PPT 2007 Saving to 2003: "Shape can no longer be edited"

[Dave Jenkins]

I'm working in PPT 2007 on .PPT presentation files I receive from third
parties. If I merely open the file (no editing at all), and then go to save
them as .PPTs, I get the above warning. Here's are a few questions:

Does this message imply (or should I infer) that at one point the file was a
PPT 2007 file, and that somewhere along the line it has been saved in
compatibility mode?

What kind of incompatibilties between 2003 and 2007 triger such a warning?
I.e., what kind of things can we warn our users to steer clear of so that
they might avoid receiving such messages?

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007 compatibility
concerns and consideration?

Thanks!

 

[Echo S]

If you're using PPT 2007 and saving as a PPT file, it's "backsaving" to
97-2003 format, which is what triggers this message. It may not have been
opened and saved in 2007 before -- I don't know if there's an easy way to
tell that.

What actually triggers it is that you've used some feature that's not
available in earlier versions of PPT. If you save a 2007 file in 97-2003
format, text and shapes that use new features such as reflections, glows,
etc., become images and cannot be edited in previous versions of PPT. (The
cool thing is, they become editable again if you re-open the file in 2007.)
"Shape can no longer be edited" tells me that you're probably looking at
something along those lines. There's a compatibility checker you can run --
Office Button | Prepare | Run Compatibility Checker, and that should tell
you what slide the problem object is on so you have an idea of where to
look.

I don't think that the new soft shadows trigger this message, though -- I
think they just become hard-edged shadows in PPT 2003 and prior. I think in
general, I'd probably tell users to be wary of the Effects galleries on the
Drawing Tools Format tab.

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007 compatibility
concerns and consideration?

I don't know that there are any, honestly.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

Thanks, Echo.

I *think* you're agreeing with me: If I've received the file in question as
a .ppt, opened it in 2007 but didn't change anything, and then saved it as
..ppt and got the warning, then if the triggger that set off the warning was
one of the 2007 features, then I could assume that at some prior to when I
got the file it had been edited on a 2007 system someplace along the line.
Right?

--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

If you're using PPT 2007 and saving as a PPT file, it's "backsaving" to
97-2003 format, which is what triggers this message. It may not have been
opened and saved in 2007 before -- I don't know if there's an easy way to
tell that.

What actually triggers it is that you've used some feature that's not
available in earlier versions of PPT. If you save a 2007 file in 97-2003
format, text and shapes that use new features such as reflections, glows,
etc., become images and cannot be edited in previous versions of PPT. (The
cool thing is, they become editable again if you re-open the file in 2007.)
"Shape can no longer be edited" tells me that you're probably looking at
something along those lines. There's a compatibility checker you can run --
Office Button | Prepare | Run Compatibility Checker, and that should tell
you what slide the problem object is on so you have an idea of where to
look.

I don't think that the new soft shadows trigger this message, though -- I
think they just become hard-edged shadows in PPT 2003 and prior. I think in
general, I'd probably tell users to be wary of the Effects galleries on the
Drawing Tools Format tab.

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007 compatibility
concerns and consideration?

I don't know that there are any, honestly.

 

[Echo S]

Yes, that's right.

Sorry, I didn't read your original post closely enough, I think!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

Thanks, Echo.

I *think* you're agreeing with me: If I've received the file in question
as
a .ppt, opened it in 2007 but didn't change anything, and then saved it as
.ppt and got the warning, then if the triggger that set off the warning
was
one of the 2007 features, then I could assume that at some prior to when I
got the file it had been edited on a 2007 system someplace along the line.
Right?

--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

If you're using PPT 2007 and saving as a PPT file, it's "backsaving" to
97-2003 format, which is what triggers this message. It may not have been
opened and saved in 2007 before -- I don't know if there's an easy way to
tell that.

