PART 8
How to Learn More: PowerPoint's Help Options
Microsoft PowerPoint provides a variety of online help to assist you in learning how to use the program's features. Click Help on the menu bar to see (and access) what is available.
The Office Assistant
Quick
access to information can be obtaining using a Help feature called "The
Office Assistant". Click the Microsoft PowerPoint Help button —
a question mark (?) — on the toolbar at the top of the window, or
click Help on the Menu Bar and choose Show the Office Assistant.
The "Office Assistant" will appear — as a paperclip (or some other
icon) — with a dialog bubble where you can pose questions. Simply
type the question (or word or phrase) in the space provided, click the
Search button to get a list of possible topics, and then click
the topic desired.
Unless you turn this feature off by hiding or disabling the assistant, the "Office Assistant" automatically pops up on your screen whenever it thinks you may need some help with what you're doing. In this case, the dialog bubble will ask if you need help with the task the "Office Assistant" thinks you are trying to accomplish. To hide or disable the Office Assistant, please see Office Assistant Options below.
You can close the dialog bubble but leave the Office Assistant on the screen by clicking the Close button. To end your Office Assistant session, click the Close button [X] in the upper right-hand corner of the little Office Assistant window.
Office Assistant Options:
- If the Office Assistant is hidden or disabled, then on the menu bar click Help. Choose Show the Office Assistant.
- When the Office Assistant is active, you may temporarily hide the assistant by right clicking on it and choosing Hide from the pop-up menu.
-
If you would like to disable the Office Assistant (so that it doesn't
automatically pop up while you're working), then follow these steps:
- Right click on the Office Assistant while it is active.
- Choose Options.
- Click on the Options tab if it is not already highlighted.
- Uncheck Use the Office Assistant by clicking on the box to the left of it.
- Click OK at the bottom of the screen.
This will disable the Office Assistant until you choose to activate it again by clicking on Help and then Show the Office Assistant.
Microsoft PowerPoint Help
If you disable the Office Assistant (as described above), you can take additional advantage of the Microsoft PowerPoint Help feature. By clicking on the Microsoft PowerPoint Help button or by going to Help on the main menu and then clicking on Microsoft PowerPoint Help, you will be able to look at a list of Contents, use the Answer Wizard, or access an Index of alphabetized topics. To use any of these features, simply click the appropriate tab. Double click on the topic that you are interested in or type the topic or question when prompted. On the right-hand side of the help screen, you will see your topic in more detail. If you would like to print the information for later use, simply click on the Print button at the top of the screen. Once you have obtained the information you need, click on the Close [X] button in the upper right-hand corner to close Help.
What's This?
Click Help on the main menu bar and choose What's This? if you are curious about a particular button or menu item. Once you have chosen What's This? you can point to any item on your screen to get a brief description of what it is. If you click on the item, you receive a bit more information and instructions for its use. When you have read the instructions, click anywhere in the PowerPoint window to return to normal operation.
Office on the Web
Click Help on the main menu bar and choose Office on the Web. This feature provides links to Web locations were you can find out more about Microsoft Office products. You need Internet connectivity and a Web browser in order to make use of this feature.
August 14, 2003
Prepared by Name User Support Services
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