Charts in 2007 do not hold the theme colors

[Guest]

I created about 2 dozen charts for a client, using a custom theme I created.
When I sent it to a colleague for more data input, the charts changed color
when opened for editing. They looked fine until double clicked. Then, they
took on one of the standard, built-in color themes...not the new custom theme
I set up.
The slides themselves maintain the theme and the correct colors, but the
charts do not. When the file was sent back to me, I too, could not get the
theme colors back to the charts.
I also discovered that double clicking on the charts and selecting the theme
again under "Page Layout" fixed this issue only temporarily...until the chart
was openeded again. Any permanent solution for this?

 

[Ute Simon]

I created about 2 dozen charts for a client, using a custom theme I

created.
When I sent it to a colleague for more data input, the charts changed
color
when opened for editing. They looked fine until double clicked. Then, they
took on one of the standard, built-in color themes...not the new custom
theme
I set up.
The slides themselves maintain the theme and the correct colors, but the
charts do not. When the file was sent back to me, I too, could not get the
theme colors back to the charts.
I also discovered that double clicking on the charts and selecting the
theme
again under "Page Layout" fixed this issue only temporarily...until the
chart
was openeded again. Any permanent solution for this?

When creating your color scheme, did you give it a name? As long as you
don't change the "Custom color 1" entry at the bottom of the edit theme
color dialog box, the colors will not travel correctly.

If you need to co-operate frequently using the same (corporate) colors, you
should install the theme colors (it is an XML file) on your colleagues
computer, too.

Best regards,
Ute

 

[Guest]

Yes, I did change the custom color name...and then assumed that they would
travel with the custom Theme...but alas, that is not the case.

I work for a company with 50+ people, and I am in charge of setting up
client templates in PPT that analysts will then use to create the remainder
of the charts in a report. I guess I will have to send the color scheme file
to each person for each client template then?

It seems like this is a step backwards for PowerPoint!

 

[Echo S]

The custom theme color set you created should travel with the THMX or POTX
file. You can't add more than one set of custom colors to a theme without
editing the THMX's XML, though. (They'll show up on your system, but you
have to manually add them to the XML in order for more than one color set to
travel with the theme.)

The charts changing colors when being opened for editing...are the charts in
2003 format? Is the file in compatibility mode? (You shouldn't have to
double-click charts to edit them in PPT 2007.) How did you insert the
charts? I don't have a "page layout" option here when I use Insert | Chart.

So I think I'd like to have exact repro steps so I can attempt to repro the
problem here. Otherwise, we're just guessing at what you did to get the
charts based on your custom theme and onto the slide.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

 

[Guest]

The charts were created in 2007, but saved in compatibility mode. I inserted
the charts by going to Insert/chart and then formatting it the way I wanted
(and then saving the first bar chart as a chart template since I had more of
the same to create). After that I simply inserted the charts and formatted by
selecting the chart template. There was only one Color Theme associated with
the Design Theme in the file.

Now here's the thing... because it's in compatibility mode, I do need to
double click on the charts. It originally gave me a choice to "Convert" it to
2007 or "Edit Existing". I have been selecting "Edit Existing" since I have a
colleague working on this file with 2003... but if I select "Convert", the
colors stay correct.

Unfortunately, after I got it back from my colleague, it no longer gives me
the "Convert" option... I must still double click to open the file, but it
automatically changes color. Could it be because he made changes and then
saved it with 2003?
--
bh529

The custom theme color set you created should travel with the THMX or POTX
file. You can't add more than one set of custom colors to a theme without
editing the THMX's XML, though. (They'll show up on your system, but you
have to manually add them to the XML in order for more than one color set to
travel with the theme.)

The charts changing colors when being opened for editing...are the charts in
2003 format? Is the file in compatibility mode? (You shouldn't have to
double-click charts to edit them in PPT 2007.) How did you insert the
charts? I don't have a "page layout" option here when I use Insert | Chart.

