harts created in PPT 97-2004 compatability issues

[murman]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

When working with charts created in PPT 97-2004:

1. When trying to edit, a dialog box comes up "This chart was created in an earlier version of Office. (To edit the chart using new features it must first be converted...Do you want to convert.

Clicking the convert button, made changes in either or both the PPT chart and "Edit using Excel". Deselect the chart, and try to make changes again the same dialog box comes up "This chart was created in and earlier version...)

If it converted it, why doesn't it remain converted?

Let me answer my own question (I just figured it out as I was working on this post) - the file must be saved in the new (Office 2007/2008) .pptx format or else this problem will re-accure.

Working with folks all around the globe using older (1999-2004) PPT. that can't reciprocate with edits once the files have been converted to .pptx, I've found this link from Microsoft for a download of Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 file formats. While this creates a great hassle, (especially for corporate clients with stringent IT regs), it does offer a possible solution.

Is there a similar "compatibility pack" for older versions of Mac Office?

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

When working with charts created in PPT 97-2004:

1. When trying to edit, a dialog box comes up "This chart was created in an earlier version of Office. (To edit the chart using new features it must first be converted...Do you want to convert.

Clicking the convert button, made changes in either or both the PPT chart and "Edit using Excel". Deselect the chart, and try to make changes again the same dialog box comes up "This chart was created in and earlier version...)

If it converted it, why doesn't it remain converted?

Let me answer my own question (I just figured it out as I was working on this post) - the file must be saved in the new (Office 2007/2008) .pptx format or else this problem will re-accure.

Working with folks all around the globe using older (1999-2004) PPT. that can't reciprocate with edits once the files have been converted to .pptx, I've found this link from Microsoft for a download of Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 file formats. While this creates a great hassle, (especially for corporate clients with stringent IT regs), it does offer a possible solution.

Is there a similar "compatibility pack" for older versions of Mac Office?

Hi

As you discovered, not only has the file format changed, but the
charting engine has changed, as well.

If you are in 2008 and open a ppt (not pptx) file, you will notice
"Compatibility Mode" in the title. If you save the file in the new
format, you're telling PowerPoint to forget about the old stuff and work
just with the new.

Conversely, if you save a pptx file as ppt, then you are telling
PowerPoint to do the opposite - ditch all the new stuff and treat it as
an older file format.

PowerPoint will try not to mess with the format if you just use Save
instead of Save As. But the new version doesn't have the old graph
engine, and 97 through 2004 PowerPoint doesn't have the new engine.
Hence, all the questions about converting from one kind to another. Your
best bet is to use Office 2004 to deal with 97 through 2004 files and
2008 for working with 2007 and 2008 files. You can put Office 2004 and
2008 on the same machine.

You can use Insert > Object > Microsoft Graph and that would avoid the
version problems, but that creates other issues to deal with.

-Jim

 

[murman]

Thanks for the follow up Jim, and sorry for the delay in responding.

I wish I had gone to 2004 instead of 2008 for the reasons listed below by both of us. I also had innumerable issues with the cross/engine issues, one of which was a reoccurring issue with the format of the dates within a graph. In 2008 if I opened a file created in a PPT format, and then converted a file and the date format was for instance Feb-09, when I saved the PPT and re-opened it, the dates would come out looking like "Feb-13". I found I had to select the cells with the dates, go to Custom/Date/Mar-09 (or whatever the call out was in the menu)to fix this issue, and didn't have the same issue in previous (non PPTX) versions - so it's very difficult to predict what other issues might arise and their workarounds.

As you mentioned, you suggest to anyone out there that might want to work with pre-2008 or pre-2007(windows) files (PPTX) to use pre-2008 or pre-2007 versions of PowerPoint (.ppt engine). I wasted countless hours since going to 2008 with these issues.

Thanks again - Murman

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Thanks for the follow up Jim, and sorry for the delay in responding.

I wish I had gone to 2004 instead of 2008 for the reasons listed below by both of us. I also had innumerable issues with the cross/engine issues, one of which was a reoccurring issue with the format of the dates within a graph. In 2008 if I opened a file created in a PPT format, and then converted a file and the date format was for instance Feb-09, when I saved the PPT and re-opened it, the dates would come out looking like "Feb-13". I found I had to select the cells with the dates, go to Custom/Date/Mar-09 (or whatever the call out was in the menu)to fix this issue, and didn't have the same issue in previous (non PPTX) versions - so it's very difficult to predict what other issues might arise and their workarounds.

As you mentioned, you suggest to anyone out there that might want to work with pre-2008 or pre-2007(windows) files (PPTX) to use pre-2008 or pre-2007 versions of PowerPoint (.ppt engine). I wasted countless hours since going to 2008 with these issues.

Thanks again - Murman

Hi Murman

There was a substantial change to the charting and drawing aspects of
office between 2003/2007 and 2004/2008. It's not easy to say to the
world, OK tomorrow we all change from the old version to the new one.

On the Mac we have the no VBA problem with 2008
On Windows there's the "I hate the ribbon" problem with 2007

I have very little doubt that once the next version of Office comes out
on the Mac, the vast majority of Mac users will switch to it right away.
It will have VBA plus the new drawing and graphics engine plus some
other nifty new features that a lot of people will surely want. I want
it now, but I know that's not going to happen.

-Jim

 

[murman]

Hi Murman

There was a substantial change to the charting and drawing aspects of
office between 2003/2007 and 2004/2008. It's not easy to say to the
world, OK tomorrow we all change from the old version to the new one.

On the Mac we have the no VBA problem with 2008
On Windows there's the "I hate the ribbon" problem with 2007

I have very little doubt that once the next version of Office comes out
on the Mac, the vast majority of Mac users will switch to it right away.
It will have VBA plus the new drawing and graphics engine plus some
other nifty new features that a lot of people will surely want. I want
it now, but I know that's not going to happen.

-Jim

Hi:

Yes, on the whole I like the 2008 version, but the backward compatibility issue is a real time killer for us here and I would think anyone that is working with a larger group of collaborators. Anyway, thanks for your input, this is a great group with lots of helpful and insightful folks, yourself included of course!

Murman