PUB2002: Custom Shape Features Are Lost When Saved in Earlier Version of Publisher (287023)

SYMPTOMS

When you do the following:

Create a new publication in an earlier version of Publisher (Publisher 98 or Publisher 2000), and apply several of the Custom Shapes.
Save the publication and then open it in Publisher 2002.
Click Save As on the File menu, select the earlier version of Publisher from the Save as type list, rename your publication, and then click Save.
Open the newly saved publication in the earlier version.

You see that some custom objects are now metafiles.

Some Custom Shapes that were created in earlier versions of Microsoft Publisher do not have the adjustment handles for adjusting height and width of the shape when you open the publication by using Microsoft Publisher 2002. The objects may appear the same.

Also, when you save a publication in Publisher 2002 as an earlier-version format, some of the Custom Shapes are converted into picture objects. They no longer have adjustment handles and are no longer Custom Shapes.

CAUSE

The conversion to Publisher 2002 renders these Custom Shapes into AutoShapes, part of the OfficeArt graphics component. The original format of the Custom Shape is not retained.

When you save your publication in the format of an earlier version, Publisher 2002 tries to match the new shape to a similar shape from the earlier version. If Publisher does not find a similar shape, it changes the Custom Shape to a picture object.

MORE INFORMATION

The following Custom Shapes are converted to picture objects when they are saved in the file format of an earlier version:

Frame
Graph
Irregular banner
L-block
Pie
Plus
Round balloon
Semi-circle
Square balloon
Trapazpoid
Triangle

The other Custom Shapes return to their previous functionality.