Re MS Office 2007 Beta - Cannot Edit Points on a Line in PowerPoin

[Guest]

Has anyone figured out how to Edit Points on a line (at least the end points)
in PowerPoint 2007 Beta? After clicking on the "Edit Points" icon in the
menu, the ONLY option highlighted/available is "Change Connector Type".

Thanks -

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Has anyone figured out how to Edit Points on a line (at least the end points)
in PowerPoint 2007 Beta? After clicking on the "Edit Points" icon in the
menu, the ONLY option highlighted/available is "Change Connector Type".

As with current versions of PPT, you can edit points only on certain types of
shapes (polygons, curves etc) but not plain lines, arrows, connectors or other
autoshapes. From your description, you have a connector.

 

[Echo S]

Edit Points is not working yet.

 

[Echo S]

As with current versions of PPT, you can edit points only on certain types
of
shapes (polygons, curves etc) but not plain lines, arrows, connectors or
other
autoshapes. From your description, you have a connector.

Yabbut, I am pretty sure we're supposed to be able to use Edit Points on all
shapes in 2007.

With a regular autoshape, you have to "convert to freeform," and then you
get points to edit. Unfortunately, lines don't have that "convert to
freeform" option (only a "reroute connector" option, as Kirk described), but
I'm hoping they get it -- or I hope we can edit points on a line directly
without converting. We should be able to choose "edit points" and then get
the Add Point/Delete Point options on right-click.

I think the line tool in 2007 is actually considered a connector - there's
not so much distinction between lines and connectors anymore.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Yabbut, I am pretty sure we're supposed to be able to use Edit Points on all
shapes in 2007.

With a regular autoshape, you have to "convert to freeform," and then you
get points to edit.

So you're saying you can't edit points on all shapes. Not without you convert
them to something else first. ;-)

But I agree, it seems like something funny's going on connectorwise. To wit:

Add a connector, PPT gives it a shape name like "Straight Connector 5"
Add a line, PPT gives it a shape name like "Straight Connector 19"

The internal types are different ... the line is a Line type, the connector is
an Autoshape. But still. Suspicious, no?

And assuming they're connectors, it makes sense that point editing isn't
allowed.

 

[Guest]

What I'm most disappointed in with PPT 2007 is that the edit points function
has been made practically useless as a crude but quick and easily edited
drafting function. In PPT 2003, edit points could be used with high
resolution to, e.g., make a precise outline of a complex shape. In PPT 2007,
the freeform shape drawing function defaults to spline curves between points
and editing a finished freeform shape using edit points lacks the same
resolution capabilities. What is this genius improvement about? Where's the
progress here? I've learned to use PPT to sketch over photos because it used
to take fewer mouseclicks than photoshop to go from camera>jpg>pdf report
(about 50% of my design consulting business workload if you can believe it),
and I recently made the mistake of buying a Vista machine with office 2007...
I can't use it and can't find how/where in ppt properties to check for
defaults that may be the reason for dumbing down. I have to keep my old
clunker alive to run XP & 2003. What gives?

Edit Points is not working yet.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/
PPTLive! Sept 17-20, 2006 http://www.pptlive.com

Has anyone figured out how to Edit Points on a line (at least the end
points)
in PowerPoint 2007 Beta? After clicking on the "Edit Points" icon in the
menu, the ONLY option highlighted/available is "Change Connector Type".

Thanks -

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

What I'm most disappointed in with PPT 2007 is that the edit points function
has been made practically useless as a crude but quick and easily edited
drafting function. In PPT 2003, edit points could be used with high
resolution to, e.g., make a precise outline of a complex shape. In PPT 2007,
the freeform shape drawing function defaults to spline curves between points
and editing a finished freeform shape using edit points lacks the same
resolution capabilities. What is this genius improvement about? Where's the
progress here? I've learned to use PPT to sketch over photos because it used
to take fewer mouseclicks than photoshop to go from camera>jpg>pdf report
(about 50% of my design consulting business workload if you can believe it),
and I recently made the mistake of buying a Vista machine with office 2007...
I can't use it and can't find how/where in ppt properties to check for
defaults that may be the reason for dumbing down. I have to keep my old
clunker alive to run XP & 2003. What gives?

It's buggy. We're hoping a service pack will fix it but you never know.

If tracing images amounts to that big a chunk of your workload, I'd have a look
at specialized apps that do this automatically. One ships with or is built into
every version of Corel Draw. Adobe Illustrator does it, I think, or
includes/once included Streamline (IlloPersons ... help me out here?).

And the tools for editing points are far better.

 

[Guest]

It is most disappointing that it is not possible to edit points of a strait
line in PowerPoint 2007.

I use PowerPoint a lot and drawing little technical sketches is part of it.
I love it because it was quick and easy before PowerPoint2007. I really like
that I can modify autoshapes now but loosing 'edit points' of a straight line
function is a big step back. I really hope a service pack to fix that issue
comes soon.

I would like to know why they thought it would be an improvement to get rid
of the 'edit points' function for straight lines...

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

It is most disappointing that it is not possible to edit points of a strait
line in PowerPoint 2007.

How did you draw the straight line? That is, which tool did you use?

 

[JaimeZX]

Is there a fix for this yet? It's maddening. If we can't just draw a straight
line and then bend it, why does the freeform tool default to a useless
squiggle? Who is that precise with their mouse work that the myriad points
that you get when editing points are anywhere near useful to them? If the
only way to edit points is with the freeform tool then it should default to
drawing a straight line, like the old line tool.

Am I missing something?

 

[Echo S]

You can try SP2 for Office 2007. It made some improvements in Edit Points,
but I don't think it responds to the Shift key still.