PPT97: PowerPoint Couldn't Translate this File, Opening PowerPoint 7.0 Presentation

ID: Q217904

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 97 For Windows
  • Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to open a PowerPoint 7.0 for Windows 95 presentation in PowerPoint 97, you may recieve the following error message:

PowerPoint couldn't translate this file.
However, you can open this file for editing and save changes in PowerPoint 7.0 for Windows 95, without recieving any errors.

NOTE: In most cases, you will be unable to save the PowerPoint 7.0 presentation from PowerPoint 7.0 for Windows 95 as a PowerPoint 4.0 for Windows presentation. You will recieve an error message similar to the folowing:
c:\Windows\Temp\Presentation1.ppt

Sorry, PowerPoint could not translate this file.
Followed by:
Sorry, either the filename is too long or PowerPoint cannot find the
viewer, which it needs to save in PowerPoint 4.0 format. If the name
is correct, you should run setup and reinstall to get the viewer.


CAUSE

This problem could be caused by invalid formatting or corruption in your presentation that PowerPoint 97 is unable to translate.


WORKAROUND

Method 1: Manually Correct the Damaged Presentations

To manually correct the damaged presentations, follow these steps:
  1. Open the presentation in PowerPoint 7.0 for Windows 95.


  2. On the View menu, click Slide Sorter.


  3. On the Edit menu, click Select All.


  4. On the Edit menu, click Copy.


  5. On the File menu, click New. Select a new blank presentation, and click OK.


  6. On the View menu, click Slide Sorter.


  7. On the Edit menu, click Paste.


  8. On the File menu, click Save, type a new name for the presentation, and click Save.


At this point, you should able to open this new presentation without an error in PowerPoint 97.

Method 2: Tool Available for Download

The utility discussed in this article is provided "as is" and Microsoft does not guarantee that it can be used in all situations. THIS METHOD IS NOT SUPPORTED BY MICROSOFT TECHNICAL SUPPORT, USE THIS UTILITY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

If you have a large number of presentations that exhibit this problem and need to be translated for PowerPoint 97, there is a utility available for download that will automate this process.

The PowerPoint 7.0 Template Replacer automates PowerPoint 7.0 for Windows 95 by using Visual Basic for Applications. This utility requires PowerPoint 7.0 to be installed on this computer and running in memory when the it is being used.

NOTE: This utility will not work with PowerPoint 97 for Windows. The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center. Click the file name below to download the file:
Pp7fix.exe
For more information about how to download files from the Microsoft Download Center, please visit the Download Center at the following Web address
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp
and then click How to use the Microsoft Download Center.


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem no longer occurs in Microsoft PowerPoint 2000.


MORE INFORMATION

How to Use the PowerPoint 7.0 Template Replacer

To use the PowerPoint 7.0 Template Replacer utility, follow these steps:
  1. Start Microsoft PowerPoint 7.0 for Windows 95.


  2. Start the PowerPoint 7.0 Template Replacer utility.


  3. Type the file path to the location of the PowerPoint 95 presentations in the first box, or click Browse to locate the folder.


  4. Type the file path to the folder location where you want the repaired presentations to be stored in the second box, or click Browse to locate the folder.


  5. Type the file path and file name of the PowerPoint template you want to have the utility replace for each presentation in the third box, or click Browse to locate the folder.


  6. Click Go!


NOTE: This utility will update the all presentations to use the same template. If you point this utility to the same template that you used previously to create these presentations, the utility may not be sucessful in removing the corruption. For best results, please use the Blank Presenation.pot template located in the c:\MSOffice\Templates folder.

Additional query words: ppt7 ppt95 95 7.0 8.0 ppt8 ppt97 97 powerpnt ppt upgrading upgrade update translate convert migrate migration

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:7.0,97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug


Last Reviewed: December 10, 1999
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