PPT97: Limitations of Converting to PowerPoint 4.0 Format

ID: Q169094


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 97 For Windows


SUMMARY

When you save a Microsoft PowerPoint 97 presentation in PowerPoint 4.0 format, features unique to PowerPoint 97 are lost. This article describes PowerPoint 97 features that are not fully supported in PowerPoint 4.0.


MORE INFORMATION

BASIC FEATURES:


Feature in PowerPoint 97     Result when saved in PowerPoint 4.0
                             format
------------------------     -----------------------------------

Animated chart elements      Appear as static chart objects.
                             PowerPoint 4.0 users must have
                             Microsoft Graph 97 to edit charts.*

Custom properties            Custom properties are lost.

Custom shows                 Slides appear in the presentation, but
                             the Custom Show feature does not exist.

Elevator effects             Converted to Wipe Up effects.

Embedded fonts               Embedded fonts are lost. PowerPoint 4.0
                             assigns the closest font available.

Native format movies         Converted to Media Player objects.
and sounds

Play options for CD          Options are ignored.
tracking and movie
looping

Presentation properties      Only the following are preserved: Title,
                             Subject, Author, Keywords, Comments, File
                             Name (MS-DOS name), Directory, Template
                             and Slides - all others are lost.

Preset animation settings    Settings are applied only to bulleted
                             lists - all other effects are lost. 
GRAPHICS FEATURES:

Feature in PowerPoint 97     Result when saved in PowerPoint 4.0
                             format
------------------------     -----------------------------------

3-D effects                  Converted as pictures.

Arrowheads                   Matched to the nearest PowerPoint 4.0
                             style.

Automatic fills              Default fill color is displayed.

Automatic line colors        Default line color is displayed.

AutoShapes                   Matched to the nearest PowerPoint 4.0
                             shape or converted to a freeform shape or
                             picture if there is no matching shape.

Background patterns on       None applied.
slides

Background pictures on       A corresponding picture object is
slides                       displayed and sized to fill the slide.

Background textures on       None applied.
slides

Black-and-white view         Slides are rendered in color.

Connectors                   Converted to freeform lines; lose
                             their automatic connecting behavior.

Curves                       Approximated with connected line
                             segments.

Dashed line style            Matched to the nearest PowerPoint 4.0
                             style.

Gradient Fills               Semi-transparency is lost.

Joins and endcaps of lines   Become mitered joins and round endcaps on
                             AutoShapes, and round joins and endcaps
                             on freeforms.

Object patterns              Matched to the nearest PowerPoint 4.0
                             pattern.

Objects that are linked      Brightness, contrast, and color
or embedded                  transformation settings are lost.

Picture brightness,          Rendered at current PowerPoint 97
contrast, and color          settings.
transformation

Picture fills                Converted to picture objects.

Picture fills on shapes      Shape is given a solid fill with the last
                             applied foreground color.

Preset shaded fills          None applied.

Semi-transparent object      Closest solid color is displayed.
fills

Shadows, engraved            Takes on embossed shadow effects.

Shadows, perspective         Converted as shapes or pictures and
                             grouped with the shape casting the
                             shadow.

Shapes or arcs with          Converted to PowerPoint 4.0 freeform
attached text that           shapes or arcs and text boxes.
are new in PowerPoint 97

Text box margins             Averaged to center the text block in the
                             box.

Text effects                 Converted as pictures.

Textured fills               The shaded fill in the object is
                             displayed. If there is no shaded fill,
                             PowerPoint maps to the default fill
                             color.

Thick compound lines         Converted as picture objects.

Two-color shaded fills       The color defined as Color 1 in
                             PowerPoint 97 is displayed. If Color 1 is
                             black, Color 2 appears instead. 
WORKGROUP AND INTERNET FEATURES:

Feature in PowerPoint 97     Result when saved in PowerPoint 4.0
                             format
------------------------     -----------------------------------

Comments                     Converted to Rich Text Format - hidden
                             comments are displayed.

Hyperlinks that combine      Play Sound settings are lost.
Play Sound with other
action settings

Hyperlinks embedded within   Hyperlinks are lost.
an object

Action settings embedded     Action settings are lost.
within an object 
OTHER FEATURES:

Feature in PowerPoint 97     Result when saved in PowerPoint 4.0
                             format
------------------------     -----------------------------------

Charts                       Cannot be edited unless the user has
                             Microsoft Graph 97.*

Clip Gallery                 Cannot be edited unless the user has
                             Microsoft Clip Gallery 3.0 or Microsoft
                             ClipArt Gallery 2.0.*

Title Master                 Format changes applied to the Title Master
                             are not lost but appear as if applied to the
                             individual slide. The changes must be edited
                             on each individual slide.

Headers and footers          Appear on the slides but cannot be
                             edited.

PowerPoint Macros            Not converted - there is no macro
                             language in PowerPoint 4.0.

Unicode characters           Mapped to corresponding ANSI (Windows) or
(2 bytes per character)      1-byte per character (Macintosh)  -
                             foreign language characters are most
                             likely affected.

TrueType fonts               Embedded True Type fonts are not
                             supported. PowerPoint 97 users must make
                             sure fonts in their presentations are
                             available on the computer running PowerPoint 
                             4.0. 
*Inserted Charts and Clip Gallery objects are OLE objects. When you save a PowerPoint 97 presentation in a previous format, PowerPoint does not change OLE objects, so in order to edit them you must have a program that knows how to edit that particular type of OLE object.

NOTE: If you are running PowerPoint 97 Service Release 1, you can convert Graph 97 objects to Graph 5.0 objects (so that people who use PowerPoint 95 can edit them), using these steps:
  1. On the File menu, click Save As.


  2. In the Save as Type list, click PowerPoint 95 With Graph 5.0.


  3. In the File Name box, type a new file name and then click Save.


Additional query words: 97 8.0 back rev saveas convert

Keywords : kbinterop kbdta kbconversion
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: November 8, 1999
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