Tips and Tricks #31: Create custom shapes using Boolean operations in Show

Hi all!

We're back with another Tips and Tricks post for you all. In case you missed our previous post in the Tips and Tricks series, you can find them here .

Want to create design elements within your presentation slides without using any external software? We got you covered.

Using Boolean operations like Union, Subtract, Intersect, and Difference in Show, you can unite multiple (built-in) shapes in your slide and edit them as a whole. This is useful when you want to form distinct patterns in your presentation apart from what Show already offers (including Shape, Draw with pen, and Group).

Here's one such example showing you how the four Boolean operations in Show can be used to create your own icons, symbols, and logos.

As you can see in the video, to perform these Boolean operations in Show, you need to insert and overlap the shapes you want to integrate in your slide.

Apply the Union operation to the shapes in a slide to unite the overlapping portion and form a single shape. The Subtract operation discards the overlapping shape from the underlying object, whereas the Intersect operation retains only the overlapping portion. The Difference operation removes just the overlapping portion while retaining the rest of the figures.

To use the Boolean operations in Show:

Press the Shift key and select the objects you want to join in the slide. The Boolean operations appear under Shape in the Format panel.
Select the Boolean operation you want to perform. The action will be performed on the selected object.

Note: Press the "Ctrl+Z" key to reset and return to the overlapping shapes in slide.

You can further format and animate these patterns using the right panel in Show.

We hope you found this post useful! We'll be back with more interesting tips for Show.

You can connect with us on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about how Show can help improve your business communications. You may also write to us at support@zohoshow.com or comment below.

Happy presenting!

—the Show team

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