What actually triggers it is that you've used some feature that's not
available in earlier versions of PPT. If you save a 2007 file in 97-2003
format, text and shapes that use new features such as reflections, glows,
etc., become images and cannot be edited in previous versions of PPT.
(The
cool thing is, they become editable again if you re-open the file in
2007.)
"Shape can no longer be edited" tells me that you're probably looking at
something along those lines. There's a compatibility checker you can
run --
Office Button | Prepare | Run Compatibility Checker, and that should tell
you what slide the problem object is on so you have an idea of where to
look.

I don't think that the new soft shadows trigger this message, though -- I
think they just become hard-edged shadows in PPT 2003 and prior. I think
in
general, I'd probably tell users to be wary of the Effects galleries on
the
Drawing Tools Format tab.

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007 compatibility
concerns and consideration?

I don't know that there are any, honestly.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

I'm working in PPT 2007 on .PPT presentation files I receive from third
parties. If I merely open the file (no editing at all), and then go to
save
them as .PPTs, I get the above warning. Here's are a few questions:

Does this message imply (or should I infer) that at one point the file
was
a
PPT 2007 file, and that somewhere along the line it has been saved in
compatibility mode?

What kind of incompatibilties between 2003 and 2007 triger such a
warning?
I.e., what kind of things can we warn our users to steer clear of so
that
they might avoid receiving such messages?

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007 compatibility
concerns and consideration?

Thanks!

 

[Dave Jenkins]

Ok - thanks!

--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

Yes, that's right.

Sorry, I didn't read your original post closely enough, I think!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

Thanks, Echo.

I *think* you're agreeing with me: If I've received the file in question
as
a .ppt, opened it in 2007 but didn't change anything, and then saved it as
.ppt and got the warning, then if the triggger that set off the warning
was
one of the 2007 features, then I could assume that at some prior to when I
got the file it had been edited on a 2007 system someplace along the line.
Right?

--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

If you're using PPT 2007 and saving as a PPT file, it's "backsaving" to
97-2003 format, which is what triggers this message. It may not have been
opened and saved in 2007 before -- I don't know if there's an easy way to
tell that.

What actually triggers it is that you've used some feature that's not
available in earlier versions of PPT. If you save a 2007 file in 97-2003
format, text and shapes that use new features such as reflections, glows,
etc., become images and cannot be edited in previous versions of PPT.
(The
cool thing is, they become editable again if you re-open the file in
2007.)
"Shape can no longer be edited" tells me that you're probably looking at
something along those lines. There's a compatibility checker you can
run --
Office Button | Prepare | Run Compatibility Checker, and that should tell
you what slide the problem object is on so you have an idea of where to
look.

I don't think that the new soft shadows trigger this message, though -- I
think they just become hard-edged shadows in PPT 2003 and prior. I think
in
general, I'd probably tell users to be wary of the Effects galleries on
the
Drawing Tools Format tab.

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007 compatibility
concerns and consideration?

I don't know that there are any, honestly.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


I'm working in PPT 2007 on .PPT presentation files I receive from third
parties. If I merely open the file (no editing at all), and then go to
save
them as .PPTs, I get the above warning. Here's are a few questions:

Does this message imply (or should I infer) that at one point the file
was
a
PPT 2007 file, and that somewhere along the line it has been saved in
compatibility mode?

What kind of incompatibilties between 2003 and 2007 triger such a
warning?
I.e., what kind of things can we warn our users to steer clear of so
that
they might avoid receiving such messages?

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007 compatibility
concerns and consideration?

Thanks!

 

[Dave Jenkins]

I kind of want to revisit this, Echo:

I have had sworn affidavits form more than one author that PPT 2007 had
never touched their .PPT files before I opened them with PPT 2007. And *I*
will swear to you that I changed nothing in the file -- I looked at it and
then did a Save (force of habit.) WHen 2007 saved it, it called out specific
slides with graphics and said that they would become uneditable in previous
versions of PowerPoint, but that the text contained therein would continue to
be editable. The message said that the graphics had been converted to
images, which were not editable in prior versions of PPT.

