How to Add PowerPoint Animations to OpenOffice Slides?

If you want to add animations from PowerPoint to your OpenOffice slides, the process is fairly straightforward. OpenOffice Impress, the presentation application in Apache OpenOffice, allows you to import Microsoft PowerPoint files and preserve many of the animations. This article will walk you through the steps to transfer animations from PowerPoint to OpenOffice Impress while optimizing your presentations.

What You Need to Know Before Importing PowerPoint Animations

Before attempting to bring PowerPoint animations into OpenOffice, there are a few key things to keep in mind:

• Supported animation types: While OpenOffice Impress can import many common PowerPoint animations like Appear, Fade, Fly In, etc., it may not support all the complex or custom animation effects available in PowerPoint. Very intricate animations might not transfer over completely.
• Slide layout changes: The slide layout and object positioning can sometimes shift slightly when importing from PowerPoint to OpenOffice. Be prepared to make some minor adjustments to your slide layouts after importing.
• Fonts: If the PowerPoint file uses fonts that are not available on the computer running OpenOffice, the presentation will substitute the missing fonts with defaults. This can affect text formatting and bullet points. For best results, use common fonts like Arial or Times New Roman.
• Embedded media: Animations that are tied to embedded video or audio files in PowerPoint may not work in OpenOffice if the media files do not transfer over. You might need to reapply the media files and animations in OpenOffice.
• Compatibility mode: Newer versions of PowerPoint have a “Compatibility Mode” feature that optimizes the file for use in older versions of the software. If you have this option, save your PowerPoint presentation in Compatibility Mode before importing it into OpenOffice for better preservation of animations and formatting.

Step 1: Open or Create a Presentation in OpenOffice Impress

The first step is to either open an existing OpenOffice Impress presentation that you want to add the PowerPoint animations to, or create a new blank presentation. To create a new presentation:

1. Open OpenOffice
2. Select “Impress” to launch the presentation application
3. Choose “Empty Presentation” in the Presentation Wizard, then click “Create”

Alternatively, you can start with one of the built-in templates or themes and customize it to suit your needs. OpenOffice Impress offers a variety of pre-designed slide layouts, color schemes, and background styles to help you quickly set up a professional-looking presentation.

Step 2: Import the PowerPoint Slides

With your OpenOffice presentation open, you can now import the slides from PowerPoint:

1. Go to the “File” menu and select “Import”
2. Browse to the location of your PowerPoint file
3. Select the file and click “Open”
4. In the “Import” dialog box that appears, select “Microsoft PowerPoint 97/2000/XP” as the file type
5. Click “OK” to import the PowerPoint slides into your OpenOffice presentation

OpenOffice Impress can usually handle importing most PowerPoint files, but sometimes very complex presentations with a lot of custom graphics, fonts, or macros may encounter issues. If you have trouble importing your PowerPoint file, try saving it in an older PowerPoint version or as a “PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation” file type.

Importing Specific Slides or Objects

If you don’t want to import the entire PowerPoint presentation, you have a couple options:

• Import selected slides: In the PowerPoint file, select the specific slides you want to import. Then in OpenOffice Impress, go to “File” > “Import” and choose “Selected slides” in the Import dialog box.
• Copy/paste objects: Open both the PowerPoint and OpenOffice presentations. In PowerPoint, copy the animated object (Ctrl+C). Then in OpenOffice, paste it (Ctrl+V) onto the desired slide. This will transfer the object and its animation.

You can also drag and drop slides from the PowerPoint outline pane into the OpenOffice Impress slide sorter view. Click and drag the slide previews from one application window to the other.

Step 3: Check and Adjust the Animations

After importing your PowerPoint slides, you’ll want to review the animations to make sure they transferred correctly.

1. In OpenOffice Impress, switch to the Slide Sorter view (View > Slide Sorter)
2. Go through each slide and click the objects to see if the animations work
3. If you need to modify an animation:
   • Switch to Normal view
   • Select the animated object
   • Go to the Slide Show menu > Custom Animation
   • Use the options here to adjust the animation style, start trigger, speed, etc.

