No pattern fill available for objects in Powerpoint 08

[sunshine]

I have many years experience using Powerpoint for Windows. I just purchased an iMac and an "Office 2008 for Mac" to use on it. I am dismayed to find that I can no longer fill objects with patterns (cross-hatch, dots, etc). I regularly use Powerpoint as a design tool and such patterns are essential to illustrate sections of a design or how the pieces of the design fit together. Color fills are not an acceptable alternative. Another thing that has been left out is two-color texture. Whoever made such decisions should be hung!! (oops - is that a value-added criticism?).

 

[CyberTaz]

Well, I'm afraid the same subject was recently discussed in the Excel group
- it looks like the "basic" fills have been done away with in favor of all
the fancy new stuff. Use the Help> Send Feedback feature to register your
requirements with MS - perhaps enough demand will get them returned.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[sunshine]

I have learned that I can create a chart in PowerPoint Windows 2000 using the pattern fill, save it, and then reopen it with no problems in PowerPoint Mac 2008. The pattern fill in the graphic is retained. So, PP2008 recognizes such a fill, but is unable to create it. I'm not sure if that will be of any value to me in the future, or why I'd want to do it. I might as well just use the Windows PowerPoint.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I have many years experience using Powerpoint for Windows. I just purchased
an iMac and an "Office 2008 for Mac" to use on it. I am dismayed to find
that I can no longer fill objects with patterns (cross-hatch, dots, etc). I
regularly use Powerpoint as a design tool and such patterns are essential to
illustrate sections of a design or how the pieces of the design fit
together. Color fills are not an acceptable alternative. Another thing that
has been left out is two-color texture. Whoever made such decisions should
be hung!! (oops - is that a value-added criticism?).

These fills are gone in the latest Windows version as well.

One possible workaround is to create pictures of textures and fill with those,
using picture fills.



================================================
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I have learned that I can create a chart in PowerPoint Windows 2000 using
the pattern fill, save it, and then reopen it with no problems in PowerPoint
Mac 2008. The pattern fill in the graphic is retained. So, PP2008 recognizes
such a fill, but is unable to create it. I'm not sure if that will be of any
value to me in the future, or why I'd want to do it. I might as well just
use the Windows PowerPoint.

Well .. that's VERY interesting, and thank you for coming back with it.

As it turns out, you can create patterened fills in 2007 by using macros, even
though there's no user interface.

Alas, this won't work in Mac 2008, since it has no VBA capabilities (ie, no
more macros).



================================================
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================

 

[sunshine]

My next question is - does anyone in the Forum have any influence over what is done at Microsoft? It is one thing to say "perhaps enough demand will get them returned", and another thing to wait that long (I imagine until PP 2011 comes out). This is a serious reduction in capability for what has become the standard program for making charts. Unfortunately, the Microsoft focus, I'm sure, is on what they believe is needed to develop management presentations and slide shows and not on the application that I, and others, put it to as a design aid. In addition, anyone who wants to print charts in black and white will be ill-served by requiring the use of color instead of patterns. This is not a product improvement!

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

My next question is - does anyone in the Forum have any influence over what
is done at Microsoft?

Some of the Mac MVPs and/or beta testers may, but I suspect a lot of feedback
from a variety of users will get as much attention, so do use the Help option
to let them know how you used the pattern fill feature and what problems it
causes for you now that it's gone.

Hearing it from more people, and in their own words, will reinforce the
message.

It is one thing to say "perhaps enough demand will get
them returned", and another thing to wait that long (I imagine until PP 2011
comes out). This is a serious reduction in capability for what has become
the standard program for making charts. Unfortunately, the Microsoft focus,
I'm sure, is on what they believe is needed to develop management
presentations and slide shows and not on the application that I, and others,
put it to as a design aid. In addition, anyone who wants to print charts in
black and white will be ill-served by requiring the use of color instead of
patterns. This is not a product improvement!

================================================
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================