Powerpoint 2007 - connectors don't stay connected with grouped sha

[Doug F]

Here's a problem I've found and can replicate. I'm wondering whether there is
a hotfix or if Microsoft has plans to fix it. Here's how to reproduce the
problem:

1. Draw two rectangle shapes
2. Put a small diamond (or other) shape inside one of the rectangles.
3. Group that rectangle and the diamond into one object.
4. Connect the two rectangles with an elbow arrow connector.
5. Use the cursor to select the entire drawing (i.e., the two rectangles and
the connector).
6. Drag them (together) to a different position on the slide.
7. Result: the end of the connector attached to the rectangle with the
grouped diamond shape is now disconnected.

I have drawings with lots of grouped shapes and connectors, so this is a
real problem. A workaround is to just select the all the shapes but not the
connectors and then drag them. However, for the drawings I'm working with,
this is a lot of extra work. This problem did not occur in PowerPoint 2003.

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[Jaime]

I can't reproduce the error at home with 2007, but I'll try it at work with
2003 on Monday.

I do a lot of "flow chart" type slides with connections and I'm sure I have
had grouped items connected that I dragged around on the screen and I don't
remember ever noticing this.

Is your copy of 2003 current with all SP's?

 

[John Wilson]

It took me a while but I can repro this. The step I was missing was to drag
select all of the items and move. At this point the connector broke.
--
john ATSIGN PPTAlchemy.co.uk

Free PPT Hints, Tips and Tutorials
http://www.pptalchemy.co.uk/powerpoint_hints_and_tips_tutorials.html

 

[Jaime]

Sorry,

Read your post too quick, I thought the problem *was* occurring in 2003.

 

[Dave Runyan]

I have a problem that may be related to this one. I created some complex
group shapes in PPT 2003, that I wanted to be able to connect to at closely
spaced intervals around their periphery.

So I "covered" each group shape with another freeform shape with a
transparent fill, and got the requisite "many" connection sites around the
edge. This also serves to prevent the user from selecting and editing any
text within the complex shape.

Problem: when I copy these shapes to PPT 2007, all the connectionsites (33
of them) are crowded to the upper left corner of the shape bounding box!
ConnectionSiteCount still returns 33, but they are no longer positioned at
the points that define the freeform shape. If I use "Edit Points", all the
points are right when they are supposed to be, but they are no longer
connection sites!

 

[Echo S]

Do you have SP2 for Office 2007 installed? Not sure if it will make a
difference or not, but there were some issues with freeforms from 2003
losing their "freeform-edness" when the file was opened in PPT 2007. I
believe these may have been resolved with SP2. I don't know if it will help
your specific situation, but it might be worth a try.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2010? http://www.echosvoice.com/2010.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

 

[Doug F]

Hi - yes, I have SP2 installed, both on my home computer and work computer,
and the problem is the same on both.

I first noticed the problem when saving a .ppt drawing originally built with
PowerPoint 2003 as a PowerPoint 2007 .pptx file. So I tried starting with a
drawing built only with 2007 SP2, and the problem still occurs.

I think this qualifies as a bug, and I'm hoping Microsoft will provide a fix
for it.

Do you have SP2 for Office 2007 installed? Not sure if it will make a
difference or not, but there were some issues with freeforms from 2003
losing their "freeform-edness" when the file was opened in PPT 2007. I
believe these may have been resolved with SP2. I don't know if it will help
your specific situation, but it might be worth a try.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2010? http://www.echosvoice.com/2010.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

I have a problem that may be related to this one. I created some complex
group shapes in PPT 2003, that I wanted to be able to connect to at
closely
spaced intervals around their periphery.

So I "covered" each group shape with another freeform shape with a
transparent fill, and got the requisite "many" connection sites around the
edge. This also serves to prevent the user from selecting and editing any
text within the complex shape.

Problem: when I copy these shapes to PPT 2007, all the connectionsites (33
of them) are crowded to the upper left corner of the shape bounding box!
ConnectionSiteCount still returns 33, but they are no longer positioned at
the points that define the freeform shape. If I use "Edit Points", all
the
points are right when they are supposed to be, but they are no longer
connection sites!

 

[Gatis G]

Doug, are there any good news from microsoft? I just can confirm what you described - problem with connected grouped objects makes a pain. Of course family tree isn't industry drawing, but still would take lot of time to spend to ... well there seems no real point to remake anything if bug hasnt been fixed.

Here is a problem I have found and can replicate. I am wondering whether there is
a hotfix or if Microsoft has plans to fix it. Here is how to reproduce the
problem:

1. Draw two rectangle shapes
2. Put a small diamond (or other) shape inside one of the rectangles.
3. Group that rectangle and the diamond into one object.
4. Connect the two rectangles with an elbow arrow connector.
5. Use the cursor to select the entire drawing (i.e., the two rectangles and
the connector).
6. Drag them (together) to a different position on the slide.
7. Result: the end of the connector attached to the rectangle with the
grouped diamond shape is now disconnected.

I have drawings with lots of grouped shapes and connectors, so this is a
real problem. A workaround is to just select the all the shapes but not the
connectors and then drag them. However, for the drawings I am working with,
this is a lot of extra work. This problem did not occur in PowerPoint 2003.

----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...a-49c422198638&dg=microsoft.public.powerpoint

On Friday, February 26, 2010 6:50 PM Jaime wrote:
I cannot reproduce the error at home with 2007, but I will try it at work with
2003 on Monday.

I do a lot of "flow chart" type slides with connections and I am sure I have
had grouped items connected that I dragged around on the screen and I do not
remember ever noticing this.

Is your copy of 2003 current with all SP's?
--
James
Bart: "According to creationism, there were no cavemen."
Homer: "Well good riddance, their drawings sucked and they all looked like
hippies!"

On Monday, March 01, 2010 7:32 AM Echo S wrote:
Do you have SP2 for Office 2007 installed? Not sure if it will make a
difference or not, but there were some issues with freeforms from 2003
losing their "freeform-edness" when the file was opened in PPT 2007. I
believe these may have been resolved with SP2. I do not know if it will help
your specific situation, but it might be worth a try.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2010? http://www.echosvoice.com/2010.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx