Editing Data in existing charts

[elle2]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Power PC

I have created a number of charts for a presentation in Powerpoint 2008. The next day I opened the file with the intention of editing the data in the chart. I expected to see the option of EDIT DATA in the menu when I right clicked the chart, which is what I choose the day I created these charts as I edited the data a number of times that day. Instead I only have the option to (1) EDIT CHART OBJECT or (2) OPEN CHART OBJECT or (3) CONVERT. When I choose edit chart object I can in fact edit my data, but the chart now have a white chart area. I had formatted the chart area of my original chart to no fill. No problem....right, just go back and format the chart area again.....not so easy, the option of no fill IS selected! So, why am I still seeing a white chart area? On to option #2...the same thing, I can indeed edit the text......but the same white chart area appears. Option #3 isn't any help, as I don't want to convert my charts to Excel sheets. My only option right now is to re-create the charts every time I have to edit the data. As least then I have the option of EDIT DATA available in the drop down menu. Why won't the chart area fill with No Fill when I've selected it? And what happened to the EDIT DATA option? Hope this makes sense of someone...any answers would be appreciated. Thank you!!

 

[CyberTaz]

What file format did you save the file in?
What is your exact update level of Office & OS X?
How did you go about creating the charts? Did you create them in PPT or in
some other Program? If another program, which one & how did you get the
charts into the PPT file?

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

 

[elle2]

Hi Bob

The file is saved as a .ppt. I am using Microsoft Office 2008 Powerpoint version 12.1.9 Mac OS 10.5.7 I did a software update to see if there were any patches or updates for powerpoint, and I think I am up to date. I created the charts right in my powerpoint presentation. They were not brought in from another program. The thing is that after I saved and closed the file then opened it again, The EDIT DATA option I was using when I created the chart and when I was editing the chart was gone. Hope this helps you to better understand my problem. Thanks a bunch!!

 

[elle2]

Hey Bob! I'm so excited...I just figured it out. I was saving the file as a .ppt as I mentioned to you in my last post. As you know, when I opened that file again, the EDIT DATA option was gone. BUT...if I saved the file as a .pptx when I opened the file again, there it was...the EDIT DATA option. I can edit the chart and all the formating stays in place. Why is it that something so simple can drive a person so crazy?!?!? It was your question back to me asking what file format I had saved the file in that made me look at the format options again. Thanks again, Bob!!

 

[CyberTaz]

Glad you got it sorted! That's exacty what I suspected but wanted to
confirm.

The Smart Art Graphics & Charting engine of 2008 creates objects which are
not supported in the older (.ppt) format, so when you saved directly in that
format the objects were converted to pictures. That's why you couldn't edit
them when you reopened the files.

If you save as .pptx *first* then use Save As to create a .ppt [if needed]
the resulting file should contain both the picture for display in earlier
versions as well as the object. That will allow for future edits in 2008 --
but also makes for a larger file.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Glad you got it sorted! That's exacty what I suspected but wanted to
confirm.

The Smart Art Graphics & Charting engine of 2008 creates objects which are
not supported in the older (.ppt) format, so when you saved directly in that
format the objects were converted to pictures. That's why you couldn't edit
them when you reopened the files.

If you save as .pptx *first* then use Save As to create a .ppt [if needed]
the resulting file should contain both the picture for display in earlier
versions as well as the object. That will allow for future edits in 2008 --
but also makes for a larger file.

Interesting ... is that buggy as designed or buggy as whoops, we missed that
one? ;-)

 

[CyberTaz]

I don't know that it's "buggy" ‹ depends on who's definition of the term you
subscribe to , but it seems perfectly logical to me.

When you create new work it doesn't exist as a file until saved. At that
time you determine what format to save in. If you choose to save directly to
a format that doesn't support the features you've used it stands to reason
that some conversion/loss will occur... The logic being that if you wanted
to preserve the new stuff you'd be saving in the format that supports it.

OTOH, if you create a copy of the OXML ‹ which already contains the advanced
content ‹ in the older format the Save As process retains that content but
also generates versions of that content which will display in the older
format. Seems rather thoughtful & considerate to me

To my feeble mind it equates to opening OXMLs in 2004 using the converters ‹
it doesn't remove your SAGs, etc. but creates versions of them which can be
displayed by the older app & retains both in the file when saved.

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

Glad you got it sorted! That's exacty what I suspected but wanted to
confirm.

The Smart Art Graphics & Charting engine of 2008 creates objects which are
not supported in the older (.ppt) format, so when you saved directly in that
format the objects were converted to pictures. That's why you couldn't edit
them when you reopened the files.

If you save as .pptx *first* then use Save As to create a .ppt [if needed]
the resulting file should contain both the picture for display in earlier
versions as well as the object. That will allow for future edits in 2008 --
but also makes for a larger file.

Interesting ... is that buggy as designed or buggy as whoops, we missed that
one? ;-)

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

It seems odd to me.

It's already in the new format, or whatever internal representation of it PPT
uses, whether saved or not. Why should the user have to save it first to the new
format before it would preserve the new features in the old format?

Or to put it differently, why should the format in which you last saved it affect
what's preserved (or not) when you save it again to a different format?

I suspect it's a bug. FWIW, 2007 doesn't behave this way. Start a new pressie,
save to the old format, get a compatibility warning. Open it again and the new
effects are preserved.

The result you get in back-saving is not conditioned on what you saved to
previously.

When you create new work it doesn't exist as a file until saved. At that
time you determine what format to save in. If you choose to save directly to
a format that doesn't support the features you've used it stands to reason
that some conversion/loss will occur... The logic being that if you wanted
to preserve the new stuff you'd be saving in the format that supports it.

OTOH, if you create a copy of the OXML ‹ which already contains the advanced
content ‹ in the older format the Save As process retains that content but
also generates versions of that content which will display in the older
format. Seems rather thoughtful & considerate to me

To my feeble mind it equates to opening OXMLs in 2004 using the converters ‹
it doesn't remove your SAGs, etc. but creates versions of them which can be
displayed by the older app & retains both in the file when saved.

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

Glad you got it sorted! That's exacty what I suspected but wanted to
confirm.

The Smart Art Graphics & Charting engine of 2008 creates objects which are
not supported in the older (.ppt) format, so when you saved directly in that
format the objects were converted to pictures. That's why you couldn't edit
them when you reopened the files.

If you save as .pptx *first* then use Save As to create a .ppt [if needed]
the resulting file should contain both the picture for display in earlier
versions as well as the object. That will allow for future edits in 2008 --
but also makes for a larger file.

Interesting ... is that buggy as designed or buggy as whoops, we missed that
one? ;-)