Image compression in PPT for Mac 04 not working

[aurele.parisien]

I can't get the image compression feature in PPT for Mac 2004, v.
11.3.2, to work.

I am working with large, image-laden presentations for an art history
course -- up to 160 images per presentation. A Windows-using colleague
has given me their PPT image bank to work with. These PPT files were
created using large images (e.g. 3200 pixels x 2200 pixels!) and weigh
in at 150 - 215 MB each.

I have followed all the threads discussing image compression in PPT for
Mac, including the very useful instructions on the UC Davis site for
finding and using the (ridiculously hidden) compression feature in the
Mac version of PPT:
http://facultysupport.ucdavis.edu/techtips/powerpoint/compressing images in mac/index.html

- that is, using Save As, then Options, checking "Save every slide",
and then choosing the 72dpi and (eventually, after less drastic
options) "least" image quality. (I've also adjusted the resolution in
the Preferences menu.)

But doing this to a 215 MB file only reduced the file size by 0.1
megabytes! I then took the same file and used the image compression
feature in the Windows version of PPT. This reduced it to 76 MB and I
did it a second time and reduced it to 13 MB!

Why, in the first place, does MS bury the function in a Save As option
window on the Mac instead of including it on the picture toolbar as in
the Windows version?

Why is the Mac version not doing anything?

Is there any third-party tool to do this on a Mac?

Yours,

Aurele Parisien

 

[Mickey Stevens]

I think that the method you used only affects the presentation if you save
it as image files rather than as a PowerPoint presentation. As far as I
know, there is no built in facility to compress the images in the Mac
version of PowerPoint. You'd have to use some outside tool to compress them
before adding them to the presentation.

This would be a good feature request for a future version. Keep in mind
that most of the image handling in the Mac version of PowerPoint is handled
by QuickTime, so what they can do might be constrained by that. To submit
this feature request, in PowerPoint X or 2004, go to Help > Send Feedback on
PowerPoint. Otherwise, click on this direct link to enter Mac Product
Feedback:
<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/default.aspx?pid=feedback>

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I think that the method you used only affects the presentation if you save
it as image files rather than as a PowerPoint presentation. As far as I
know, there is no built in facility to compress the images in the Mac
version of PowerPoint. You'd have to use some outside tool to compress them
before adding them to the presentation.

This would be a good feature request for a future version. Keep in mind
that most of the image handling in the Mac version of PowerPoint is handled
by QuickTime, so what they can do might be constrained by that.

Good point. And if you use QT compression on images, PPT/Windows will no longer
be able to display them when you open the PPT there.

But you can Ctrl+Click, choose Save As Picture and save the image out to file.
The lower the DPI setting you pick (as in link above) and the smaller the image is
on the PPT slide, the lower rez the saved image file.

A simpler alternative would be to go back to the people with the Windows computer
and ask them to compress images on the entire file either using PPT's built-in
compression or via a third party tool. I'm rather fond of PPTools Optimizer. I

================================================
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
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