Perspector
Technical Support — Frequently Asked Questions

Please review these technical FAQs to see if your question is answered on this page. If your question is not addressed here, please read the Help documentation that accompanies your software or see the contact information for our Technical Support department.

Working with PowerPoint
1. How do I convert PowerPoint shapes into 3D shapes?
2. How do I draw a 3D shape on a PowerPoint slide?
3. How do I draw 3D shapes on a new PowerPoint slide?
4. How do I edit a Perspector image?
5. How do I make changes to 3D shapes?
6. How do I finish editing a Perspector image?
7. How do I discard changes made during an edit?
8. How do I insert image from Perspector library?
9. How do I download new Perspector Library images?

Using Perspector
1. How do I select a shape?
2. How do I select multiple shapes?
3. How do I select all of the shapes and other items?
4. How do I resize a shape or slide image?
5. How do I change the thickness of a shape?
6. How do I rotate a shape?
7. How do I rotate a shape so that it faces forward?
8. How can I copy shape properties from one shape to another?
9. How do I undo a change that was made?
10. How can I repeat a change that was made?
11. How do I Copy/duplicate a shape?

Image Properties and Effects
1. Can I make lists display bullet-by-bullet?
2. Can I make a rotating shape stop after one turn?
3. Can I change the background color?
4. Can I make the background transparent?
5. How do I use PowerPoint-style 'Fill Effects' such as transparency, gradient, texture, pattern and picture fill?

Advanced Effects
1. How can I create hyperlinks from different parts of an image?
2. How can I add a 3D image to my document / spreadsheet / email / website?
3. How can I animate different shapes in an image separately?

Presentations
1. Can I manipulate 3D shapes while running a presentation?
2. If I send my presentation to someone, will they need Perspector to watch it?
3. If I share my presentation on the web, will visitors need Perspector to watch it?
4. Can I copy a Perspector image from one presentation to another?

Shapes

1. How do I add a picture or photo to a shape?
2. How do I show a picture or photo on all sides of a shape
3. How do I add text?
4. How do I edit text on a shape?
5. How can I enter text in Russian, Arabic, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc?
6. Can I create a cube with a different image on each face?
7. How can I use a gradient fill between 2 colors on my shapes?
8. How do I adjust lighting?
9. How can I draw a curved 3D arrow?
10. How do I change the form of a shape using adjustment handles?
11. How do I make a shape transparent?
12. How do I change the color of a shape?
13. Can I change one 3D shape to another?
14. How can I convert a curved connector?
15. Can I add a picture to the top of a cylinder shape?

Working with PowerPoint

1.How do I convert PowerPoint shapes into 3D shapes?
To convert PowerPoint shapes into 3D Perspector shapes:
1. Select the PowerPoint shapes to convert.
2. Click the Convert Shapes to 3D button on the Perspector add-in toolbar in PowerPoint.
3. The converted shapes will appear in a Perspector Editor window - modify them if required.
4. Click OK.

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2. How do I draw a 3D shape on a PowerPoint slide?
1. Click the Insert Perspector Image button on the Perspector add-in toolbar in PowerPoint. The Perspector Editor window will appear.
2. Click Shapes on the Perspector Drawing toolbar.
3. Choose a shape to add.
4. Drag an area in the Perspector Editor window to draw the shape.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 to add more shapes.
6. Click OK to finish.

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3. How do I draw 3D shapes on a new PowerPoint slide?
1. Click the New Perspector Slide button on the Perspector add-in toolbar in PowerPoint. The Perspector Editor window will appear.
2. Click on Shapes on the Perspector Drawing toolbar.
3. Choose a shape to draw.
4. Drag an area in the Perspector Editor window to draw the shape.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 to add more shapes.
6. Click OK to finish.

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4. How do I edit a Perspector image?

POWERPOINT 2000, XP, 2003 - BUT NOT 2007
Double-click the Perspector image on the PowerPoint slide to edit it.

ALL VERSIONS OF POWERPOINT
1. Select the Perspector image on the PowerPoint slide. This step is optional.
2. Click the Edit Perspector Image button on the Perspector add-in toolbar.
3. If the image was not selected in step 1, and there are more than one Perspector images on the slide, choose which image you want to edit.

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5. How do I finish editing a Perspector image?
After editing a Perspector image, confirm the changes by clicking OK or Draft.
The Perspector image will be added to the current PowerPoint slide.

