Comments on: How to animate motion effect in powerpoint such that arrow moves and follow specified path direction? http://warrenpiece.com/animate/how-to-animate-motion-effect-in-powerpoint-such-that-arrow-moves-and-follow-specified-path-direction Sat, 19 May 2012 21:25:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: plumdumplings http://warrenpiece.com/animate/how-to-animate-motion-effect-in-powerpoint-such-that-arrow-moves-and-follow-specified-path-direction/comment-page-1#comment-5311 plumdumplings Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:40:59 +0000 http://warrenpiece.com/animate/how-to-animate-motion-effect-in-powerpoint-such-that-arrow-moves-and-follow-specified-path-direction#comment-5311 I would start with the motion path first. Then to have the arrow actually look like it is going on the path with the arrowhead pointing in the direction of the path at all times (I think that's what you want), I would use Add Emphasis and choose Rotate (sorry, I'm on a computer that doesn't have PowerPoint, so I'm doing this from memory - the terms may not be quite right, but hopefully close enough. You can set the rotation clockwise or counterclockwise for a certain degree. Figure out how far the arrow needs to rotate for that section of the path. Make sure the effect is set for With Previous. Right click in the Custom Animation palette and select Show Advanced Timeline. Take a guess at how long that first movement needs to run for and pull the rotation time. Test and reset the time. Then do the same thing again for the next segment of the line - Add Emphasis - Rotation - start AFTER Previous and play around with the timing. Depending on how complex your curve is, you might be able to accomplish this with one or two rotations. I couldn't swear it will be perfect and smooth (I wish I could test it), but I think it could work. On the path Effect Options, I'd be inclined to turn OFF smooth start and smooth end so that the speed is consistent.<br><b>References : </b><br> I would start with the motion path first.

Then to have the arrow actually look like it is going on the path with the arrowhead pointing in the direction of the path at all times (I think that’s what you want), I would use Add Emphasis and choose Rotate (sorry, I’m on a computer that doesn’t have PowerPoint, so I’m doing this from memory - the terms may not be quite right, but hopefully close enough.

You can set the rotation clockwise or counterclockwise for a certain degree. Figure out how far the arrow needs to rotate for that section of the path. Make sure the effect is set for With Previous.

Right click in the Custom Animation palette and select Show Advanced Timeline. Take a guess at how long that first movement needs to run for and pull the rotation time. Test and reset the time.

Then do the same thing again for the next segment of the line - Add Emphasis - Rotation - start AFTER Previous and play around with the timing.

Depending on how complex your curve is, you might be able to accomplish this with one or two rotations. I couldn’t swear it will be perfect and smooth (I wish I could test it), but I think it could work.

On the path Effect Options, I’d be inclined to turn OFF smooth start and smooth end so that the speed is consistent.
References :

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