We use Animation Triggers that were introduced with PowerPoint 2002 (XP) to perform animation effects one at a time.

We will have shapes that are set up to show using some entrance effect. Another shape (lets call it click shape) would be created that can be clicked to show the other shapes on each mouse click on the click shape.

The following steps show how to set this up:

Step 1: Create one rectangle shape and five oval shapes

For the purpose of the tutorial, the Rectangle shape would be the shape that you can click on to show the Oval shapes one at a time at each click. Create 1 Rectangle shape and 5 Oval shapes.

Step 2: Set an entrance effect on each of the Oval shapes

Set the Fade entrance effect on the Oval:

1. Select the Oval shape.
2. Select Slide Show | Custom Animation... menu item.
3. On the Custom Animation pane, click Add Effect | Entrance | Blinds menu item. This would add the Blinds effect to the Oval.

Step 3: Set the trigger for the entrance effect on each of the Oval shapes

In this last step, we would setup the Rectangle to trigger the Blinds entrance effect on Oval:

1. Click the dropdown box of the Fade effect on the Oval in the Custom Animation pane.
2. Select Timings... menu item.
3. Select On Click in the Start box.
4. Click Triggers button to show additional timing parameters.
5. Select Start effect on click of option.
6. Select the Rectangle shape in the box.
7. Click OK.

Start the slide show. When you click on the rectangle, the first Oval will show using the Blinds entrance effect. Click on the rectangle again to show the second Oval. Click the third time to show the third Oval and so on. The presentation file that demonstrates these steps is available here .

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