G
Guest
It was easy in 2003, now I can't see how to simply fill a shape with a pattern.
L
Luc
Jock,
Sorry to disappoint you but they are gone. It seems it was a feature that
was not used all that much.
Sorry to disappoint you but they are gone. It seems it was a feature that
was not used all that much.
G
Guest
Luc,
I can't believe it - I used that feature all the time! Oh well, thanks for
the reply - at least I can stop searching!
Regards,
Jock
I can't believe it - I used that feature all the time! Oh well, thanks for
the reply - at least I can stop searching!
Regards,
Jock
G
Guest
If you still have access to 2003 and only use a few patterns you could try
this:
In 2003 draw a small square and fill with the pattern of your choice (no
line) then right click and save as picture (emf) Now in 2007 use fill >
texture > more textures > Insert from file (the saved picture).
this:
In 2003 draw a small square and fill with the pattern of your choice (no
line) then right click and save as picture (emf) Now in 2007 use fill >
texture > more textures > Insert from file (the saved picture).
G
Guest
I agree with Luc, I used this feature extensively and wonder how MS decided
that it a feature that wasn't used that much.
Is there any place to provide feedback to MS that they really look at - a
place where we can 'lobby' for return of features in updates or are we 'sol'?
John
that it a feature that wasn't used that much.
Is there any place to provide feedback to MS that they really look at - a
place where we can 'lobby' for return of features in updates or are we 'sol'?
John
G
Guest
Nooooooooo......
That was the feature I used most.
As an mechanical engineer it was perfect for shading sections and drawings,
and even looked like the correct engineering protocol.
IMHO loosing that feature was a mistake
Pedro
That was the feature I used most.
As an mechanical engineer it was perfect for shading sections and drawings,
and even looked like the correct engineering protocol.
IMHO loosing that feature was a mistake
Pedro
J
john_m
Oh NO!!!
Pattern fill for shapes is another feature of the Office 2003 drawing tools
that is now gone!
The other one I used all the time was snap to grid with drawing tools! With
the new version I can't make many of the technical presentation type drawings
I used to! For example, I can no longer make a "square wave" shape because of
the lack of snap-to on a grid!
Pattern fill for shapes is another feature of the Office 2003 drawing tools
that is now gone!
The other one I used all the time was snap to grid with drawing tools! With
the new version I can't make many of the technical presentation type drawings
I used to! For example, I can no longer make a "square wave" shape because of
the lack of snap-to on a grid!
S
Steve Rindsberg
Pattern fill for shapes is another feature of the Office 2003 drawing tools
You don't say, but I'm assuming you've installed 2007?
Snap-to and the grid are still there. Right-click in an area of the slide that
contains no shapes, or just off the slide to be certain and choose "Grid and
Guides". Back in comfortable territory now?
But pattern fills are indeed gone.
If you still have PPT 2003 or access to it, you can set a slide up at, say,
1"x1" page size, fill it with one of the pattern fills, then export as WMF or
EMF. You can then use those as picture fills in 2007.
I've written a little macro that'll automatically generate a little WMF file of
each available patterned fill. See below. If you're not comfy with using VBA,
wait a bit and visit:
No more Pattern Fills in PowerPoint 2007
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00925.htm
I'll post a link to a zip file with all of the pattern fills sample WMF files.
Sub MakeFillPatterns()
' Start by opening a new blank presentation
' Then run this
Dim oSh As Shape
Dim x As Long
Dim sOutputFolder As String
On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
' edit this to the slash-terminated path to the folder where you want the
files created
' the folder MUST exist or you'll get an error and the macro won't work
sOutputFolder = "c:\temp\"
With ActivePresentation
.PageSetup.SlideHeight = 72
.PageSetup.SlideWidth = 72
Set oSh = .Slides(1).Shapes.AddShape(msoShapeRectangle, 0, 0, 72, 72)
With oSh
' we don't want the outline visible ... it'll spoil the pattern
.Line.Visible = msoFalse
.Fill.Transparency = 0#
.Fill.Visible = msoTrue
' This is set to use foreground and background scheme colors.
