Reduce file size?

[sears]

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

Where are the controls to reduce file size? I was given a 9MB file that needs to be emailed. Where are the image compression controls? Where is the control that tells me what is taking up all the space in the files? Why can't I right-click a picture and get a control that will allow me to reduce all images in the presentation? Don't tell me to use the Mac OS's compression feature, I tried that and it reduced the 9MB file to 8.9 MB, not very useful! The Windows versions of Powerpoint have lots of options for reducing file size. The Macintosh version does not even have a help file entry on it!

 

[Jeff Chapman]

While I can honestly understand your frustrations,
you're preaching to the choir here. Besides, this forum
is for PowerPoint users - it's not a feedback forum for
Microsoft. We're all in the same boat - we want improvements
to be made to the application. This forum may be a place to
complain, but your real beefs should be going to Microsoft's
Mactopia site, on their product feedback form. I certainly
have sent my share to them.

That having been said...

Where are the controls to reduce file size? I was given a 9MB file that needs
to be emailed. Where are the image compression controls?

Like you figured correctly, PowerPoint 2008 for Mac doesn't
allow compression on a per image basis.
You can, however, go into the Preferences menu item,
Save tab, and put a checkmark in the "Compress graphic files"
box. There are some very general settings for image quality
there. It won't tell you what is taking up all that space,
but it may help drive down the size of your presentations .

BTW, if you want to e-mail the presentation,
have you tried outputting as PDF?
If you don't use any animations in the presentation, that might
be an option.

Like you rightly inferred, the Mac version still hasn't
caught up with the Windows version in terms of image
compression control... not to mention other things.
However, there are some things that PowerPoint 2008 can
do that PowerPoint 2007 can't. The Project Palette is one
example. The ability to drag 'n' drop photos from your
iPhoto gallery to PowerPoint - without opening iPhoto -
is another boon. And I find the dynamic guides feature to be
quite useful for lining things up quickly on the slide,
much moreso than PowerPoint 2007. Anyway, your fellow users
are here to help you - just remember what this forum is,
and what it's not.

Jeff

 

[SWY]

I just wanted to point out that this setting does nothing for saving as
..ppt/.pptx, but only for outputting "as graphic files"- as the option is
labeled. This isn't going to give you a smaller .ppt file to share with a
collaborator.

Having a right-click, Picture options, Compress workflow that reduced the
size of the saved .ppt/.pptx file would be a welcome addition to Powerpoint
2008.


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