DataDynamic Reporter does not only allow you to add text to textframes in your PowerPoint template. It also allows you to change different settings on all PowerPoint shapes. This is done using command shortcodes. These codes are surrounded by <$ $> and can be placed in the Alt Text property of any shape in DataDynamic. Any of the commands below can be followed by a ':N' where N is the run level, if the actual run level does not equal the specified run level the command will be skipped. Currently the following commands are supported:


BG
BGCOLOR
BACKGROUND		Changes the background color of the shape, the format of the shortcode is one of these shorthands followed by;
  1. A table id or reference name
  2.  a value specification as described in the text-shortcodes. 

An example:
<$BG;T2;V[2,2,countc]|<|C10|#FF0000|#00FF00$>
This code will check if the value in the linked table with the reference name T2 at position 2,2 and calculation type COUNTC is smaller than the constant value 10. If true it will return a color code #FF0000 (red) otherwise #00FF00 (green)
FG
FGCOLOR
FOREGROUND		Works exactly like BG but changes the text color in all text portions of the text frame.
SHOWShows or hides the shape the shortcode is placed on depending on if the value returned equals "1". This can be a value directly from a table or it can be the direct result of an equation.

An example:
<$SHOW;T2;V[2,2,COUNTC]|<|C10$>
This code will check if the value in the linked table with the reference name T2 at position 2,2 and calculation type COUNTC is smaller than the constant value 10. If true then the object will be shown otherwise it will be hidden.
SKIPThis is a special code that does not work on the shape it is placed on but rather on the whole report. The specification is the same as for the show command, but in this case if the expression evaluates to true the whole report is skipped and not saved.
SCRIPTAllows you to run a script function, that is placed inside the selected script file or script window. The function receives the following parameters in order:
  1. File f - Reference to the current data file
  2. Matrix  m- reference to the current Matrix (table)
  3. Presentation p - reference to the current presentation (this is NOT a PPT automation object)
  4. Slide s - reference to the current slide (this is not a PPT automation object)
  5. Shape sh - reference to the current shape (this is not a PPT automation object.
TABLEis used to create a respondent level answer table and is further detailed here