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6. How do I make changes to 3D shapes?
To change the type, size, orientation, color or other fill characteristics of a 3D Perspector shapes on a PowerPoint slide:
1. Edit the Perspector image.
2. Click the shape in the Perspector Editor window to select it.
3. Use the shape’s handles to manipulate size, orientation, etc.
4. Double-click the shape to change the shape properties.
5. Use the Perspector Drawing toolbar to modify the shape properties.
6. Change the type of the shape by clicking on Draw then Change Shape.

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7. How do I discard changes made during an edit?
To discard the changes made during the edit of a Perspector image, click Cancel in the Perspector Editor window.
This will discard all of the changes made since the Perspector Editor window was opened.

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8. How do I insert image from Perspector library?
To add an image from the Perspector library to your slide:
1. Click the Show Perspector Library button on the Perspector add-in toolbar in PowerPoint.
2. If you know which category the image is in, choose the category in the Category drop-down list.
3. Scroll through the list of images and click the one you want to insert. The Perspector Editor window will open.
4. If there are a choice of variations of the image, the Select Variation dialog box will appear. Choose the one you want to use. Click OK in the Select Variation dialog box.
5. Make any changes you want in the Perspector Editor window.
6. Click OK to finish.

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9. How do I download new Perspector Library images?
New Perspector Library images can be downloaded directly from within Perspector:
1. Click the Show Perspector Library button on the Perspector add-in toolbar in PowerPoint.
2. Click the Download more images link at the top of the Perspector Panel.
3. Click Download all of the images shown below to download all of the images. Or click each of the images you want to download and then click Download the selected images.

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Using Perspector

1.How do I select a shape?
To select a shape, click on it.
This is also how you can select a slide image, picture or placeholder.

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2. How do I select multiple shapes?
To select multiple shapes, hold SHIFT while you click each shape to add it to the selection, or to deselect it.
If several shapes are close together, they can also be selected by dragging an area around them.

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3. How do I select all of the shapes and other items?
To select all the items, choose Select All from the Edit menu. The shortcut key for this is CTRL+A.

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4. How do I resize a shape or slide image?
To resize a shape, slide image, picture or placeholder:
1. Select the shape.
2. Drag the white handles or the red handles - these are resize handles.
Hold Ctrl while dragging to resize opposite sides simultaneously.

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5. How do I change the thickness of a shape?
Sometimes the default thickness (depth) of a shape is not appropriate. For example, you may wish it to elongate it to 'disappear' to the vanishing point, or you may need a shape with no depth - in effect, a two-dimensional shape, but with all Perspector’s 3D facilities.

1. Select the shape.
2. Drag the red handles to resize the shape depth.
Hold Ctrl while dragging to resize opposite sides simultaneously.
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6. How do I rotate a shape?
PowerPoint shapes have 1 green rotation handle that turns them in 1 dimension only. Perspector shapes have 3 green rotation handles. These let you rotate shapes in 3 dimensions. To do this:

1. Select the shape.
2. Drag the appropriate green rotation handle. Each handle rotates the shape around a different shape axis.

7. How do I rotate a shape so that it faces forward?
If a shape has been rotated a few times it can be difficult to work out how to get it back to how it was originally. There is a Face Forward command to do this for you:

1. Select the shape.
2. Click on the Draw menu on the Perspector Drawing toolbar.
3. Click on Face Forward.

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To copy fill, line and font properties (such as fill color and line width) from one shape to another:

1. Select the shape you want to copy the properties from.
2. Click the Format Painter button:



3. Click the shape you want to copy the properties to.

To copy the properties to multiple shapes, double-click the Format Painter button. This will enter a mode where you can keep clicking on shapes to apply the formatting to them. Press Escape to return to normal editing mode.

There is also another way to copy shape properties:
1. Select the shape you want to copy the properties from.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + C to copy the properties to a “format clipboard”.
3. Select any shapes you want to copy the properties to, and press Ctrl + Shift + V to paste from the “format clipboard”.
You can repeat step 3 to copy the properties to more shapes.

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9. How do I undo a change that was made?
The most recent change can be undone by choosing Undo from the Edit menu. The shortcut key for this is CTRL+Z.

Undo can be performed repeatedly to undo several changes.