But if PowerPoint 2003 put those graphics in originally (I'm trying to track
down the way the slides were originally constructed right now) why would 2007
do any kind of conversion on them?

So my question would be: What kind of 2003 graphics does 2007 automatically
convert to image data? And if you don't know, where can I possibly find the
answer to that question? We want to be in the position of being able to
advise our PowerPoint authors of the ramifications of various graphics
technologies they incorporate into their slides. I'm wondering, for
instance, if it is a graphic they imported form someplace else that triggers
the 2007 warning message at save time?

Any ideas?

--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

Yes, that's right.

Sorry, I didn't read your original post closely enough, I think!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

Thanks, Echo.

I *think* you're agreeing with me: If I've received the file in question
as
a .ppt, opened it in 2007 but didn't change anything, and then saved it as
.ppt and got the warning, then if the triggger that set off the warning
was
one of the 2007 features, then I could assume that at some prior to when I
got the file it had been edited on a 2007 system someplace along the line.
Right?

--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

If you're using PPT 2007 and saving as a PPT file, it's "backsaving" to
97-2003 format, which is what triggers this message. It may not have been
opened and saved in 2007 before -- I don't know if there's an easy way to
tell that.

What actually triggers it is that you've used some feature that's not
available in earlier versions of PPT. If you save a 2007 file in 97-2003
format, text and shapes that use new features such as reflections, glows,
etc., become images and cannot be edited in previous versions of PPT.
(The
cool thing is, they become editable again if you re-open the file in
2007.)
"Shape can no longer be edited" tells me that you're probably looking at
something along those lines. There's a compatibility checker you can
run --
Office Button | Prepare | Run Compatibility Checker, and that should tell
you what slide the problem object is on so you have an idea of where to
look.

I don't think that the new soft shadows trigger this message, though -- I
think they just become hard-edged shadows in PPT 2003 and prior. I think
in
general, I'd probably tell users to be wary of the Effects galleries on
the
Drawing Tools Format tab.

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007 compatibility
concerns and consideration?

I don't know that there are any, honestly.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


I'm working in PPT 2007 on .PPT presentation files I receive from third
parties. If I merely open the file (no editing at all), and then go to
save
them as .PPTs, I get the above warning. Here's are a few questions:

Does this message imply (or should I infer) that at one point the file
was
a
PPT 2007 file, and that somewhere along the line it has been saved in
compatibility mode?

What kind of incompatibilties between 2003 and 2007 triger such a
warning?
I.e., what kind of things can we warn our users to steer clear of so
that
they might avoid receiving such messages?

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007 compatibility
concerns and consideration?

Thanks!

 

[Echo S]

Wow, I got no idea, Dave. I didn't think there would be any graphics that
PPT 2007 would convert automatically like that.

Can you email me a version of the file prior to your opening with 2007? I'd
like to see which graphics it's flagging -- maybe I can spot something.
echos at indy dot net. Or if you can describe what's on those particular
slides, even?

You know, I wonder if there are grouped objects on those slides. I don't
know that that should cause problems, but, well ... let me see if I can
remember how this worked...ah, no, nevermind, I'm thinking of when I created
some beveled shapes with text and drop shadows in PPT 2007, thinking I'd use
them as buttons in PPT 2003. When I opened the file in 2003, the single
shape had become a grouped shape + separate textbox. This was PPT trying to
be helpful -- still giving me editable text (but I really just wanted a
graphic at the time because since the two objects were grouped, my links
broke in the PPT Viewer!). Anyway, it's not the same -- although I do wonder
about the graphics.

But...hm...I wonder if it's 3D settings? Maybe PPT's translating the old
drawing tools 3D settings to the new stuff automatically in the background.
Or maybe a diagram is being changed to SmartArt?

Do any of your users use PPTXtreme Soft Shadows? I don't *think* that would
cause the kind of conversion you're describing, but I suppose it's possible.
I'm trying to think of any other image editing-type add-ins that might come
into play....

slides with graphics and said that they would become uneditable in
previous
versions of PowerPoint, but that the text contained therein would continue
to
be editable.