So I think I'd like to have exact repro steps so I can attempt to repro the
problem here. Otherwise, we're just guessing at what you did to get the
charts based on your custom theme and onto the slide.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

 

[Echo S]

Charts in PPT 2003 are entirely different than those in 2007. 2003 charts
don't know theme color schemes from Adam, and their handling of colors is
completely different than 2007 charts. This is why they don't maintain the
colors from the 2007 theme color scheme. Basically, you're working with 2003
charts, and they behave accordingly.

And yes, I believe the reason you no longer have a "convert" option is
because your colleague made changes and saved as 2003.

Also, just so you know, chart templates in PPT 2007 use "absolute"
formatting -- they don't respond to theme or color scheme changes. In other
words, if you use Insert | Chart and choose a chart template to add a chart
to a file that has a different theme or color scheme, the chart will still
look like the original chart the template was based on.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

The charts were created in 2007, but saved in compatibility mode. I
inserted
the charts by going to Insert/chart and then formatting it the way I
wanted
(and then saving the first bar chart as a chart template since I had more
of
the same to create). After that I simply inserted the charts and formatted
by
selecting the chart template. There was only one Color Theme associated
with
the Design Theme in the file.

Now here's the thing... because it's in compatibility mode, I do need to
double click on the charts. It originally gave me a choice to "Convert" it
to
2007 or "Edit Existing". I have been selecting "Edit Existing" since I
have a
colleague working on this file with 2003... but if I select "Convert", the
colors stay correct.

Unfortunately, after I got it back from my colleague, it no longer gives
me
the "Convert" option... I must still double click to open the file, but it
automatically changes color. Could it be because he made changes and then
saved it with 2003?
--
bh529

The custom theme color set you created should travel with the THMX or
POTX
file. You can't add more than one set of custom colors to a theme without
editing the THMX's XML, though. (They'll show up on your system, but you
have to manually add them to the XML in order for more than one color set
to
travel with the theme.)

The charts changing colors when being opened for editing...are the charts
in
2003 format? Is the file in compatibility mode? (You shouldn't have to
double-click charts to edit them in PPT 2007.) How did you insert the
charts? I don't have a "page layout" option here when I use Insert |
Chart.

So I think I'd like to have exact repro steps so I can attempt to repro
the
problem here. Otherwise, we're just guessing at what you did to get the
charts based on your custom theme and onto the slide.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit
http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

Yes, I did change the custom color name...and then assumed that they
would
travel with the custom Theme...but alas, that is not the case.

I work for a company with 50+ people, and I am in charge of setting up
client templates in PPT that analysts will then use to create the
remainder
of the charts in a report. I guess I will have to send the color scheme
file
to each person for each client template then?

It seems like this is a step backwards for PowerPoint!
--
bh529


:

I created about 2 dozen charts for a client, using a custom theme I
created.
When I sent it to a colleague for more data input, the charts
changed
color
when opened for editing. They looked fine until double clicked.
Then,
they
took on one of the standard, built-in color themes...not the new
custom
theme
I set up.
The slides themselves maintain the theme and the correct colors, but
the
charts do not. When the file was sent back to me, I too, could not
get
the
theme colors back to the charts.
I also discovered that double clicking on the charts and selecting
the
theme
again under "Page Layout" fixed this issue only temporarily...until
the
chart
was openeded again. Any permanent solution for this?

When creating your color scheme, did you give it a name? As long as
you
don't change the "Custom color 1" entry at the bottom of the edit
theme
color dialog box, the colors will not travel correctly.

If you need to co-operate frequently using the same (corporate)
colors,
you
should install the theme colors (it is an XML file) on your colleagues
computer, too.

Best regards,
Ute

 

[Guest]

Thank you so much for your input. My company is 25% 2007, and 75% 2003, which
makes for some perplexing compatibility issues! I am doing what I can to just
figure out what I should and shouldn't do to achieve the best result in both
versions.

Thanks again for all of your help!

