PRB: Loading Metafile Causes "Cannot Convert picture" Error

ID Number: Q84926

2.x 3.00

WINDOWS

Summary:

SYMPTOMS

When an application attempts to load a metafile from disk, the

following error message is displayed in a message box:

Cannot convert picture

CAUSE

Some Windows applications expect to load a "placeable" metafile,

which has 22 additional bytes, at the beginning of a normal

metafile. Both metafile types use the .WMF file extension; only the

contents of the file change.

In an application, the GetMetaFile function does not read a

placeable metafile correctly; however, it returns a non-NULL value,

which indicates success.

RESOLUTION

Load the metafile into an application that will accept both

metafile types and save the metafile in an appropriate type. The

following applications accept "placeable" metafiles: Aldus

PageMaker, Microsoft PowerPoint, Micrografx, Corel Draw, Microsoft

Draw, Microsoft Graph, Microsoft Equation Editor, and Microsoft

Publisher.

For more information on placeable metafiles, query on the following

words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

prod(winsdk) and placeable and metafile

Additional reference words: 2.x 3.00