Master slides define background and common objects such as logos, headers, and footers for your slides. They provide a uniform appearance for your entire project.
All the artefacts on a master slide, such as, objects and placeholders reflect on the slide that is linked with the master slide.
A group of master slides make up a theme. For more information on themes, see Themes.
When you create a blank project or a project from template, Adobe Captivate uses the default (Blank) theme. A theme contains the following types of master slides:
- Main master slide
- The main master slide is the first slide in the Master Slide panel. The name of this slide is the same as the name of the theme. Objects and background color of this master slide appear on all other master slides. Each theme has one main master slide.
- Content master slides
- Contains layouts and objects that you can use for content slides, for example, a Title master slide can be used for the title of the project. A theme can contain one or more content master slides.
- Question master slides
- Each theme contains a separate master slide for the following
question types:
Matching
Hot spot
Likert
Other question types: multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, true-false question, short answer, and sequence questions
Result slide
Each question master slide contains placeholder questions, answers, and captions with the style related to the theme.
Each slide, except main master slide, contains placeholders for different objects such as text caption, images, or a generic content placeholder. A content placeholder lets you insert any of the following:
Text caption
Text animation
Image
FLV or F4V video (event video)
SWF animation
You can insert new quiz and content master slides or edit an exiting slide to suit your requirements.
Viewing master slides
Select Window > Master Slide.
To view and edit a master slide on stage, select it in the master slide panel.
Master slide panel
The Master slide panel displays all master slides your project has. Unless you have added additional master slides, the Master Slide panel displays the slides associated with the current theme of the project.
Timeline
There is no timing information for master slides. The timeline for a master slide helps only to order, lock, or hide the objects added to it.
Adding a master slide
To add additional master slides, do one of the following actions:
Insert > Quiz Master Slide and then choose the required type of slide
Insert > Content Master Slide
Though a project contains multiple master slides, you can link a slide to only one master slide.
Use the Property Inspector (Window > Properties) to:
Label the master slide: Specify a unique label in the text box.
Provide background color: Deselect Project Background and then select a color from Stage.
Insert background images: Click the Browse icon
to
select a background image.
Add objects to master slides
You can insert the following standard objects to a master slide:
Text Caption
Rollover Caption
Rollover Image
Highlight Box
All other standard objects are disabled.
You can also insert the following:
Text Animation
Widget
Image
Animation
FLV/F4V files (event video)
You can add placeholder objects on a master slide. While authoring, you can double-click the placeholders on the slides based on the master slide and insert appropriate content.
To add objects to a master slide,
Select the master slide in the master slide strip.
Add objects in the same way as you do in the slides in your project.
Using master slides
When you work on your project slides, use the Property Inspector (Window > Properties) to:
Link to a different master slide: In the Master Slide drop-down list, make appropriate selection. You can also apply a Master Slide to a group of slides.
Display master slide objects on top of the objects in your slide: Check Master Slide Object on Top.
Note: Objects on the main master slide are always below the objects on other master slides in the Z-order.Master slide maintains its own timeline. Therefore, master slide objects are not shown on the timeline of the linked slide. You cannot adjust the timeline of master slide objects or change their Z-order on a project slide timeline.
Use master slide background: Select this option to use background color or background image from master slide.
Editing Master slides
Objects on a master slide can be modified only on the master slide. The objects cannot be selected or edited on the slide that inherits the master slide.
On the slides in the Filmstrip, you can edit or delete the placeholders that are inherited from a master slide.
Reusing Master slides
Duplicate master slide: Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) and then select duplicate.
Copying contents: Select the contents and then click copy.
Import/Export: You cannot import or export master slides, but you can copy and paste them across projects.
Import/Export to XML/Microsoft Word: Like the content on your project slides, you can import/export the master slide content to XML and Microsoft word.