' Change the scheme to get different color fills:
.Fill.ForeColor.SchemeColor = ppForeground
.Fill.BackColor.SchemeColor = ppBackground
For x = 1 To 64
.Fill.Patterned x
ActivePresentation.Slides(1).Export sOutputFolder &
"PatternedFill" & CStr(x) & ".WMF", "WMF"
'ActivePresentation.SaveAs sOutputFolder & "PatternedFill" &
CStr(x) & ".WMF", ppSaveAsMetaFile
Next
End With
End With
NormalExit:
Exit Sub
ErrorHandler:
' if we got here, either the path was wrong or we've asked for a fill number
greater than
' PPT knows about; either way, quit
Resume NormalExit
End Sub
You don't say, but I'm assuming you've installed 2007?
Snap-to and the grid are still there. Right-click in an area of the slide that
contains no shapes, or just off the slide to be certain and choose "Grid and
Guides". Back in comfortable territory now?
But pattern fills are indeed gone.
If you still have PPT 2003 or access to it, you can set a slide up at, say,
1"x1" page size, fill it with one of the pattern fills, then export as WMF or
EMF. You can then use those as picture fills in 2007.
I've written a little macro that'll automatically generate a little WMF file of
each available patterned fill. See below. If you're not comfy with using VBA,
wait a bit and visit:
No more Pattern Fills in PowerPoint 2007
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00925.htm
I'll post a link to a zip file with all of the pattern fills sample WMF files.
Sub MakeFillPatterns()
' Start by opening a new blank presentation
' Then run this
Dim oSh As Shape
Dim x As Long
Dim sOutputFolder As String
On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
' edit this to the slash-terminated path to the folder where you want the
files created
' the folder MUST exist or you'll get an error and the macro won't work
sOutputFolder = "c:\temp\"
With ActivePresentation
.PageSetup.SlideHeight = 72
.PageSetup.SlideWidth = 72
Set oSh = .Slides(1).Shapes.AddShape(msoShapeRectangle, 0, 0, 72, 72)
With oSh
' we don't want the outline visible ... it'll spoil the pattern
.Line.Visible = msoFalse
.Fill.Transparency = 0#
.Fill.Visible = msoTrue
' This is set to use foreground and background scheme colors.
' Change the scheme to get different color fills:
.Fill.ForeColor.SchemeColor = ppForeground
.Fill.BackColor.SchemeColor = ppBackground
For x = 1 To 64
.Fill.Patterned x
ActivePresentation.Slides(1).Export sOutputFolder &
"PatternedFill" & CStr(x) & ".WMF", "WMF"
'ActivePresentation.SaveAs sOutputFolder & "PatternedFill" &
CStr(x) & ".WMF", ppSaveAsMetaFile
Next
End With
End With
NormalExit:
Exit Sub
ErrorHandler:
' if we got here, either the path was wrong or we've asked for a fill number
greater than
' PPT knows about; either way, quit
Resume NormalExit
End Sub
U
Unhappy
Thanks Steve Rindsberg.
I got to the point of creating the macro, but when I run it, it only creates
a single pattern (little sparse dots). What I need to find out is how to link
all the WFM files contained in the ZIP folder so that I can see all the
options. I must be missing something real simple. Thanks
I got to the point of creating the macro, but when I run it, it only creates
a single pattern (little sparse dots). What I need to find out is how to link
all the WFM files contained in the ZIP folder so that I can see all the
options. I must be missing something real simple. Thanks
H
Hercule Perot
Here is another case where MICROSOFT is completely out of touch with it's
customers. In the consulting firm where I work, I would say that 90% of the
40,000 practitioners use pattern fill each week.
What did MICROSOFT do to come with the idea to remove this feature.
OH HOW I HATE VISTA AND OFFICE 2007!
customers. In the consulting firm where I work, I would say that 90% of the
40,000 practitioners use pattern fill each week.
What did MICROSOFT do to come with the idea to remove this feature.
OH HOW I HATE VISTA AND OFFICE 2007!
L
Lucy Thomson
Hi Hercule
The community has come up with some workarounds since this discussion:
No more Pattern Fills in PowerPoint 2007
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00925.htm
I understand your frustration with moving to Vista & Office '07 but perhaps
if you tell us about specific issues you are having (with Office, not Vista)
we could help.
Lucy
--
Lucy Thomson
PowerPoint MVP
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au
The community has come up with some workarounds since this discussion:
No more Pattern Fills in PowerPoint 2007
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00925.htm
I understand your frustration with moving to Vista & Office '07 but perhaps
if you tell us about specific issues you are having (with Office, not Vista)
we could help.