This sounds like 3D autoshapes with text and shadows, maybe.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

I kind of want to revisit this, Echo:

I have had sworn affidavits form more than one author that PPT 2007 had
never touched their .PPT files before I opened them with PPT 2007. And
*I*
will swear to you that I changed nothing in the file -- I looked at it and
then did a Save (force of habit.) WHen 2007 saved it, it called out
specific
slides with graphics and said that they would become uneditable in
previous
versions of PowerPoint, but that the text contained therein would continue
to
be editable. The message said that the graphics had been converted to
images, which were not editable in prior versions of PPT.

But if PowerPoint 2003 put those graphics in originally (I'm trying to
track
down the way the slides were originally constructed right now) why would
2007
do any kind of conversion on them?

So my question would be: What kind of 2003 graphics does 2007
automatically
convert to image data? And if you don't know, where can I possibly find
the
answer to that question? We want to be in the position of being able to
advise our PowerPoint authors of the ramifications of various graphics
technologies they incorporate into their slides. I'm wondering, for
instance, if it is a graphic they imported form someplace else that
triggers
the 2007 warning message at save time?

Any ideas?

--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

Yes, that's right.

Sorry, I didn't read your original post closely enough, I think!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

Thanks, Echo.

I *think* you're agreeing with me: If I've received the file in
question
as
a .ppt, opened it in 2007 but didn't change anything, and then saved it
as
.ppt and got the warning, then if the triggger that set off the warning
was
one of the 2007 features, then I could assume that at some prior to
when I
got the file it had been edited on a 2007 system someplace along the
line.
Right?

--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX


:

If you're using PPT 2007 and saving as a PPT file, it's "backsaving"
to
97-2003 format, which is what triggers this message. It may not have
been
opened and saved in 2007 before -- I don't know if there's an easy way
to
tell that.

What actually triggers it is that you've used some feature that's not
available in earlier versions of PPT. If you save a 2007 file in
97-2003
format, text and shapes that use new features such as reflections,
glows,
etc., become images and cannot be edited in previous versions of PPT.
(The
cool thing is, they become editable again if you re-open the file in
2007.)
"Shape can no longer be edited" tells me that you're probably looking
at
something along those lines. There's a compatibility checker you can
run --
Office Button | Prepare | Run Compatibility Checker, and that should
tell
you what slide the problem object is on so you have an idea of where
to
look.

I don't think that the new soft shadows trigger this message,
though -- I
think they just become hard-edged shadows in PPT 2003 and prior. I
think
in
general, I'd probably tell users to be wary of the Effects galleries
on
the
Drawing Tools Format tab.

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007
compatibility
concerns and consideration?

I don't know that there are any, honestly.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


I'm working in PPT 2007 on .PPT presentation files I receive from
third
parties. If I merely open the file (no editing at all), and then go
to
save
them as .PPTs, I get the above warning. Here's are a few questions:

Does this message imply (or should I infer) that at one point the
file
was
a
PPT 2007 file, and that somewhere along the line it has been saved
in
compatibility mode?

What kind of incompatibilties between 2003 and 2007 triger such a
warning?
I.e., what kind of things can we warn our users to steer clear of so
that
they might avoid receiving such messages?

And lastly, where can I find a good writeup of 2003/2007
compatibility
concerns and consideration?

Thanks!

 

[Dave Jenkins]

I may be on the track of something here, Echo.

On one pres., the author said he had copied in some graphics (provenance
gets murky at that point). But in another file, the graphic in question is a
SmartArt creation - no doubt in my mind about it - the speaker just didn't
have the PowerPoint smarts to create it himself. (And hence was copied in
from some PowerPoint 2007 file - right? Does 2003 have SmartArt?)

I think what I'm going to do, as each of these situations arises, I'll quiz
the speakers to see what they remember about how the offending shapes,
graphics, slides, etc. got into their file.