BTW... the chart template was created using the correct color theme.
--
bh529

Charts in PPT 2003 are entirely different than those in 2007. 2003 charts
don't know theme color schemes from Adam, and their handling of colors is
completely different than 2007 charts. This is why they don't maintain the
colors from the 2007 theme color scheme. Basically, you're working with 2003
charts, and they behave accordingly.

And yes, I believe the reason you no longer have a "convert" option is
because your colleague made changes and saved as 2003.

Also, just so you know, chart templates in PPT 2007 use "absolute"
formatting -- they don't respond to theme or color scheme changes. In other
words, if you use Insert | Chart and choose a chart template to add a chart
to a file that has a different theme or color scheme, the chart will still
look like the original chart the template was based on.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

The charts were created in 2007, but saved in compatibility mode. I
inserted
the charts by going to Insert/chart and then formatting it the way I
wanted
(and then saving the first bar chart as a chart template since I had more
of
the same to create). After that I simply inserted the charts and formatted
by
selecting the chart template. There was only one Color Theme associated
with
the Design Theme in the file.

Now here's the thing... because it's in compatibility mode, I do need to
double click on the charts. It originally gave me a choice to "Convert" it
to
2007 or "Edit Existing". I have been selecting "Edit Existing" since I
have a
colleague working on this file with 2003... but if I select "Convert", the
colors stay correct.

Unfortunately, after I got it back from my colleague, it no longer gives
me
the "Convert" option... I must still double click to open the file, but it
automatically changes color. Could it be because he made changes and then
saved it with 2003?
--
bh529

The custom theme color set you created should travel with the THMX or
POTX
file. You can't add more than one set of custom colors to a theme without
editing the THMX's XML, though. (They'll show up on your system, but you
have to manually add them to the XML in order for more than one color set
to
travel with the theme.)

The charts changing colors when being opened for editing...are the charts
in
2003 format? Is the file in compatibility mode? (You shouldn't have to
double-click charts to edit them in PPT 2007.) How did you insert the
charts? I don't have a "page layout" option here when I use Insert |
Chart.

So I think I'd like to have exact repro steps so I can attempt to repro
the
problem here. Otherwise, we're just guessing at what you did to get the
charts based on your custom theme and onto the slide.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit
http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

Yes, I did change the custom color name...and then assumed that they
would
travel with the custom Theme...but alas, that is not the case.

I work for a company with 50+ people, and I am in charge of setting up
client templates in PPT that analysts will then use to create the
remainder
of the charts in a report. I guess I will have to send the color scheme
file
to each person for each client template then?

It seems like this is a step backwards for PowerPoint!
--
bh529


:

I created about 2 dozen charts for a client, using a custom theme I
created.
When I sent it to a colleague for more data input, the charts
changed
color
when opened for editing. They looked fine until double clicked.
Then,
they
took on one of the standard, built-in color themes...not the new
custom
theme
I set up.
The slides themselves maintain the theme and the correct colors, but
the
charts do not. When the file was sent back to me, I too, could not
get
the
theme colors back to the charts.
I also discovered that double clicking on the charts and selecting
the
theme
again under "Page Layout" fixed this issue only temporarily...until
the
chart
was openeded again. Any permanent solution for this?

When creating your color scheme, did you give it a name? As long as
you
don't change the "Custom color 1" entry at the bottom of the edit
theme
color dialog box, the colors will not travel correctly.

If you need to co-operate frequently using the same (corporate)
colors,
you
should install the theme colors (it is an XML file) on your colleagues
computer, too.

Best regards,
Ute

 

[Echo S]

Thank you so much for your input. My company is 25% 2007, and 75% 2003,
which
makes for some perplexing compatibility issues! I am doing what I can to
just
figure out what I should and shouldn't do to achieve the best result in
both
versions.

Thanks again for all of your help!

You're welcome. The mix can make it difficult, especially where charts are
involved.

BTW... the chart template was created using the correct color theme.

That's good. Just wanted to make sure you were aware that the chart
templates aren't truly "theme-able" in case it crops up in future. I know
they don't work as I had expected and hoped they would....

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html