We listen to our customers, that is for sure. Sometimes we get in requests, that we decide to implement so that you can do even more with our DataPoint plugin. More features, more dynamic options. Like this one.

From now on, you can use dynamic style codes in your data to further customize and format your text boxes or tables on your slides. We already had an option to color the fore or background of a textbox, based on a given value. For example, a number in green when the value is below 100, and in red when higher than 100. With the new option to use style codes, you can place and use style codes in your data. Style codes can be used to color the text, to color the background of a shape, to bring in bold and italic texts, and now also to bring bullet points dynamically via your database.

Use Style Code to color texts

Let’s give an example. Imagine a screen that is showing if a shop has reached the maximum number of customers. Under normal circumstances, you want to show for example:

Feel free to enter our shop. Only 12 people are inside the shop.

But if the shop is full, then you could the following text in the database:

Please wait! We have reached 50 visitors in our shop.

To accomplish this, you need the following information in your database, where you are using style codes. The green situation has this text:

Feel [Green]free to enter our shop[/Green]. Only 12 people are inside the shop.

The opposite situation could have a text like

Please [Red]wait[/Red]! We have reached 50 visitors in our shop.

So by adding a style code like [Red] you indicate that you start coloring the text in red till the style code [/Red] is encountered.

Use Style Code to set back color of the text

Next to coloring texts or words, you can also use style code to set the back color.

Then syntax to use is then:

Feel [Background=Yellow]free to enter our shop[/Background=Yellow]. Only 12 people are inside the shop.

to show it as

Feel free to enter our shop. Only 12 people are inside the shop.

Use Style Code to set text in bold

Bold text or bold words are often used to emphasize specific important words. Within DataPoint, you can also control this via the data source.

Use a syntax like:

This is a [b]very important[/b] word in this sentence. 

to show it as

This is a very important word in this sentence.

Use Style Code to set the italic text

Italic is maybe used less than bold words, but still often used.

Use a syntax like:

This is a [i]very important[/i] word in this sentence.

to show it as

This is a very important word in this sentence.

Use Style Code to set the superscript text

Sometimes you want to put a text as superscript text.

Use a syntax like:

e=mc[super]2[/super]

to show it as

e=mc²

Use Style Code for bullet points

Use a style code notation to get lists with bullet points from your database. Use the syntax like:

[li]item1

item2

item3[/li]

to get:

• item1
• item2
• item3

Use Style Code for a line break

Do you want to add a new line or line break to your text? Add the short code [lb] to your data and DataPoint will start a new line in your text.

line1[lb]line2[lb]line3

to get:

line1
line2
line3

Use Style Code to set a font

Do you want to format a specific word or line in a different font? Or maybe do you want to control the font of a textbox or tables dynamically by using it at your data store? Use the short code [Font={fontname}] to your text and close this font use with [/Font={fontname}]. All characters in between those 2 short codes will be set to that specific font.

A normal font is Calibri. But we can also use fonts like [Font=Times New Roman]Times New Roman[/Font=Times New Roman] or [Font=Wingdings]Wingdings[/Font=Wingdings].

Use Style Code to set a font size

And like changing a font, you can also set a font size in a very similar way. Use [FontSize=40]This is a sentence with a bigger font size.[/FontSize=40]

How to Apply Style Codes on TextBoxes and Tables?

Use a normal text box or table on your slide (insert a new one when no text box is present) and link it to your data source. For this purpose, we are not going to explain how to set up connections, but you can find a good example here.

Connect this text box via the DataPoint Text box (or table) button, and link it to your first message.

Click the Texts tab, and check the option Use style codes. Click OK to close.

For a table, check the option Use style codes directly on the first tab.

The dynamic style codes that were present in the data of your data source are not translated into PowerPoint formatting.

Now you even have more dynamic control of how a text box is looking, instruction from your data source.

Get the latest version

Interested to use style codes from your database, get in the latest version of DataPoint via your ‘check for updates’ button.

You can use these color names

For the coloring, you can use these named colors:

AliceBlue, AntiqueWhite, Aqua, Aquamarine, Azure, Beige, Bisque, Black, BlanchedAlmond, Blue, BlueViolet, Brown, BurlyWood, CadetBlue, Chartreuse, Chocolate, Coral, CornflowerBlue, Cornsilk, Crimson, Cyan, DarkBlue, DarkCyan, DarkGoldenrod, DarkGray, DarkGreen, DarkKhaki, DarkMagenta, DarkOliveGreen, DarkOrange, DarkOrchid, DarkRed, DarkSalmon, DarkSeaGreen, DarkSlateBlue, DarkSlateGray, DarkTurquoise, DarkViolet, DeepPink, DeepSkyBlue, DimGray, DodgerBlue, Firebrick, FloralWhite, ForestGreen, Fuchsia, Gainsboro, GhostWhite, Gold, Goldenrod, Gray, Green, GreenYellow, Honeydew, HotPink, IndianRed, Indigo, Ivory, Khaki, Lavender, LavenderBlush, LawnGreen, LemonChiffon, LightBlue, LightCoral, LightCyan, LightGoldenrodYellow, LightGray, LightGreen, LightPink, LightSalmon, LightSeaGreen, LightSkyBlue, LightSlateGray, LightSteelBlue, LightYellow, Lime, LimeGreen, Linen, Magenta, Maroon, MediumAquamarine, MediumBlue, MediumOrchid, MediumPurple, MediumSeaGreen, MediumSlateBlue, MediumSpringGreen, MediumTurquoise, MediumVioletRed, MidnightBlue, MintCream, MistyRose, Moccasin, NavajoWhite, Navy, OldLace, Olive, OliveDrab, Orange, OrangeRed, Orchid, PaleGoldenrod, PaleGreen, PaleTurquoise, PaleVioletRed, PapayaWhip, PeachPuff, Peru, Pink, Plum, PowderBlue, Purple, Red, RosyBrown, RoyalBlue, SaddleBrown, Salmon, SandyBrown, SeaGreen, SeaShell, Sienna, Silver, SkyBlue, SlateBlue, SlateGray, Snow, SpringGreen, SteelBlue, Tan, Teal, Thistle, Tomato, Transparent, Turquoise, Violet, Wheat, White, WhiteSmoke, Yellow, YellowGreen