can't edit because presentation contains a read-only embedded font

[jnn99]

I can't edit a presenation because "file contains a read only embedded font"...
There are 4 fonts in the presentation (according to properties, contents in
powerpoint). I own all four fonts and they are all installed on my computer.
I can type them into other files. Why is this happening to me? I can open
the presentation on any other computer, except my new computer, with this new
version of office...I have installed every update for windows as of 1 minute
ago...microsoft seems to have rendered a new $2000 computer useless...maybe
IBM will beg them to fix this issue if everyone in the world refuses to buy
office new computers because they come with office 2003. thanks for the help
anyone...

 

[jnn99]

also, just to add some info, I can't open the file in powerpoint 2002 because
I don't have access to anther computer until tomorrow - but I need to edit
this presentation today, so microsofts "solution" to this problem, which is
not a "solution" doesn't work (unless you happen to have 2 computers, seems
kind of like a strange
"solution")...

 

[jnn99]

i have now checked the properties of the 4 fonts, and microsoft claims that
installable embedding is allowed, which means this shouldn't be a problem
because these fonts can be used by everyone because they are universal. The
fonts, if you would like to check, are times new roman, arial, arial black
and wingdings...so now i'm really pissed at microsoft.

 

[Glen Millar]

Hi,

I don't know much about which fonts should work, but this PowerPoint
"feature" is a nonsense. And the option to open in a previous version is
useless, IMHO. Maybe have a read of this:

PowerPoint opens presentations as Read-Only, won't allow editing when fonts
embedded
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00637.htm


--

Regards,

Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP
www.powerpointworkbench.com

Australia

 

[fishyfins]

I had the same problem and my IT department told me that the person who
created the presentation has some fonts illegally installed on their system
and when you click on "embed fonts", Powerpoint (2003 +) now cross-checks for
the licenses and freezes the presentation, thus making it uneditable to
anyone else except for the person who created it. A workaround would be to
send the fonts to the receiving computer (just so they could edit), but if
they ever use them, it would create the same problem. So it would be better
if the person creating it does not embed the fonts, since they are supposed
to be standard fonts. Hope this helps.

 

[jnn99]

Steve, thanks for at least asking a question. I think my hour of time on
this issue has been spent, but I will rant for another minute. After my
brief investigation into this problem, and I am in now way a technology
expert, here is my read on the problem: If someone who uses a prior version
of powerpoint, which should include a large majority of users in the united
states, sends me a powerpoint presentation with Times New Roman embedded in
the presentation, a very commonly used font and probably a situation that I
should expect on almost a daily basis, then I am not allowed to edit that
presentation because of the new powerpoint feature which doesn't allow
editing of fonts that are embedded in presentations because they may not be
"owned" by the person receiving the presentation, even when those fonts are
actually "owned" by the user trying to edit the presentation. Put another
way, and a little more simply - I paid microsoft for powerpoint and I paid
microsoft for the right to edit a font. Despite the fact that I now own the
right to edit and use that font, I can't edit and use that font in powerpoint
when someone sends me a presentation with that font embedded in the
presentation. According to microsoft, I should call that person up, ask them
to modify their presentation and resend it to me without the embedded font,
risking time and embarrassment. The other suggested microsoft solution is to
download some free software that some guy named rodrigo or roberto pointed us
all to, created by a bunch of unknown people from somewhere in the world who
are not getting paid and who have no responsibility to me and no liability
for mistakes (i'm sure they are all well-intentioned and smart, but this is
clearly a risky proposition versus buying a piece of software from microsoft
with whom I have recourse if they screw up). Who do I call if this free
software ruins my computer? I don't think microsoft would be willing to
assume that liability. Am I wrong? Bueller?

Well, then my non-microsoft-approved solution to this problem is that I
would like to get my money back from microsoft because they have failed to
give me what I specifically paid for - the right to use this font in this
software package. I am going to return my new microsoft office 2003 and get
a full refund on my money this afternoon. I would hope, despite the fact
that we all know this will not happen (but I can hope), that other people
will also be upset about paying for something that microsoft then
specifically fails to deliver, and they also return their Office 2003
software for full refunds and return to pre-2003 software that may violate
the technical aspects of ownership of fonts, but that is actually useful in
the real world. Thanks again and may some deity somewhere actually get lots
of people to return this software package solely due to this issue.

signed,
a person who has few and unattractive options in this limited software
world, but who will clearly avoid microsoft forever and ever as much as
possible.

 

[Kathy J]

Are you absolutely certain that the problem is Times new Roman? I ask
because I just tested it here and I can send TNR as an embedded font (or at
least it seemed to let me.) I would recommend opening the presentation in
read-only mode and check the fonts list under Format--> Replace Fonts. I
think you might find that there is at least one font used in a graphic or
something else that you don't have installed.