To undo an undo, choose Edit, then Redo (CTRL+Y is the shortcut). Redo can be performed repeatedly.

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10. How can I repeat a change that was made?
There currently is no command in Perspector to repeat the last action.
However, if you just want to repeat a change to the fill/line/font color for another shape, simply click the Fill/Line/Font Color button on the Perspector Drawing toolbar. The color that will be applied is shown on the color strip along the bottom of the button.

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11. How do I Copy/duplicate a shape?
To duplicate an item:

1. Select the item to copy.
2. Choose the Edit menu.
3. Choose Duplicate.
The shortcut key for this is CTRL+D.

If you wish to duplicate an item and keep the copy at the same position as the original, choose Edit, then Duplicate in Identical Position.
You can also use the clipboard to copy and paste the item.

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Image Properties and Effects
1. Can I make lists display bullet-by-bullet?
When you have finished editing with Perspector, the whole thing is stored in PowerPoint as a single picture image. You can not, therefore, animate parts of the image (such as list items) to appear one after the other. However, you can make it look as though they do. Here’s how:

1. Make the same number of copies of the Perspector image as the number of times you want the items to change.

2. Modify each Perspector image as part of the sequence.

3. Put them on top of each other.

4. Then make each one appear and disappear in turn with PowerPoint entrance and exit animations.

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2. Can I make a rotating shape stop after one turn?
Many people would like to stop the rotation of an animated Perspector image after one or more turns. However, this is not possible at the moment.

The following workaround can be used if the presenter has control of the presentation (i.e. it is not a kiosk show or it does not have to be sent to someone else).

Set up the next slide with a static image of the rotating shape at the place where you want it to stop. By moving on from the slide with the rotating image at the appropriate point, the shape will appear to stop rotating. It needs a little practice with the timing to avoid making it 'jump' into place.

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3. Can I change the background color?
By default the background of a Perspector image is set to Transparent background. The result of this is that the slide beneath the image is shown when the image is created.

To change the image background to a solid color:

1. Edit the Perspector image.
2. Choose the Format menu.
3. Choose Background...
4. Select a color.
5. Uncheck the Transparent background checkbox.
6. Click OK.

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4. Can I make the background transparent?
To change the background of a Perspector image to be transparent:
1. Edit the Perspector image.
2. Choose the Format menu.
3. Choose Background...
4. Check the Transparent background checkbox.
5. With a transparent background, Background fill color is the tint used on anything in the image that is partially transparent. To just use the slide's background color, select Default Color for this value.
6. Click OK.


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5. How do I use PowerPoint-style 'Fill Effects' such as transparency, gradient, texture, pattern and picture fill?

Transparency
To make a shape be partially transparent:
1. Double-click the shape to show the Format Shape dialog box.
2. Click the Colors and Lines tab, and set the Transparency value.

Picture fill
To use a picture as the fill for a shape:
1. Double-click the shape to show the Format Shape dialog box.
2. Click the Picture tab.
3. Click Select Picture... and choose a picture file to use.

Gradient, texture, and pattern
These effects are not directly supported by Perspector, but you can achieve them by creating a picture to represent the desired gradient/texture/pattern and then using the picture fill effect described above.

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Advanced Effects

1. How can I create hyperlinks from different parts of an image?
Solution Because Perspector images are stored in PowerPoint as a single picture image you can not add hyperlinks to different parts of the image (such as list items).

You can easily get around this by putting transparent PowerPoint objects (i.e. with no fill and no line) over the parts of the Perspector image and hyperlinking from them. It will then seem as if you are getting different links from different parts of the Perspector image when, during a show, you click on the invisible objects.
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2. How can I add a 3D image to my document / spreadsheet / email / website?
Solution To add a Perspector image to another document such as a Word document or an Excel spreadsheet, you can usually use the clipboard:
1. Open PowerPoint and select a Perspector image.
2. Copy it to the clipboard (press Ctrl + C).
3. Open the document you want to add the image to. If you want to send it in an email message, you will need to select Rich Text or HTML format.
4. Go to where you want the image to appear, and paste image (usually Ctrl + V).
5. Resize the pasted image if required.

