Masters don't convert well between 2003 and 2007

[Hillary]

I have a problem with footers and headers on my slide master converting to
individual text boxes on each slide when opened in PowerPoint 2007.

I created a multiple presentations using PowerPoint 2003. I used the slide
master and put in headers and footers using the placeholders on the master
slide. It looks fine in PP 2003. However, when I send the file to a co-worker
who is using PowerPoint 2007, the headers and footers convert to individual
text boxes on each slide. When he sent the file back to me he saved it as a
97-2003 presentation, but when I open in again in 2003, I have these
individual text boxes. The master still looks right, and I can modify the
headers and footers there, but I have these text boxes all over the slides
and notes pages that I have to manually delete.

Is there a way to get around this? I work with many different clients and
companies, and some have 2003, some have 2007, and having the slide master
not work correctly will/can significantly impact the way we update and modify
slides.

Any suggestions would be great!

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

I don't know the answer, but I just tried it and got the same result (I
have both 2003 and 2007).I think it has to do with the way 2007 treats
headers and footers. They seem to be treated like ordinary text boxes in
many ways, just text boxes that you can turn on and off with the Insert >
Header & Footer.
--David

 

[John Wilson]

As Steve said in the previous post 2003 and 2007 don't always work well
together and this is one of those times. Footers etc are quite different in
2007 and they do not transfer well (to say the least)

This vba though may well clean up you 2003 extra text boxes in an instant

Sub zapem()
Dim osld As Slide
Dim oshp As Shape
Dim i As Integer
For Each osld In ActivePresentation.Slides
For i = osld.Shapes.Count To 1 Step -1
Set oshp = osld.Shapes(i)
If oshp.Name Like "Date Placeholder*" Or _
oshp.Name Like "Slide Number Placeholder*" Or _
oshp.Name Like "Footer Placeholder*" Then
oshp.Delete
End If
Next i
Next osld
End Sub

How to use:
http://www.pptalchemy.co.uk/powerpoint_hints_and_tips_tutorials.html#vba
--
Amazing PPT Hints, Tips and Tutorials

http://www.PPTAlchemy.co.uk
http://www.technologytrish.co.uk
email john AT technologytrish.co.uk

 

[Hillary]

Thanks, I'll try this.

I guess there is really no way to stop this. My main concern is that many of
our clients are not computer savy, and they are going to run into similar
issues as we share files back and forth, and they won't be able to clean up
files. I know they will all EVENTUALLY upgrade to 2007, but it may not be
soon.

Thanks for the tip!
Hillary

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Another approach that might be a bit more reliable (since it doesn't rely on
shape names) is to check each shapes' type and if it's a placeholder, check its
placeholder type:

Assuming X dimmed as long (or integer if you promise to have no more than
32000-someodd shapes on your slides) and oSh as Shape:

For x = .Shapes.Count To 1 Step -1
Set oSh = .Shapes(x)
With oSh.PlaceholderFormat
Select Case .Type
Case ppPlaceholderFooter, _
ppPlaceholderHeader, _
ppPlaceholderDate, _
ppPlaceholderSlideNumber

oSh.Delete

Case Else
' do nothing
End Select
End With
Next ' shape

I'd bet money on it being faster too ... comparing Longs (ppPlaceholderXXXX)
will be faster than Like comparisons on text (shape names). You might actually
be able to time the speed difference if you had a couple thousand slides to
process. ;-)