PPT97: Limitations of Converting to PowerPoint 7.0 Format (169095)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q169095

SUMMARY

Because Microsoft PowerPoint 97 and PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0 files are saved in different file formats, some information may not be converted or may not convert as expected. The following table describes how PowerPoint 97 features which are not fully supported in PowerPoint 7.0 are converted.

NOTE: When you run the PowerPoint 97 Pack and Go Wizard, your presentation is packed as a PowerPoint 95 and 97 format presentation. If you unpack a presentation and view it using the PowerPoint Viewer that ships with PowerPoint 97, it behaves like a PowerPoint 7.0 file according to the table below.

MORE INFORMATION

BASIC FEATURES: 
Feature in PowerPoint 97         Result when saved in PowerPoint 95
                                 format
------------------------         -------------------------------------

Animated chart elements          Appear as static chart objects. 
                                 PowerPoint 95 users must have 
                                 Microsoft Graph 97 to edit charts.*

Custom shows                     Slides appear in the presentation,
                                 but the Custom Show feature does not
                                 exist.

Elevator effects                 Converted to Wipe Up effects.

Native format movies and         Converted to Media Player objects.
sounds

Play options for CD              Options are ignored.
tracking and movie looping
GRAPHICS FEATURES: 
Feature in PowerPoint 97         Result when saved in PowerPoint 95
                                 format
------------------------         -------------------------------------

3-D effects                      Converted as pictures.

AutoShapes                       Converted to freeform shapes or 
                                 pictures if there is no matching
                                 shape.

Connectors                       Converted as freeform lines and lose
                                 their automatic connecting behavior.

Curves                           Approximated with connected line
                                 segments.

Gradient Fills                   Semitransparency is lost.

Joins and endcaps of lines       Become mitered joins and round 
                                 endcaps on AutoShapes, and round
                                 joins and endcaps on freeforms.
 
Objects that are linked          Brightness, contrast, and color
or embedded                      transformation settings are lost.

Picture brightness, contrast,    Rendered at current PowerPoint 97
and color transformation         settings.

Picture fills                    Converted to picture objects.

Picture fills on shapes          Shape is converted as a picture 
                                 object and given a solid fill with 
                                 the last applied foreground color.

Shadows, engraved                Takes on embossed shadow effects.


Shadows, perspective             Converted as shapes or pictures and
                                 grouped with the shape casting the
                                 shadow.

Shapes or arcs with              Converted to PowerPoint 95 freeform 
attached text that are           shapes or arcs and text boxes.
new in PowerPoint 97

Text box margins                 Averaged to center the text block in 
                                 the box.

Text effects                     Converted as pictures.

Thick compound lines             Converted as picture objects.
WORKGROUP AND INTERNET FEATURES: 
Feature in PowerPoint 97         Result when saved in PowerPoint 95
                                 format
------------------------         -------------------------------------

Comments                         Converted to Rich Text Format - 
                                 hidden comments are displayed.

Hyperlinks that combine          Play Sound settings are lost.
Play Sound with other action
settings

Hyperlinks embedded within       Hyperlinks are lost.
an object

Action settings embedded         Action settings are lost.
within an object
OTHER FEATURES: 
Feature in PowerPoint 97         Result when saved in PowerPoint 95
                                 format
------------------------         -------------------------------------

Charts                           Cannot be edited unless the user has
                                 Microsoft Graph 97.*

Clip Gallery                     Cannot be edited unless the user has
                                 Microsoft Clip Gallery 3.0 or 
                                 Microsoft ClipArt Gallery 2.0
                                 (ClipArt Gallery 2.0 ships with
                                 PowerPoint 95.).*

PowerPoint Macros                Not converted - there is no macro
                                 language in PowerPoint 95.

Unicode characters               Mapped to corresponding ANSI - 
(2 bytes per character)          foreign language characters are most
                                 likely affected.
*Inserted Charts and Clip Gallery objects are OLE objects. When you save a PowerPoint 97 presentation in a previous format, PowerPoint does not change OLE objects. In order to edit them, you must have a program that knows how to edit that particular type of OLE object.

NOTE: If you are running PowerPoint 97 Service Release 1, you can convert Graph 97 objects to Graph 5.0 objects (so that people who use PowerPoint 95 can edit them), using these steps:
  1. On the File menu, click Save As.
  2. In the Save as Type list, click PowerPoint 95 With Graph 5.0.
  3. In the File Name box, type a new file name and then click Save.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/9/2000
Keywords:kbconversion kbinfo kbinterop KB169095
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