Lucy
--
Lucy Thomson
PowerPoint MVP
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au
J
Jean-Pierre Forestier [MVP[
Try Pattern, here
http://www.pptalchemy.co.uk:80/2007_Pattern_Fill.html
http://www.pptalchemy.co.uk:80/2007_Pattern_Fill.html
H
Hercule Perot
Lucy,
Thank you so very much for your pointers, unfortunately I do very little in
black and white so this is pretty much useless. Do you have a way (without
VB coding) that I can dynamically change fill patter color?
In addition to that, I can no longer edit ANY of my legacy PPT content as
75%+ uses pattern fills. My clients usually have specific colors to be
aligned with their branding and I can no longer build upon my vast collection
of pre-existing work.
Think about how many people are having these problems? This is crazy!
In general, I have found that most of the commands that I could get to with
one click now require multiple clicks. I did most of my work with
key-strokes and most of the commands have change (why in the world ...?). My
productivity has tanked as much of my time is spent hunting down how to do
something that was simple in the past.
Thank you so very much for your pointers, unfortunately I do very little in
black and white so this is pretty much useless. Do you have a way (without
VB coding) that I can dynamically change fill patter color?
In addition to that, I can no longer edit ANY of my legacy PPT content as
75%+ uses pattern fills. My clients usually have specific colors to be
aligned with their branding and I can no longer build upon my vast collection
of pre-existing work.
Think about how many people are having these problems? This is crazy!
In general, I have found that most of the commands that I could get to with
one click now require multiple clicks. I did most of my work with
key-strokes and most of the commands have change (why in the world ...?). My
productivity has tanked as much of my time is spent hunting down how to do
something that was simple in the past.
L
Lucy Thomson
Hi
Are you using Excel charts or MS Graph charts? If you are using Excel Andy
Pope's add-in should help: http://andypope.info/charts/patternfills.htm and
if you are using MS Graph then don't convert them when prompted by
PowerPoint '07 and you still have pattern fills. The Excel team have a blog
post about pattern-fills here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/excel/archive/2007/11/16/chart-pattern-fills.aspx
I'm afraid I don't have a great deal of experience with moving chart-heavy
ppts from '03 to '07 but others here do so they may have more tips for you.
And I can certainly see why you would be frustrated - lets hope MS are
listening...
My experience with using keystrokes is that the old ones still work (which
helped a great deal in my migration!) - did you have many that you had added
yourself as I'm not sure these will work? You may want to look at this:
http://officeone.mvps.org/ppsctmgr/ppsctmgr.html And be aware that pressing
'alt' activates the 'new' set of shortcuts.
Lucy
--
Lucy Thomson
PowerPoint MVP
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au
Are you using Excel charts or MS Graph charts? If you are using Excel Andy
Pope's add-in should help: http://andypope.info/charts/patternfills.htm and
if you are using MS Graph then don't convert them when prompted by
PowerPoint '07 and you still have pattern fills. The Excel team have a blog
post about pattern-fills here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/excel/archive/2007/11/16/chart-pattern-fills.aspx
I'm afraid I don't have a great deal of experience with moving chart-heavy
ppts from '03 to '07 but others here do so they may have more tips for you.
And I can certainly see why you would be frustrated - lets hope MS are
listening...
My experience with using keystrokes is that the old ones still work (which
helped a great deal in my migration!) - did you have many that you had added
yourself as I'm not sure these will work? You may want to look at this:
http://officeone.mvps.org/ppsctmgr/ppsctmgr.html And be aware that pressing
'alt' activates the 'new' set of shortcuts.
Lucy
--
Lucy Thomson
PowerPoint MVP
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au
H
Hercule Perot
Lucy,
The graphics that I am using area being created with shapes. In one case
today it was to create a Gantt chart and in the other it was a geographic map
of shapes.
Group and ungroup was Ctrl-Shft-G / Ctrl-Shft-H now it's Ctrl-G /
Ctrl-Shft-G. To make matters worse, what was group is now ungroup. Ctrl-O
used to open the format menu, now it's file open. Format painter used to be
Ctrl-Shft-C which now is nothing. .... and let's not start on how Excel
operates completely differently then the rest of the office suite (alt-F4
closes all rather than just the current file, and ctrl-[ and Ctrl-] do not
reduce and increase font size). I only use the standard keystrokes.
(BTW, thanks for taking the time to reply to me
)
The graphics that I am using area being created with shapes. In one case
today it was to create a Gantt chart and in the other it was a geographic map
of shapes.
