How Export BMP as ONLY a 256 color ?

[Guest]

How van I use VB to Export a BMP specifying as ONLY a 256 color ?

(e-mail address removed)

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

How van I use VB to Export a BMP specifying as ONLY a 256 color ?

From which version of PowerPoint?
Some versions (2000 and later, as I recall) will export 256-color images
automatically IF the content of the slide doesn't call for more colors than
that, but you can't force the issue other than that.

You could export as GIF (by definition 256 colors) and then convert to BMP
using some external app.

 

[Guest]

I am now using Office 2003.
I was using Office 2000, I had put a 256 color image on the master slide,
this forced Powerpoint into 256 mode when Exporting the bmps. This had worked
for years.

Now it doesnt work, and PowerPoint 2003 is Exporting as 24 bit color. I need
them as 256 color, and don't want to have to re-process the bmps before using
them in the application that requires 256 color bmps. That application will
only use bmps, and they have to be 256 color.

This is the current command:
Application.ActivePresentation.Slides(I).Export Temp, "bmp"

Any suggestions on how to force PowerPoint 2003 to Export the bmps as 256
color, in VBA, would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I am now using Office 2003.
I was using Office 2000, I had put a 256 color image on the master slide,
this forced Powerpoint into 256 mode when Exporting the bmps. This had worked
for years.

Whether or not it does that will depend on the other content on the slide.
By putting a 256-color image on the slide, you probably forced a 256-color BMP
rather than an 8- or howevermany-color bitmap. If there were a JPG on the same
slide, you'd get 24-bit color.

Some might call it a feature, others might call it a bug.
MS owns the code and their opinion wins. They apparently considered it a bug.

Hm. But not enough to fix it totally ... if you have a slide with just black
and white text, it saves from 2003 as a two-color BMP. Or 16-colors if there
are just a few colors on the slide.

Now it doesnt work, and PowerPoint 2003 is Exporting as 24 bit color. I need
them as 256 color, and don't want to have to re-process the bmps before using
them in the application that requires 256 color bmps. That application will
only use bmps, and they have to be 256 color.

I don't think you can force the issue. Re-processing may be the only answer.

 

[Guest]

Is there a way to get properties of each object so that I could notify user
of an object that would force a non-256 BMP ?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Is there a way to get properties of each object so that I could notify user
of an object that would force a non-256 BMP ?

Not really. PowerPoint will tell you that any pictures, vector or bitmap, of any
color depth, are Pictures. Beyond that, it's mute.