Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 79361
Improve Impress backround image selection
Last modified: 2013-06-17 10:18:42 UTC
In Impress the user can add a new image for the background first adding it to the background library and only after he can use it. The procedure is not immediate for the first-time users, them have to read the user guide for learn how to do it. We know that users doens't like read manuals. For common task (such select a different background for the slide), the UI should guide directly the user and help he for find the right way without losing time. Mine is only a suggestion: I know a lot of people that still use commercial software due to this type of troublesome. For this specific issue, a fist solution should be add the possibility to add include an image to the library even from the "format" -> "setting" dialog: when a user choose the bitmap filling, a simple "ADD BITMAP TO THE LIBRARY" should be useful. Thanks for reading. Good work!
It's an requirement.
I found this usability issue/enhancement to still be an issue with the latest snapshot of OOo 4.0. Windows 7 3 GB of Ram OOo build - 4.0 (revision 1491860) As a relatively novice user of OpenOffice.org Impress and a moderate user of MS PowerPoint, I performed the following steps to try and change the background image for the slides in my presentation: Pre-requisite: I'm assuming a user will be working in a presentation or have a blank one that they have started with. I used a blank presentation and that the user knows how to change the background of their slides, but does not know how to select a custom image. 1. Selected Page from the Format menu 2. Selected the Background tab 3. Selected Bitmap from the Fill options menu 4. Examined the open dialog for a way to add a custom image I had on my computer 5. Not finding an option for a custom image, I decided I would need to consult the help menu at this point and click on the help button 6. Looked in the help text for backgrounds that appeared I was able to find the instructions for how to import a new image and followed them 7. Open another application, Draw, leaving Impress open in the background 8. Selected Page from the Format menu 9. Selected the Background tab 10. Selected Bitmap from the Fill options menu 11. Found no import button 12. At this point, I was not able to accomplish what I had set out to do (change a background to a custom image) and went back to the help to search further. I found a section in changing backgrounds that gave different instructions then the help text from step 6. 13. Following the new instructions, I switched back to Impress and closed the dialog box I was in 14. Select the Format menu and then the Area option 15. Selected the bitmap tab 16. Clicked import 17. Selected my image and clicked Open 18. Clicked Ok to dismiss the Format - Area dialog box 19. Click Format menu, then Page 20. Selected background tab 21. Selected bitmap in the fill options 22. Selected my custom image that was now showing and clicked ok As a comparison, in MS PowerPoint 2010: 1. Select Design ribbon 2. Click on Background styles Ribbon option 3. Choose Format Background 4. Choose Picture or texture fill 5. Select File from Insert from options that appear after step 4 6. Select my image and click open Since I did not need to consult the help text (because the option to upload was in the same dialog as selecting picture/image as the fill option), the steps for PowerPoint are fewer as well as because the user only needs to visit one dialog box to accomplish his or her task. PowerPoint's workflow for this particular task is more efficient, allowing a user to accomplish the task of applying a new, custom background image more quickly than is possible in Impress currently. At a minimum it would be helpful to update the help text from step 6 that contained the wrong information for users who look for help from the Format - Page dialog box. Even with an experienced user, however, the steps in OpenOffice Impress to add a custom image to use for the background will require visiting one additional dialog box and, as a result, several additional clicks/steps, than in PowerPoint. If the ability to import a custom image was added to the Format - Page - Background tab screen then the steps to complete the task in the two programs would be about equally efficient.
The option to import an image inside the background tab of the page formatting dialog exists in Writer and in Calc. I agree, that such option inside the page formatting dialog would be useful in Draw and in Impress too.
ALG: Yes, +1