PP 2008 connector issue

[pwood]

Connectors (with arrowheads) do not connect as in other versions of PowerPoint (2004 MAC, other Windows Office versions). The arrowhead of the connector should join the shape at the edge and not protrude into the shape, which it does. More apparent with filled shapes that are outlined. There is no obvious work around, except to not draw diagrams with this feature.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Connectors (with arrowheads) do not connect as in other versions of
PowerPoint (2004 MAC, other Windows Office versions). The arrowhead of the
connector should join the shape at the edge and not protrude into the shape,
which it does. More apparent with filled shapes that are outlined. There is
no obvious work around, except to not draw diagrams with this feature.

To make sure we understand what you're seeing:

Here in 2007, if the arrrowhead of a connector meets the edge of a rectangle
(at one of the snap points), the tip of the arrow touches the edge of the shape
exactly, assuming the shape has a thin or no outline.

If I thicken the shape's outline considerably, the arrowhead then overlaps
halfway into the outline; it's still hitting the edge of the shape per se, but
since the outline's thickness is split equally inside and outside the shape,
there's an overlap.

This *is* a change from some earlier versions of PPT, where the outline was
drawn entirely inside (or was it outside? I can't recall) the shape.

But it sounds as though you're seeing the arrowhead actually pass across the
outline and into the shape. Is that correct?

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

 

[Paul]

I don't know about 2007 -- that wasn't available on the Mac. In PPT 2004/Mac, the arrowhead meets the outlined shape exactly. In 2008, the arrowhead extends well into the outlined shape. It looks like the outline used to be drawn inside the shape, but now it is drawn outside the shape. That's is a change. Even so, but the arrowhead still shouldn't protrude into the shape when it has an outline. I'm not sure about the definition of where the outline should go. If drawing flow/block diagrams, how can you show connectivity with outlined shapes? Nothing seems to work.

FYI, for maximum contrast in presentations, I typically use a blue background with white connectors, and outline the shapes with thin white lines.

Not sure what to do to work-around, except perhaps stop using outlined shapes.

 

[pwood]

I should add that this arrowhead overshoot occurs when a ppt file from 2004 (which looks great) is read into 2008, and the line/arrowhead and outline are the same color. Actually, I think 2004 split the outline and kept the centerline of the outline on the shape edge, and apparently adjusted the arrowhead landing by half the outline width. 2008 seems to put the outline outside the shape, and make the arrowhead land inside the shape by what appears to be the width of the outline. Perhaps the landing of the arrowhead should be adjusted in exactly the opposite direction.

When drawing in 2008, the arrowhead always lands on the inside of the outline, where the shape and the outline meet. This creates an interesting effect when the outline and connector are different colors. When they are not, it doesn't look very good at all.

 

[Matt Centurión [MSFT]]

Hi there,

Thank you for letting us know about this issue. We are tracking this issue
internally and are working on trying to provide a fix or workaround. For now
the only solution is to reduce the line weight of the arrow (or increase
line weight of the shape) so the arrow doesn¹t extend into the shape.

Matt
MacOffice Testing
Microsoft

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I don't know about 2007 -- that wasn't available on the Mac. In PPT
2004/Mac, the arrowhead meets the outlined shape exactly.

At the outside of the outline ...

In 2008, the
arrowhead extends well into the outlined shape. It looks like the outline
used to be drawn inside the shape, but now it is drawn outside the shape.
That's is a change. Even so, but the arrowhead still shouldn't protrude into
the shape when it has an outline. I'm not sure about the definition of where
the outline should go. If drawing flow/block diagrams, how can you show
connectivity with outlined shapes? Nothing seems to work.

I don't have 2008 but it seems that you're seeing what I described for 2007 ...
the tip of the arrow meets the middle of the outline rather than the outside?

FYI, for
maximum contrast in presentations, I typically use a blue background with
white connectors, and outline the shapes with thin white lines.

Not sure
what to do to work-around, except perhaps stop using outlined shapes.

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

 

[pwood]

For 2008/Mac, in new drawings, the arrowhead ends on the INSIDE edge of the shape (assuming it is outlined). I personally think that the arrowhead should terminate at the edge of an outlined shape, which would be on the OUTSIDE of the line.

If I take a .ppt file from 2004/Mac (which draws and renders them "correctly" -- the arrowhead terminates on the OUTSIDE of the shape outline) and read it into 2008/Mac, the arrowheads now extend beyond the shape outline into the shape itself. The arrowhead does not but up against anything, it just sticks into the shape. I am guessing that the amount it protrudes into the shape beyond the outline is the line width, but I'm really not sure.

In summary there are really two issues:

1) 2008/Mac draws connectors with arrowheads differently than 2004. It is counterintuitive and does not yield a good looking result.

2) 2004/Mac draws connectors with arrowheads correctly, or at least intuitively -- what one would expect, and what one would do if drawing them on paper by hand. When files from 2004/Mac are read into 2008/Mac, the result is something completely different than if they were drawn in 2008, with protruding arrowheads. Simply not usable.

Paul