This will work with most applications, but some will not accept pictures pasted from the clipboard. If so, check the application's help to see if you can insert pictures - and follow the appropriate instructions below.
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3. How can I animate different shapes in an image separately?
Solution There is currently no way within Perspector to apply different animation effects to different shapes within an image. However, you might be able achieve a reasonable result by breaking up the image into multiple images, and animating them separately:
1. In PowerPoint, make a copy of the image for each part of the image you will want to animate. Move each copy to be in the same position as the others.

2. In PowerPoint, make sure nothing is selected and click on "Edit Perspector Image" on the Perspector toolbar, or in the Perspector Panel. The "Edit Perspector Image" dialog box will appear.

3. In the "Edit Perspector Image" dialog box, select one of the images in the list and click Edit.

4. In Perspector, delete all of the shapes except for the ones you want to have kept together during one of the animations (this could be just one of the shapes). Click "OK".

5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 - but leave different shapes each time you do step 4 so that all of the images when put together will still show the original image. Note that by splitting the 3D image up in this way, some of the shapes might appear in front of shapes that were originally in front of them. You might want to re-order the PowerPoint order of the images using PowerPoint's "Bring Forward" and "Send Backward" commands.

6. Apply different animations to each image. These could be PowerPoint animations, or Perspector's image rotation animation.
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Presentations

1. Can I manipulate 3D shapes while running a presentation?
Unfortunately it is not possible to manipulate 3D shapes using Perspector while delivering a presentation. However, you can use animation to make shapes rotate and move.

To make a shape spin, edit the Perspector image, and choose Animation from the Frame menu.

To move the Perspector image around the slide, use standard PowerPoint animation effects on the image.
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2. If I send my presentation to someone, will they need Perspector to watch it?
No, Perspector is only needed to edit the 3D images created with Perspector. Perspector is not required to see a presentation.
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3. If I share my presentation on the web, will visitors need Perspector to watch it?
No, Perspector is only needed to edit the 3D images created with Perspector. Perspector is not required to see a presentation.
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4. Can I copy a Perspector image from one presentation to another?
It is possible to copy a Perspector image from one presentation to another, but there are three things to be aware of:

1) Colors
If a shape uses a color that is a presentation scheme color, then the color will appear to change if the second presentation uses a different color scheme.

To avoid this, use specific colors ("Red", "Green", "Blue", etc.) rather than the scheme colors ("Text 1", "Text 2", "Background 1", "Background 2", "Accent 1", "Accent 2"). The "Automatic" color is also usually a scheme color.

Update: From Perspector 4.2 you are given the choice whether to use the original colors or the scheme colors. If you are not given a choice, open Perspector and click on Tools, Options, "Colors to use if the presentation scheme has changed", "Ask each time".

2) Pictures
If a Perspector image contains a picture or a shape with a picture fill, the picture won't be displayed in the second presentation, or an incorrect picture might be displayed.

This happens because pictures used in Perspector images are stored on the Perspector Data Slide, and aren't copied across. A way around this is to use pictures that are linked to picture files, as these aren't stored on the Perspector Data Slide.
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Shapes

1.How do I add a picture or photo to a shape?
Select the shape you add a picture to, select Fill Color on the Perspector Drawing toolbar, then select Picture...
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2. How do I show a picture or photo on all sides of a shape?

To add a picture to all sides of a shape:
1. Double-click the shape to call up the Format Shape dialog box.
2. Choose the Picture tab.
3. If the shape doesn't have a picture yet, choose Select Picture and pick the picture file to use.
4. Click the Fill all sides checkbox.
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3. How do I add text?
To enter text on an existing shape:
1. Select the shape and start typing. This works in PowerPoint to add text to PowerPoint shapes too.
To add text without using another shape, you can use a text box:
1. Select Text Box or Text Box with Initial Depth from the Perspector Drawing toolbar.
2. If you want to give the text box depth so that it stands out in 3D, use the depth resize handles.
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4. How do I edit text on a shape?
There are a few ways to edit text on a shape:
Method 1. Click the text at the position you want to start editing.
Method 2. Right-click the shape and select Edit Text.
Method 3. Select the shape and press F2 or Enter. This keyboard shortcut also works in PowerPoint.
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5. How can I enter text in Russian, Arabic, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc?
Find this toolbar (along the top of the Perspector Editor window):

