UNGROUPING EXCEL GRAPH IN POWERPOINT

[HELP_PLEASE]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

IS THERE A WAY TO PUT A GRAPH FROM EXCEL INTO POWERPOINT AND THEN UNGROUP ONCE GRAPH IS PLACED IN POWERPOINT.

I CREATED A GRAPH IN EXCEL AND PUT IT IN POWERPOINT (TRIED SEVERAL WAYS OF INSERTING, COPY AND PAST...). I WOULD LIKE TO UNGROUP THE GRAPH ONCE IN POWERPOINT BUT IT SEEMS TO BE IMPOSSIBLE.

WHEN USING POWERPOINT 2004 THIS ISSUE IS NOT A PROBLEM. GRAPH FROM EXCEL UNGROUP JUST FIND ONCE IN POWERPOINT.

 

[Jeff_Chapman]

Unfortunately, PowerPoint/Excel 2008 have a very different method of handling and generating charts (graphs). Ungrouping charts to work with their individual elements will not work in version 2008.

The only alternative (which is not even a very practical solution) is to do a right-click on the graph, Save as Picture and select PDF, reopen the graph in Illustrator or another vector editing program that supports PDF, and edit it there.

As an aside, you might want to turn off your CAPS LOCK key when you type. It's considered rude to write in all caps in most circles.

Jeff

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Unfortunately, PowerPoint/Excel 2008 have a very different method of handling and

generating charts (graphs). Ungrouping charts to work with their individual elements will
not work in version 2008.

In 2007 you can copy the Excel graph then do a Paste Special and paste as EMF.

You can then ungroup that, though it has a tendency to leave you with some bizarre
polyline objects that are uneditable in PPT.

I wonder if there's anything similar in PPT 2008.

Alternate, possibly: copy from PPT, paste into any drawing app and ungroup there.

 

[CyberTaz]

Why do you want to 'ungroup' the chart?

If simply for editing/formatting purposes there's no need to ungroup -- in
fact, it probably isn't 'grouped' in the first place Regardless of
whether the chart was copied from a 2004 or 2008 Excel file it was pasted in
as an editable object by default. If it wasn't copied using Excel's Copy
Picture command or pasted into PPT using Edit> Paste Special> Picture you
should be able to edit it without having to use a bitmap editor.

Can you provide a more complete & detailed description of what you're
dealing with, where it came from & how it got there as well as what it is
you want to do with it?

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

 

[HELP_PLEASE]

Thank for the info about ungrouping graph in power point.

Sorry about the all cap, did not mean to be rude or offend anyone.

 

[Jeff_Chapman]

In 2007 you can copy the Excel graph then do a Paste Special and paste as EMF.

Yeah - sadly, that's not an option for Office for Mac users. The only vector format that PowerPoint 2008 supports for saving is PDF. Would be nice to see at least one or two other vector formats (SVG? DXF?) supported for Mac, but no go, unfortunately. Paste Special options are likewise limited to JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PNG and GIF. A pity - it really limits the usefulness and compatibility of PowerPoint 2008 as a drawing application.

Jeff

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Why do you want to 'ungroup' the chart?

Couple reasons I can think of off top of head:

To be able to distribute presentations that display the chart w/o giving
recipients access to the data behind the chart.

To be able to do edits that Excel and/or the MSGraph app aren't able to do on
their own.

To animate bits of the chart.

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Steve;

That's why I asked for more details...

Couple reasons I can think of off top of head:

To be able to distribute presentations that display the chart w/o giving
recipients access to the data behind the chart.

Unless the chart is linked to the Excel file that shouldn't be a concern...
And even if it is linked the data wouldn't be accessible unless a copy of
the Excel file goes along. I don't see where "ungrouping" would have
anything to do with it.

To be able to do edits that Excel and/or the MSGraph app aren't able to do on
their own.

Not playing dumb, but genuinely curious -- What sort of 'edits' would that
be? If the chart is one created in either Excel or PPt 2008 the editing
capabilities are far more extensive than I've ever seen in a bitmap editor.

To animate bits of the chart.

Again, if it's a 2008 chart you can do this without 'ungrouping' the chart
-- In fact, if you could ungroup it I can see where it might further
restrict what could be done.

I'm not saying that the the request isn't valid, only that the limited
information given leave a lot of doors open for other possible solutions

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

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Unless the chart is linked to the Excel file that shouldn't be a concern...
And even if it is linked the data wouldn't be accessible unless a copy of
the Excel file goes along. I don't see where "ungrouping" would have
anything to do with it.

Ever notice how you can double-click an Excel chart in PPT and Excel opens up so
you can edit the data/chart? Unless you take (tedious) steps to prevent it, the
*whole workbook* (not worksheet, workbook) gets embedded in the PPT and is
available to anyone who doubleclicks.

Ungrouping tosses out the data and leaves you with just a picture of the chart.
Nobody has access to the data any longer.

