RED-X-ITIS!

[Robert Pestka]

PROBLEM REPORT

Powerpoint version now in use: X for Mac service release 1

Version the file was created in or opened in since, if any: PowerPoint 97
(Windows 98) and 2002 (Windows XP version 5.1)

Windows version: see above

Other hardware involved (printer, etc): none

Description of problem: I HAVE RED-X-ITIS and have had it for a long, long
time.

When I: open on the Macintosh PowerPoint documents created in PowerPoint on
Windows machines.

Here's what happens: graphics are replaced with red ³X²s
(include text of any error messages that appear)

or
What doesn't happen, but should, is: graphics appear properly

Here's what I've already tried to solve the problem: not much...

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

When I: open on the Macintosh PowerPoint documents created in PowerPoint on

Windows machines.

Here's what happens: graphics are replaced with red ³X²s
(include text of any error messages that appear)

What sort of graphics are they? That is, what format were the files on the
Windows computer, how were they added to the PPT and so on?

 

[Scott Rittenburg]

The answer to your problem is simple. But it requires some more work on your
part.

Quickly, whats happening is Powerpoint is looking for the picture file. PPT
tells you it cant find it by displaying a RED X. this will happen on either
a mac or a pc if you don¹t insert the original file correctly. If you have
never seen the error before, then either the presentation is being opened on
the machine it was created on allwoing PPT to access the picture file, or
the original picture file is small enough to be stored within the
presentation by default. [I wish I knew what that size was...i think its
under a 1MB.]

SO::

When you insert a picture onto a slide, there is a dialog box which you get
to navigate to your picture.

Once you find your picture, then you must 1-CLICK LINK then 2-CLICK SAVE
WITH DOCUMENT then 3- CLICK LINK to deselect LINK.

This will save a copy of the file within the ppt presentation, otherwise ppt
will keep looking for the link regardless of the original presentation
being created on a mac or pc.

See the attached PPT file for some pictures of the process. The same process
works for the PC.

If you feel real cleaver, you can write Microsoft and ask them why a Word
document can automatically Save Attachment with File by default but the one
graphics program they have wont.

If you want, I have a 1mg ppt file which shows this stuff in pictures. Email
me at (e-mail address removed) and I will get it to you.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Quickly, whats happening is Powerpoint is looking for the picture file. PPT

tells you it cant find it by displaying a RED X. this will happen on either
a mac or a pc if you dont insert the original file correctly. If you have
never seen the error before, then either the presentation is being opened on
the machine it was created on allwoing PPT to access the picture file, or
the original picture file is small enough to be stored within the
presentation by default. [I wish I knew what that size was...i think its
under a 1MB.]

You might be thinking of WAV sound files, which can be embedded or linked,
depending on a (user-settable) cutoff size.

Inserted pictures are always embedded unless you specifically link to them,
regardless of size.

 

[Robert Pestka]

I'm researching all the graphic types and locations as Steve suggested, and
also the possibility that the graphics were somehow not "linked" (as Scott
mentioned) although this problem only surfaces on PC-to-Mac machines, not on
PC-to-PC machines....

Quickly, whats happening is Powerpoint is looking for the picture file. PPT
tells you it cant find it by displaying a RED X. this will happen on either
a mac or a pc if you dont insert the original file correctly. If you have
never seen the error before, then either the presentation is being opened on
the machine it was created on allwoing PPT to access the picture file, or
the original picture file is small enough to be stored within the
presentation by default. [I wish I knew what that size was...i think its
under a 1MB.]

You might be thinking of WAV sound files, which can be embedded or linked,
depending on a (user-settable) cutoff size.

Inserted pictures are always embedded unless you specifically link to them,
regardless of size.

SO::

When you insert a picture onto a slide, there is a dialog box which you get
to navigate to your picture.

Once you find your picture, then you must 1-CLICK LINK then 2-CLICK SAVE
WITH DOCUMENT then 3- CLICK LINK to deselect LINK.

This will save a copy of the file within the ppt presentation, otherwise ppt
will keep looking for the link regardless of the original presentation
being created on a mac or pc.

See the attached PPT file for some pictures of the process. The same process
works for the PC.

If you feel real cleaver, you can write Microsoft and ask them why a Word
document can automatically Save Attachment with File by default but the one
graphics program they have wont.

If you want, I have a 1mg ppt file which shows this stuff in pictures. Email
me at (e-mail address removed) and I will get it to you.