Group and ungroup was Ctrl-Shft-G / Ctrl-Shft-H now it's Ctrl-G /
Ctrl-Shft-G. To make matters worse, what was group is now ungroup. Ctrl-O
used to open the format menu, now it's file open. Format painter used to be
Ctrl-Shft-C which now is nothing. .... and let's not start on how Excel
operates completely differently then the rest of the office suite (alt-F4
closes all rather than just the current file, and ctrl-[ and Ctrl-] do not
reduce and increase font size). I only use the standard keystrokes.
(BTW, thanks for taking the time to reply to me
)
L
Lucy Thomson
Ahhh, shapes. Would making the shapes in Word then copy/paste work for you?Hercule Perot said:
Pattern fills are still around in Word '07. Or creating pictures of your
shape pattern fills and then using the picture fill command? I've done a wee
bit of testing and it seems old '03 shapes with pattern fill can be resized
& converted to other shapes in '07 (though not re-coloured) - could that
work for you?
I create Gantts in Excel (saves me having to buy/learn Project):
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA010346051033.aspx
Must admit I didn't know that original one as I'm a button gal for
group/ungroup - I suppose as I use the mouse to select so just hang on to
it...
AFAIK Ctrl+O has always opened the open dialogue accross the Office suite
My only suggestion is to add it to the QAT then you can use Alt + whatever
'07 tells you. Personally I prefer pick up style & apply style commands to
format painter in PPT
I always used Ctrl+W to close files and that still works. In general, I
guess I didn't use as many keyboard shortcuts as I thought I did ;-)
Just trying to ease the pain in any way I can(BTW, thanks for taking the time to reply to me
Lucy
J
JR
Lucy,
Hercule said it all when he replied to your (this) post.
Years and years of hand-eye-muscle coordination and knowning EXACTLY how to
fly through building a presentation in at least three previous versions of
powerpoint are gone with this new version.
Multiple clicks looking for vanished tools (the pattern part is second only
by the absence -- well, so far -- of being able to set a default font for all
new text box items).
This is sure frustrating for an old "powerpoint ranger". Lots and lots of
lost productivity.
Hercule said it all when he replied to your (this) post.
Years and years of hand-eye-muscle coordination and knowning EXACTLY how to
fly through building a presentation in at least three previous versions of
powerpoint are gone with this new version.
Multiple clicks looking for vanished tools (the pattern part is second only
by the absence -- well, so far -- of being able to set a default font for all
new text box items).
This is sure frustrating for an old "powerpoint ranger". Lots and lots of
lost productivity.
L
Lucy Thomson
Hi JR
I hear you! My pet peeve that still makes me swear out loud (good thing I
work alone) is moving the little view buttons from the left hand corner to
the right hand corner for *absolutely no reason at all* - I use them all the
time to get into the master (holding shift when you click the 3 buttons
changes what they do). And as I still use '03 and '07 it gets me *every
single time*. End rant.
Tips for moving to 2007:
Download the 'where have all the commands gone' spreadsheet
(use ctrl+f to search the workbook for the command you are after):
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC102128641033.aspx?pid=CT102130321033
Look at Echo's site to discover all the new & missing things in 2007:
http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Set up your Quick Access Toolbar with all your fav buttons (at the mo I have
the alignment/distribute buttons up there, print preview, pick up/apply
style eye dropper, properties, insert rectangle)
Take deep breaths & count to ten often ;-)
I know none of that is going to solve all your issues but it may help ease
some of the pain - after all we have to use what we're given...
Lucy
--
Lucy Thomson
PowerPoint MVP
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au
I hear you! My pet peeve that still makes me swear out loud (good thing I
work alone) is moving the little view buttons from the left hand corner to
the right hand corner for *absolutely no reason at all* - I use them all the
time to get into the master (holding shift when you click the 3 buttons
changes what they do). And as I still use '03 and '07 it gets me *every
single time*. End rant.
Tips for moving to 2007:
Download the 'where have all the commands gone' spreadsheet
(use ctrl+f to search the workbook for the command you are after):
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC102128641033.aspx?pid=CT102130321033
Look at Echo's site to discover all the new & missing things in 2007:
http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Set up your Quick Access Toolbar with all your fav buttons (at the mo I have
the alignment/distribute buttons up there, print preview, pick up/apply
style eye dropper, properties, insert rectangle)
Take deep breaths & count to ten often ;-)
I know none of that is going to solve all your issues but it may help ease
some of the pain - after all we have to use what we're given...