If you can't see the toolbar, choose View, then Toolbars, then click Text Toolbar.
Then do the following:
1. Select the shape to contain the text.
2. If the button on the left of the toolbar is OFF, click it so that it is ON.
3. Type your text.
To set Perspector so that you don't need to keep doing step 2 each time, choose Tools, then Options, then Use international (Unicode) text by default.
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6. Can I create a cube with a different image on each face?
To create a cube with a different image on each face, use the cube from the Perspector Library:
1. Open the Perspector Library.
2. Select Images in the Category drop-down list.
3. Click on Cube.
4. With this cube, double-click on each face in turn to call up the Format Shape dialog box. Add a picture by selecting the Picture tab from the top of the dialog.
5. Remove "[Text]" from each face by adding a space as text.
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7. How can I use a gradient fill between 2 colors on my shapes?
Perspector does not have gradient fills built-in, but you can create your own:
1. Use a drawing tool to create the required gradient pattern and save it as a picture, or use PowerPoint to do this (create a shape with the required gradient pattern, right-click it and save the shape as a picture).
2. In Perspector, select the shape.
3. Choose Picture... from the Fill Color drop-down on the Perspector Drawing toolbar. (An alternative method of adding a picture fill is to double-click on the shape to call up the Format Shape dialog box. Add a picture by selecting the Picture tab from the top of the dialog.)
4. Select the picture of the gradient you saved in step 1.
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8. How do I adjust lighting?
To change the lighting, choose the Image menu, and then the Lighting menu.
From here you can change the strength and position of up to 4 lights, and the strength of the ambient lighting.
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9. How can I draw a curved 3D arrow?
There are 5 curved arrow shapes in the Block Arrows category:
1) Choose Shapes from the Perspector Drawing toolbar.
2) Choose Block Arrows.
3) Insert one of the 4 Curved Arrow shapes, or the Circular Arrow shape. The Curved Arrow shapes are limited to 180 degree angle spans, but the Circular Arrow can be adjusted to any angle.

CONVERT POWERPOINT CURVE INTO 3D

This method creates a curved arrow in the form of a line:
1) In PowerPoint, draw a Curve from the AutoShapes, Line menu (not a Curved Connector).
2) Click the Convert Shapes to 3D button on the Perspector toolbar in PowerPoint.
3) Choose the line width from the Line Style button on the Perspector Drawing toolbar.
4) Add an arrow head using the Arrow Style button on the Perspector Drawing toolbar.
The arrow head is most visible on arrows that aren't black, and that have a line width of at least 3pts.
If you want to use this technique to create a thick arrow, you can improve the arrow head by using a separate shape such as a Cone instead of step 4 above.
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10. How do I change the form of a shape using adjustment handles?
The form of many shapes can be altered - for example, the Rounded Rectangle shape.
Adjustments are made by dragging yellow handles. To make an adjustment, select a shape - if no yellow handles are shown, the shape's form cannot be altered apart from resizing it. If a yellow handle is shown, drag it to adjust the shape.
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11. How do I make a shape transparent?
To make a shape partially transparent:
1. Double-click the shape to show the Format Shape dialog box.
2. Select the Colors and Lines tab.
3. Drag the Transparency slider in the Fill section. 0% transparency is 'solid'.
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12. How do I change the color of a shape?
To change the color of a shape:
1. Select the shape.
2. Choose a fill color from the Fill Color drop-down on the Perspector Drawing toolbar.
"Automatic" is the default fill color used.
The "Text 1/2", "Background 1/2" and "Accent 1/2" colors are the presentation scheme colors.
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13. Can I change one 3D shape to another?
1. Select the shape to change.
2. Click the Draw menu on the Perspector Drawing toolbar.
3. Choose Change Shape and click a new shape to use.
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14. How can I convert a curved connector?
Unfortunately, Perspector doesn't yet support curved connectors.
An alternative is to use curves, freeform lines or scribble lines, as all of these types of PowerPoint lines can be converted by Perspector.
Another alternative is to consider using one of the various curved arrow shapes instead.
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15. Can I add a picture to the top of a cylinder shape?
There isn't a way to get Perspector to put the picture on the top of a shape. However, in this case you can use an Oval shape:
1. Insert an Oval from the Basic Shapes menu, and hold down the Control key when you draw it to keep it as a circle.
2. Insert your picture (it will appear on the front of the shape).
3. Drag the top green handle to make the shape lie down flat.
4. If required, drag one of the red handles to make the oval thicker or thinner.
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