Not playing dumb, but genuinely curious -- What sort of 'edits' would that
be? If the chart is one created in either Excel or PPt 2008 the editing
capabilities are far more extensive than I've ever seen in a bitmap editor.

A couple I've run into:

Adding a // on one or the other of the axes to indicate discontinuous data.

Making one or more of the axis labels or any of the other bits of text bold or
otherwise changing its formatting individually to highlight it.

Putting the legends where YOU/the client want them rather than where MS thinks
they belong.

Putting legends in the desired order rather than in the MS decreed order.

I used to do lots of charts for one large client and routinely had to ungroup
probably half of them to give the client what they wanted. Sure, there was
probably no absolute NEED to do things their way, but it was their data, their
checkbook, mine not to wonder why, mine but to make the numbers fly. ;-)

Again, if it's a 2008 chart you can do this without 'ungrouping' the chart
-- In fact, if you could ungroup it I can see where it might further
restrict what could be done.

In some ways it would. But again, if you need to dink with axes or anything but
the data series, PPT probably won't help much. And as far as built-in features,
I don't think it should; that's fairly off-the-wall and I'd rather see them
putting effort into more useful, general purpose features.

Um. Like making charts ungroupable.

I'm not saying that the the request isn't valid, only that the limited
information given leave a lot of doors open for other possible solutions

You betcha ... no problem with that. Just figured, hey, since you asked, I'd
chime in.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Yeah - sadly, that's not an option for Office for Mac users. The only vector format

that PowerPoint 2008 supports for saving is PDF. Would be nice to see at least one or
two other vector formats (SVG? DXF?) supported for Mac, but no go, unfortunately.
Paste Special options are likewise limited to JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PNG and GIF. A pity -
it really limits the usefulness and compatibility of PowerPoint 2008 as a drawing
application.

I was afraid that might be the case.

Rats.

 

[CyberTaz]

Hey Steve;

For once I'm wondering if we're even on the same planet here, let alone
using the same software ;-) Here's what I'm seeing....

If you copy a chart in Excel 2008, then paste to a slide in PPT 2008 the
chart is pasted as a Microsoft Office Drawing Object by default. True, it
retains a link to the Excel file or the data on which it was based. In that
case, using the Edit in Excel button or double-clicking the chart does open
it in Excel and the data is accessible.

However, if the Excel file is no longer in the same place relative to the
PPt file the link is effectively broken. IOW, the entire Excel file doesn't
get embedded in the presentation, only the chart. If you click the Edit in
Excel button you'll get a message to that effect. It does "toss out the
data" but the chart is definitely not converted to a picture.

Double-clicking any component produces a "Format..." Dialog specific to the
component & all aspects of the chart can be edited just as though it had
been created in PPt. The Excel file doesn't open unless the file is in the
same path as when the chart was pasted. The Legend, for example, can be
repositioned using the Formatting Palette or dragged to wherever you wish,
the Axis Labels can be edited or reformatted, etc. You can even choose to
have a Data Table displayed, but its content can't be edited.

It's only if you use Edit> Pasted Special> MS Excel Chart Object that you
get the entire workbook.

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

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Hey Steve;

For once I'm wondering if we're even on the same planet here, let alone
using the same software ;-) Here's what I'm seeing....

Differnt platforms and I'm admittedly extrapolating from how 2007 behaves. In a
perfect world that would ........ but it ain't a perfect world, is it? ;-)

At any rate, I want to do a bit more prodding at this. I managed to crash PPT and
Excel once or twice, got ticked off and out of time, had to do other stuff.

Thanks for pointing all this out. Yet another project to keep me off the streets
and in trouble.

In any case, there are the other two reasons to want to ungroup. ;-)

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Steve;

At any rate, I want to do a bit more prodding at this. I managed to crash PPT
and
Excel once or twice, got ticked off and out of time, had to do other stuff.

Thanks for pointing all this out. Yet another project to keep me off the
streets
and in trouble.

Are you trying to say that you actually have a life???

In any case, there are the other two reasons to want to ungroup. ;-)

I haven't even begun to attack on those fronts yet ‹ I'm trying to be as
merciful as I can ;-)

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

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Are you trying to say that you actually have a life???

Close. Wife. ;-)

I haven't even begun to attack on those fronts yet ‹ I'm trying to be as
merciful as I can ;-)

G'head. Gimme yer best shot. I'm married. I'm used to learning how wrong I am.

You know the old question, right?

If a man falls in the forest, is he still wrong?

 

[ukhxxx]

Hi all,

enough said about this issue of ungrouping. Install office 2004 and keep 2008 if you need it. I care less about ribbon feature or missing slide icons in 2004. Ungrouping is VERY handy indeed and I use it pretty often to create quick presentations of my bioresearch data. Office is as non-ideal software as any other independently of the platform :-(

hope this helps and encourages

Kirill