Stay tuned.
--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

Wow, I got no idea, Dave. I didn't think there would be any graphics that
PPT 2007 would convert automatically like that.

Can you email me a version of the file prior to your opening with 2007? I'd
like to see which graphics it's flagging -- maybe I can spot something.
echos at indy dot net. Or if you can describe what's on those particular
slides, even?

You know, I wonder if there are grouped objects on those slides. I don't
know that that should cause problems, but, well ... let me see if I can
remember how this worked...ah, no, nevermind, I'm thinking of when I created
some beveled shapes with text and drop shadows in PPT 2007, thinking I'd use
them as buttons in PPT 2003. When I opened the file in 2003, the single
shape had become a grouped shape + separate textbox. This was PPT trying to
be helpful -- still giving me editable text (but I really just wanted a
graphic at the time because since the two objects were grouped, my links
broke in the PPT Viewer!). Anyway, it's not the same -- although I do wonder
about the graphics.

But...hm...I wonder if it's 3D settings? Maybe PPT's translating the old
drawing tools 3D settings to the new stuff automatically in the background.
Or maybe a diagram is being changed to SmartArt?

Do any of your users use PPTXtreme Soft Shadows? I don't *think* that would
cause the kind of conversion you're describing, but I suppose it's possible.
I'm trying to think of any other image editing-type add-ins that might come
into play....

slides with graphics and said that they would become uneditable in
previous
versions of PowerPoint, but that the text contained therein would continue
to
be editable.

This sounds like 3D autoshapes with text and shadows, maybe.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

[snip]

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Dave,

Try shadows for starters? Haven't tested this myself, but it seems plausible
that 2007'd play games with them and then warn on saving back.

So my question would be: What kind of 2003 graphics does 2007 automatically
convert to image data?

Anything that PPT-Earlier doesn't support. Soft shadows, 3d effects, that kind
of thing. Basically, if you can't create it in 2003, it'll likely become an
image when saved to 2003 from 2007.

2007 shoots for maintaining visual fidelity to the original even if at the
expense of editability in the earlier version.

And in general, a workflow that depends on moving back and forth between
multiple versions of PPT, ESPECIALLY 2007 and earlier versions and maybe even
more ESPECIALLY PC/Mac may cause less immediate pain than, say, a shotgun blast
to the big toe, but in the long run it's probably more damaging to the
enterprise. <g>

 

[Echo S]

Yeah, 2003 doesn't have SmartArt. But it does have diagrams -- it might be
that they're being converted automatically to SmartArt.

I have had users swear up and down they're using XYZ version, but when I
send them to Help | About to look up what they're using, it's often not the
one they thought. Maybe worth a shot. Could also be they've got 2007 at
home and forgot they opened the file in it.

Oh, wait...nope, auto conversion of diagrams isn't the problem. At least,
not the basic diagrams. I made a file in 2003 with each of the basic
diagrams -- using the default format. Saved the file, opened it in 2007.
When I select the diagram on the slide, I get a frame like a SmartArt
diagram, but the Drawing Tools Format tab is activated, not the SmartArt
tab -- so these are considered drawings. If I double-click the object, I am
prompted to convert to SmartArt or convert to shapes. If I do neither and
Save As, choosing 97-2003 format, it seems to stay the same way. If I run
the compatibility checker, I get "no compatibility issues were found."

So it doesn't seem that diagrams convert automatically.

That means if, when you select the object in PPT 2007 (I believe even if
you're still in compatibility mode) and the SmartArt Toos tab is activated,
then yeah, it was copied from a PPT 2007 file -- or the 2007 file was opened
in 2003. The 2007 SmartArt diagrams will become uneditable in 2003, but
they're editable again when you re-open the file in 2007. (I think that's
kind of cool, actually.) Okay, hang on...yeah, that's what happens. It
doesn't actually seem to matter if you've used any 2007 formatting on the
diagram -- it just isn't editable in 2003.