--
Kathryn Jacobs, Microsoft MVP PowerPoint and OneNote
Author of Kathy Jacobs on PowerPoint - Available now from Holy Macro! Books
Get PowerPoint answers at http://www.powerpointanswers.com
I believe life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived

 

[jnn99]

Thank you Kathy for your attempt to help as well; it is appreciated. But no,
you are wrong, and I don't understand your comment anyway, but more on that
later.

Under format change fonts, only four fonts show up, TNR, ARIAL, ARIAL BLACK,
AND WINGDINGS, which are the same four i mentioned in my earlier post that
also show up under file, properties, contents, fonts used...I downloaded
microsofts program to get more information on my fonts and all four of these
fonts are "Installable embedding allowed," according the properties on all
four fonts. As i'm certain you know, this means (and the info is right there
when you check your font properties, so you don't have to take my word for
it...."fonts may be embedded..." it is the highest possible level of
ownership for a font, in other words. I should be able to do what I want
with it.

Next, you say "I can send TNR as an embedded font". Yes, so can I. What I
can't do is simply open a presentation sent to me with TNR as an embedded
font by someone not using pp 2003 (which is everyone who hasn't upgraded yet,
which is some very high percentage of people in the world). I bought TNR, I
own TNR, and it's on my computer, but I can't use TNR. Hence my desire to
get my money back that I spent on TNR...I don't think Microsoft should
continue to sell TNR for money if they don't deliver TNR. As Steve said,
powerpoint checks to see if I have TNR, etc. and I do. But powerpoint
doesn't recognize that I do so it will not allow me to use it. The problem
is PP, not TNR. I think as more and more people begin to "fall through the
theoretical crack" that microsoft seems to have opened by failing to program
pp correctly, this might get fixed. Too slow for me, i'll take the money.
Thanks again.

 

[Kathy J]

Um... Sorry I wasn't clear. What I mean is that I can create a presentation
in PPT 2000 with embedded TNR and Arial on one machine and open it on
another machine with PPT 2003. That's why I am confused. I don't know why I
can do it and you can't. However, I did not know the presentation you were
using had Arial Black in it.

That makes a difference because I think Arial Black is your problem. I seem
to remember a problem with it having been reported in the past. Anyone out
there remember? I did a quick Google check and found some problems reported
with Arial Black and Italics having problems from 2000 to XP systems, but
not much detail....

--
Kathryn Jacobs, Microsoft MVP PowerPoint and OneNote
Author of Kathy Jacobs on PowerPoint - Available now from Holy Macro! Books
Get PowerPoint answers at http://www.powerpointanswers.com
I believe life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived

 

[Sonia]

Arial Black Italic (TT) is only licensed as Preview & Print and documents using
it can only be opened in read-only. I got that from the font Properties for
Arial Black Italic (TT). Arial Black (OT) is installable embedding allowed.
Maybe that's the difference. Not all Arial Blacks are equal.

 

[Kathy J]

Thanks for checking Sonia. That's the glitch I was remembering. JNN - Can
you have the person who created the original presentation check if they used
any italic characters with Arial Black as the font? If they did, that is
likely to be the problem. They were able to embed it, but you can't read it
because of it is print and preview. The reason I can send myself a file with
Arial is because I tested Arial, not Arial Black.

--
Kathryn Jacobs, Microsoft MVP PowerPoint and OneNote
Author of Kathy Jacobs on PowerPoint - Available now from Holy Macro! Books
Get PowerPoint answers at http://www.powerpointanswers.com
I believe life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived

 

[jnn99]

Thanks for trying kathy, and sorry for ranting, although i'm sure you are
used to us idiots.

I checked earlier this afternoon and another presentation that just has TNR
and ARIAL (i eliminated black and wingdings cuz the names make them sound
iffy) don't work either.

Most importantly, i'm officially done with this issue. I no longer use
office 2003; it has been returned and I got my money back!

All my presentations work with my 2001 office, hooray for 2001 office! I
only wish nice people like you didn't have to waste your time dealing with
these issues and the seriously frustrated computer users like myself...if
anyone else has this issue (and I can't imagine i'm the only one as my
computer is 4 days old and has about 5 hours of use and 10 files on it)
please just return office 2003 for your money back. If 2 billion of us do
it, we may actually get noticed...

 

[Sonia]

Thanks for doggin' this one. I got lost in the details and it didn't occur to
me that the absence of Arial Black Italic would cause a problem if it wasn't
needed. A bone-a-fido buggeroo.