Some animations may require re-creating them from scratch in OpenOffice if they did not import properly from PowerPoint. Refer to the OpenOffice Impress help documentation for detailed steps on applying animations.

Common Animation Adjustments

Here are some typical modifications you might need to make to animations after importing from PowerPoint:

• Timing: The timing of animated bullet points or objects may be off. Adjust the delay and duration in the Custom Animation menu to get the timing right.
• Start triggers: Some animations may be set to start “on click” by default. If you want them to start automatically with the slide or after a previous animation, change the start trigger option.
• Entrance and exit effects: The “Appear” and “Disappear” animations in PowerPoint may transfer as different effects like “Fade In” or “Dissolve Out” in OpenOffice. Update the effect options if needed.
• Motion paths: Animations that move along a custom path in PowerPoint (e.g. curved lines, shapes) will usually transfer as a simpler “Fly In” animation in a straight line. You may need to recreate the motion path using OpenOffice’s drawing tools.

With a few tweaks, you can get your animations looking and behaving the way you want in OpenOffice Impress. Take the time to go through the entire presentation and make sure everything plays back smoothly before finalizing it.

Step 4: Optimize the Presentation File

To ensure your OpenOffice presentation with the newly added animations runs smoothly, it’s a good idea to optimize the file before finishing up.

1. Go to “File” > “Properties”
2. Select the “General” tab
3. Click the “Optimize” button to compress images and embeddings
4. Consider saving the optimized presentation file under a new name to preserve the original

Optimizing the file can significantly reduce the file size, especially if your presentation contains a lot of high-resolution images, embedded videos, or complex animations. Smaller file sizes make it easier to share and download the presentation later.

Tips for Using Animations Effectively

Animations can help add visual interest and guide your audience through the information in your presentation. However, it’s best to use them strategically and sparingly. Follow these tips for maximum impact:

• Be consistent: Use the same animation style for similar types of content throughout the presentation (e.g. bullet point builds, slide transitions, etc.). Sticking to 1-2 animation styles helps create a cohesive look.
• Don’t overdo it: Using too many different animation effects can be distracting. Limit the number of animated elements on each slide. Ask yourself if the animation helps convey your message or serve a purpose.
• Control the timing: Adjust the start triggers and durations so that animations flow with your speaking tempo. You don’t want to rush through or have awkward pauses waiting for animations. Use the “Start with previous” and “Delay” options to sync animations.
• Follow accessibility guidelines: Some animation effects like rapid flashing can negatively impact people with seizure disorders, vestibular issues, or migraines. Avoid animations with strobing or quick repeated motion. Provide alternate methods to access the animated content.
• Practice your delivery: Animations are meant to complement your talk track, not replace it. Practice delivering your presentation with the animations to get a feel for the pacing and flow. Make sure you know what’s coming up on each click.
• Keep file size in mind: While animations can enhance the visual appeal of slides, having too many complex animations can bloat the file size. This can cause playback issues on different computers or slow downloads. Try to use simpler animation effects where possible.

Final Thoughts

Adding PowerPoint animations to your OpenOffice slides is an easy way to enhance your presentations. By importing slides and optimizing the animations, you can create engaging, professional-looking slideshows in OpenOffice Impress. Remember to use animations judiciously and test them thoroughly before presenting.

If you encounter issues importing PowerPoint animations, try different file formats, break complex slides into simpler ones, or recreate the animations natively in OpenOffice. With a bit of practice and attention to detail, you’ll be able to effectively transfer animations from PowerPoint to OpenOffice and take your presentations to the next level.

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Trish Dixon

Trish Dixon is the founder of PPTBliss and a PowerPoint expert with over a decade of experience in presentation design. Passionate about visual storytelling, Trish shares her expertise through easy-to-follow tutorials on slide design, animations, transitions, and best practices, helping professionals create impactful presentations across industries.

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