Using GEBS Reporting PowerPoint Converter
Within this example, data from a Rhapsody project shall be extracted thru RPE into the XslFo output, and then, the data shall be converted into Power Point format, with the help of the PowerPoint Converter tool.
The Document Specification below is configured to extract data from Rhapsody, as it can be seen :
The associated template contains some static data, but most of the content is dynamic, and shall extract diagrams information from the project :
After running the document specification, the XslFo file is obtained. Generating Power Point, is possible with a simple generation wizard:
In the main step, the user selects the stylesheet, the input and the output file. The “Open Power Point file after generation” check box is automatically selected.
The output can also be generated via command line :
After generating the output, the document content can be visualized, analyzed, and checked for fine-tuning. Here are the first slides, first ones from the stylesheet, and in the 2nd image, the ones from the generated output:
Text type elements
Consecutive text type elements are written in a single text box. The text box is closed before a block type element, like table, image etc., and before the end of the current slide. Paragraphs are written in separate text boxes.
RPE template:
Power Point output:
Page break/Section Break/Masterpage
The current content is moved on a new slide when one of these elements is handled. Header is preserved, cleared, or modified, depending on case .
Rpe template:
Power Point output:
Images
The user must keep in mind to limit the dimensions of the images within the edges of a slide.
Rpe template:
Power Point output:
Tables
Due to their size, best practice is to have one table per slide. Tables are an easy manner of representing information in a comprehensive approach.
Rpe template:
Power point output:
Lists
Bullet or numbered, lists can highlight topics of interest, within a PPT presentation.
Rpe template:
Power Point output:
Header
An RPE masterpage header, is transferred with PowerPoint Converter into the title type object for the PPT slide show. Inside RPE, header content is transferred from the template through a variable.
Rpe template:
Formatting
PowerPoint Converter supports most common formatting for RPE elements: font properties, border properties, alignment, spacing, image size adjustments etc.
The user must keep in mind that space inside a PPT slide is limited, as the objects usually require large amounts of space for clearer visibility.
Colors, font weight, space delimitation, etc, can bring to front various elements or data that the user needs to point, during a PPT presentation.
Arrangement
PowerPoint Converter handles the arrangement of the information within slides : the text boxes drawn a the end of a slide are moved or split to be continued on the next slide, if case.
When using master slides, the user should take into consideration their layout, to avoid image or text overlaping.
The contents of a slide can be re-arranged, by fine tuning inside the RPE template. Even if the XslFo file does not reflect a small modification as the user wishes, the PPT might do so, as it can be considered in this case, a re-scaled version of XslFo.