So maybe they did open a 2007 file in 2003, copy the SmartArt diagram --
which would seem like a graphic to them -- and then paste it into the 2003
file. Then, when you open that in 2007, the SmartArt diagram becomes
editable again and loses its "graphic" status. They may have used 2003
exclusively and not even realized what's going on. I guess you could tell if
they'd edited the text, though -- text in the SmartArt diagrams isn't
editable when the file is opened in 2003.

When I run the compatibility checker on a file with a SmartArt diagram, it
says "The SmartArt graphic and any text in it cannot be edited when using
earlier versions of PowerPoint. (Slide 1,2)" So it does pinpoint the
SmartArt diagram specifically. That may also give you a clue.

You know, sometimes I save SmartArt diagrams as pictures and insert the
pictures into PPT 2003 files. (Sometimes I do the whole diagram as one pix,
or if I know I'll need to animate it, I save each piece as a pix.) Then I
add the text as separate textboxes in PPT 2003. I suppose the author could
have copied in something like that -- but that would not give you
compatibility error messages. (I just checked to be sure.)

Staying tuned!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

I may be on the track of something here, Echo.

On one pres., the author said he had copied in some graphics (provenance
gets murky at that point). But in another file, the graphic in question
is a
SmartArt creation - no doubt in my mind about it - the speaker just didn't
have the PowerPoint smarts to create it himself. (And hence was copied in
from some PowerPoint 2007 file - right? Does 2003 have SmartArt?)

I think what I'm going to do, as each of these situations arises, I'll
quiz
the speakers to see what they remember about how the offending shapes,
graphics, slides, etc. got into their file.

Stay tuned.
--
Dave Jenkins
K5KX

Wow, I got no idea, Dave. I didn't think there would be any graphics that
PPT 2007 would convert automatically like that.

Can you email me a version of the file prior to your opening with 2007?
I'd
like to see which graphics it's flagging -- maybe I can spot something.
echos at indy dot net. Or if you can describe what's on those particular
slides, even?

You know, I wonder if there are grouped objects on those slides. I don't
know that that should cause problems, but, well ... let me see if I can
remember how this worked...ah, no, nevermind, I'm thinking of when I
created
some beveled shapes with text and drop shadows in PPT 2007, thinking I'd
use
them as buttons in PPT 2003. When I opened the file in 2003, the single
shape had become a grouped shape + separate textbox. This was PPT trying
to
be helpful -- still giving me editable text (but I really just wanted a
graphic at the time because since the two objects were grouped, my links
broke in the PPT Viewer!). Anyway, it's not the same -- although I do
wonder
about the graphics.

But...hm...I wonder if it's 3D settings? Maybe PPT's translating the old
drawing tools 3D settings to the new stuff automatically in the
background.
Or maybe a diagram is being changed to SmartArt?

Do any of your users use PPTXtreme Soft Shadows? I don't *think* that
would
cause the kind of conversion you're describing, but I suppose it's
possible.
I'm trying to think of any other image editing-type add-ins that might
come
into play....

slides with graphics and said that they would become uneditable in
previous
versions of PowerPoint, but that the text contained therein would
continue
to
be editable.

This sounds like 3D autoshapes with text and shadows, maybe.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx

[snip]

 

[Echo S]

But soft shadows become hard shadows in 2003. Most shadowed stuff is still
editable -- at least as far as I've seen so far. <g>

In fact, I just made a file with a whole bunch of shadows on shapes and text
and what have you. No compatibility issues found, says Mr. Compat Checker,
and in fact, everything's editable in 2003 still. Shadows added to text in
2007, whether using the Home tab or the text effects on the Drawing Tools
tab, use PPT 2003's typical text shadow. Shadows added to shapes use PPT
2003's shadow tool on the Drawing toolbar. If you add a shape shadow to text
in 2007, it also uses the PPT 2003 shadow tool on the Drawing toolbar, just
as you'd expect.

It's not shadows.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Ah well. It was a thought. Not a good one is all. ;-)

 

[Echo S]

Ah well. It was a thought. Not a good one is all. ;-)

LOLOL!