powerpoint 2008 won't open powerpoint 97-2003 files

J

JBonan

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

Powerpoint for Mac is updated to 12.1.2.

Powerpoint 97-2003 files created by a Windows PC & downloaded into Mac come with extra .pps extension if downloaded through Safari.

Powerpoint for Mac says "this file is an older format that is not supported". And will not open it.

Have tried:
deleteing .pps & renaming file
Using "File/Open" instead of double clicking
Downloading on PC (as standard .ppt) and moving file to Mac on USB memory drive.

Same result for all above. "not supported"

File opens fine in Windows PPT 2003.

File opens in Mac if you use "Quick Look" in "Get Info" menu.
 
J

JBonan

Aha. For anyone else that has this problem. It's not Safari, or Office 2008, it was the original file.

On further digging, I found out that the problem file had been posted on the web as a .ppt in "Powerpoint 97-2003 AND Powerpoint 95" format.

When I downloaded the file to my Windows PC, and resaved it as a "normal" .ppt in Powerpoint 2003, NOT as a "Powerpoint 97-2003 and Powerpoint 95" .ppt, and then transferred that file to the Mac, it opened fine in Powerpoint 2008. It also reduced the file size by about 60%.

According to PPT help, saving the file as "Powerpoint 97-2003 and Powerpoint 95" saves it in two formats simultaneously in the same file (vastly increasing the file size). Apparently, PPT 2008 was refusing to open the PPT95 compatible part, and as a result refusing to open the file at all.

FYI, my Windows XP Pro machine won't let me save in "PPT 97-2003 and PPT95" format due to registry security settings.

Powerpoint for Mac is updated to 12.1.2.

Powerpoint 97-2003 files created by a Windows PC & downloaded into Mac
come with extra .pps extension if downloaded through Safari.





Powerpoint for Mac says "this file is an older format that is not supported".
And will not open it.





Have tried: deleteing .pps & renaming file Using "File/Open" instead of
double clicking Downloading on PC (as standard .ppt) and moving file to
Mac on USB memory drive.





Same result for all above. "not supported"





File opens fine in Windows PPT 2003.





File opens in Mac if you use "Quick Look" in "Get Info" menu.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

Cannot open PC pps files on Mac 1
Powerpoint cannot open the file Macintosh 0
Powerpoint 2003 cannot open Powerpoint 2008 created presentation 6
Powerpoint 2008 mac 5
Mac ppt won't open in PC 2
PowerPoint 2003 can't open PowerPoint 2008 file 1
Can't open files in powerpoint. 1
Figure distortion in powerpoint 2008 1

Top