Lucy
--
Lucy Thomson
PowerPoint MVP
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au
F
FP
Where is the official Microsoft comment on this? I have spent hours looking
for the pattern control and as a last result decided to search the web for
the answer. In the interim I have found I can take 2003 objects with pattern
fills and use paint brush to apply them in 2007 but its a time consuming work
around and may not be stable. Its difficult to believe that MS would remove
this facility. Pattern fills are an essential feature of engineering
sketches. Without patterns PowerPoint becomes an even more second rate
product. A friend successfully uses Autosketch and then converts the drawings
to pdf's for presenations. That may be the way to go as it works reasonably
well. I hear others are going to open office but I am not sure what
disadvanatges that will have.
for the pattern control and as a last result decided to search the web for
the answer. In the interim I have found I can take 2003 objects with pattern
fills and use paint brush to apply them in 2007 but its a time consuming work
around and may not be stable. Its difficult to believe that MS would remove
this facility. Pattern fills are an essential feature of engineering
sketches. Without patterns PowerPoint becomes an even more second rate
product. A friend successfully uses Autosketch and then converts the drawings
to pdf's for presenations. That may be the way to go as it works reasonably
well. I hear others are going to open office but I am not sure what
disadvanatges that will have.
Lucy Thomson said:Ahhh, shapes. Would making the shapes in Word then copy/paste work for you?Hercule Perot said:
Pattern fills are still around in Word '07. Or creating pictures of your
shape pattern fills and then using the picture fill command? I've done a wee
bit of testing and it seems old '03 shapes with pattern fill can be resized
& converted to other shapes in '07 (though not re-coloured) - could that
work for you?
I create Gantts in Excel (saves me having to buy/learn Project):
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA010346051033.aspx
Must admit I didn't know that original one as I'm a button gal for
group/ungroup - I suppose as I use the mouse to select so just hang on to
it...
AFAIK Ctrl+O has always opened the open dialogue accross the Office suite
My only suggestion is to add it to the QAT then you can use Alt + whatever
'07 tells you. Personally I prefer pick up style & apply style commands to
format painter in PPT
I always used Ctrl+W to close files and that still works. In general, I
guess I didn't use as many keyboard shortcuts as I thought I did ;-)
Just trying to ease the pain in any way I can(BTW, thanks for taking the time to reply to me
Lucy
J
Jean-Pierre Forestier [MVP[
It has dissapeared. Now, a way to succeed: use Word to fill your shape with
the pattern you want and then copy/paste it in PPT
the pattern you want and then copy/paste it in PPT
FP said:Where is the official Microsoft comment on this? I have spent hours
looking
for the pattern control and as a last result decided to search the web for
the answer. In the interim I have found I can take 2003 objects with
pattern
fills and use paint brush to apply them in 2007 but its a time consuming
work
around and may not be stable. Its difficult to believe that MS would
remove
this facility. Pattern fills are an essential feature of engineering
sketches. Without patterns PowerPoint becomes an even more second rate
product. A friend successfully uses Autosketch and then converts the
drawings
to pdf's for presenations. That may be the way to go as it works
reasonably
well. I hear others are going to open office but I am not sure what
disadvanatges that will have.
Lucy Thomson said:Ahhh, shapes. Would making the shapes in Word then copy/paste work forHercule Perot said:
you?
Pattern fills are still around in Word '07. Or creating pictures of your
shape pattern fills and then using the picture fill command? I've done a
wee
bit of testing and it seems old '03 shapes with pattern fill can be
resized
& converted to other shapes in '07 (though not re-coloured) - could that
work for you?
I create Gantts in Excel (saves me having to buy/learn Project):
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA010346051033.aspx
Must admit I didn't know that original one as I'm a button gal for
group/ungroup - I suppose as I use the mouse to select so just hang on to
it...
AFAIK Ctrl+O has always opened the open dialogue accross the Office suite
My only suggestion is to add it to the QAT then you can use Alt +
whatever
'07 tells you. Personally I prefer pick up style & apply style commands
to
format painter in PPT
I always used Ctrl+W to close files and that still works. In general, I
guess I didn't use as many keyboard shortcuts as I thought I did ;-)
Just trying to ease the pain in any way I can(BTW, thanks for taking the time to reply to me
Lucy