly, when expressing a business plan or creating road maps.
Visio is effective in drawing maps of the road, calendars, office layouts, business plans, and programming pseudo code. Visio is relative to the name, a vision; you can now keep a digital record of your insight and present the ideas to your superiors and teams to give them a better grasp in your plan.
Powerpoint, Publisher, and Word will be other forms of interactivity in which Vision can be implemented. Another great tool in your presentation is the adaptability to work interchangeably with other forms of presentation. Once you learn all the aspects in which Vision can be used, you should find yourself having more than a creative insight in how to use the software.
Microsoft Visio training courses is extremely useful in a professional establishment. A team will better understand the outline and plans you are presenting and it is much more effective when trying to present a visual masterpiece of your sketch.
For more information on Microsoft Visio training courses, visit On Site Training Courses . Com, an independent computer training web site offering Microsoft Visio training courses all over the UK.
Microsoft Access Training Courses Are Invaluable To Learning Access
March 26, 2010
The modern workplace is vastly different in its construction than almost every workplace in the past. Typewriters were the beginning of integrating modern technology into the running of business, but today technology is growing faster and faster.
Beyond the tech, we are all stationed in cubicle farms that extend for entire floors like something akin to a bee hive. How can so many people be productive? It is because software companies continually assess the needs of employers and create programs that can meet those needs and are able to be used by any employee without a mass tech background.
Which for most businesses, practically everyone is decidedly unsavvy in relation to computer work. IT departments are more and more important in the function of keeping things running smoothly for everyone.
With the introduction of new software there is the inevitable hours and hours of trouble shooting and teaching to department heads and employee. One such software that can help businesses work better is Microsoft Access which was created to allow employees to do actions similar to what a programmer can do, but without the knowledge of a programmer.
It can be a great help in managing and organizing data which when you take in to account hundreds of employees on hundreds of computers can be staggering, and can also facilitate communication with different servers. Many departments within a business are sectioned off onto different servers for manageability, but Access allows the servers to communicate with one another in relative ease.
How can you learn the software quickly and without spending hours bent over a manual? The answer is simple as there are many Microsoft Access training courses available online. These websites will take you through the program step by step in a participatory way that will help you to solidify your knowledge of the software.
Finding the right Microsoft training courses to suit your learning style is simple with a little time and research.
To learn more about Microsoft Access training courses, visit On Site Training Courses . Com, a UK IT training web site offering Microsoft Access training courses all over the UK.
Working With Object Methods In Microsoft Excel VBA
March 23, 2010
When writing code in Microsoft Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), you need to programmatically manipulate the objects inherent in Excel, such as worksheets, charts and pivot tables. In VBA, each of these objects has properties and methods which can be used to manipulate the object and make it do what you need it to. Properties are the attributes or characteristics that the object possesses, whereas methods are actions associated with the object. For example, a workbook has a “name” property and an “open” method.
Methods are a little more involved than properties in that they normally, though not always, require amplification in order to get a particular object to perform a particular action. This amplification is provided through the arguments which the programmer has to supply when using the method. Thus, in order to exit Excel altogether, we would use the “quit” method of the “Application” object, thus: “Application.Quit” without supply any arguments.
If, by contrast, we want to open a workbook, we need to supply at least one parameter: a string specifying the workbook to be opened. As you write your code, Excel will furnish a useful prompt: having entered the method, if you type an opening parenthesis, a “QuickInfo” tool tip will appear with a list of the parameters required by the method. This facility is much the same as the display of parameters when you enter a function in Excel.
Any arguments which are displayed in square brackets are optional while those not in square brackets are obligatory. Thus, for example, when using the “Open” method of the “Workbook” object, the “Filename” parameter is obligatory while the “ReadOnly” parameter is optional.
The “QuickInfo” tool tip lists all of the parameters, separated by commas, which the method can accept in the order that they must be supplied. If you do not wish to supply a given (optional) parameter, then you must still insert a comma to mark the position of the omitted argument. Thus, for example, if you wanted to use the “Open” method of the “Workbook” object and supply the “Filename” and the “ReadOnly” parameters, you would type “Workbooks.Open(“c:\reports\main.xlsx”, , True)”. Since the “ReadOnly” parameter is the third, a comma is inserted to mark the position of the missing second parameter.
There is another, very handy, technique for entering arguments is to enter the name of each parameter followed by “:=”. Using this technique, the order of parameters becomes unimportant and no reference has to be made to omitted parameters. Thus, in the example above, we could type “Workbooks.Open(FilePath:=”c:\reports\main.xlsx”, ReadOnly:=True)”.
For more information on Excel VBA training courses, visit Macresource Computer Training, a UK IT training company offering Excel VBA training courses in London and throughout the UK.