Format Painter does not work

[Guest]

I have recently bought a new computer and had an IT guy set it up and
re-install much of my software. I am using XP Pro SP2 and all updates and
Office 2003 and in Powerpoint I want to copy a template (background only so I
have deleted the pre-set text boxes) to a presentation. I opened both files
but the format painter button on both toolbars is greyed out. Where do I go?

 

[Luc]

Milton,
You can't select the background so consequently you cannot use the format
painter to copy it as the format painter can only copy formatting from
selected objects and not pictures.
The background was applied to the slide master. View - Master - Slide
master, maybe you can select it there if it was inserted directly on the
masterslide. If it was applied using Format - Background then you will not
be able to select it.
If you have a real template, then it is unneccessary to copy the background
as this will be applied automatically when you apply the template to a new
presentation. You can find all templates in the slide design task pane, if
you do not see your template click on the link at the bottom of the task
pane to browse for it, PPT will bring you to the templates folder
automatically.

 

[Echo S]

You must select an object on a slide -- or one of the slide thumbnails in
the pane on the left -- before the Format Painter becomes available.