How to create a layout definition template (LDT)

• Open a new presentation with one slide.

• Size the slide to desired page setup.

• Apply a design template to the presentation, if required.

• Draw/insert all the desired text and graphics that should be present in the target handout like company logo, company copyright etc.

• Proceed to create an 'Image placeholder' for the slide thumbnail on the handout. This placeholder will be replaced by a slide image on the handout page. Click on Autoshapes on the Drawing toolbar and select the Rectangle autoshape. Draw a rectangle on the slide. Position, size and format it.

• In this autoshape, type the following text 'Thumbnail' (without the quotes). To create a grayscale image for the thumbnail, type 'ThumbnailBW' (without the quotes). Note that it is not case sensitive, so 'Thumbnail' is just as fine as 'ThumbNail' or 'THUMBNAIL'. HOW uses this distinct formatting to identify image placeholders.

• Repeat Step 5 and 6 for as many image placeholder you wish to create for your layout definition.

• You can change the order of the shapes as you desire, the order is maintained consistently even in the handout.

• If you want that the notes page text should appear in the handout page, you need to create a 'Notes Placeholder'. A notes placeholder is a textbox on the LDT with the text 'Notes'. Be sure to set the word wrap on for this shape. You can have only one notes placeholder. All the notes text are copied to this placeholder along with the formatting. This means that if you have 3 image placeholders on the slide, the notes from the three slides appearing on a given page of the handout will appear in the Notes placeholder textbox. A LDT with Notes placeholder is included in the Layout Templates folder

• Save this presentation.

• That's it. You have created you layout definition template which can be used by HOW.

Note: All of the attributes of the image placeholder will be inherited by the thumbnail in the created handout.
e.g.

• If you draw a rectangle autoshape with a red border and aspect ratio unlocked then the thumbnail will have the same red border and it will be stretched to fit the dimensions of the autoshape.

• If you draw a rectangle autoshape with a red dashed border, 'ThumbnailBW' as the text and aspect ratio locked then the a grayscale thumbnail with dimensions such that it is centered in the dimensions of the autoshape and best fit with the same red dashed border.