Powerpoint Themes Usable on Powerpoint 2003?

[Aishling]

Hello, I've created a Powerpoint theme using Powerpoint 2008 for the Mac,
then converted it to Powerpoint 2007. A colleague now needs to use it on
Powerpoint 2003 and can't seem to get the theme to work. I'm assuming this is
because the theme is not backwards-compatible? Can anyone please help?

Many thanks!

 

[Echo S]

Themes do not work in 2003. You'd have to create a template based on the
theme.

Thing is, when people create templates in 2007 (or 2008) for 2003, just
saving the file as "template.POT" doesn't really make it a 2003 template --
the color scheme will be messed up, as will the title slide master (if it
exists at all). I'm so sick of getting PPT/POT "template" files that were
created in 2007 that I could scream.

Just sayin'.

 

[Aishling]

Thanks for input... I think ;-)

So I have a "theme" in PPT 2007, I should create a template instead based on
this theme (need to work that part out) but it still may not work?

Would it be better to create a new template in PPT 2003 for those users who
need to use that version? Problem is I'm not sure I have access to PPT
2003.... those that need to use it are geographically far from me :-(

Any further advice? Why is this so complicated!!

 

[Echo S]

In 2007, open a new, blank presentation and apply your theme to it. Save as
POT. Send the POT to the 2003 users.

That will work, but the color scheme will be messed up for the 2003 users
and they will have no title slide master, so their title slide layout
(Format | Slide Layout | apply the Title Slide layout) won't work. That may
or may not be important to your users. I ususally find the incorrect color
scheme to be more of an issue.

If you have access to 2003, then yes, it would be miles better to create the
template for 2003 users in PPT 2003.

The reason it's complicated is that Microsoft put the time into making sure
2007 files open and display as intended on PPT 2003 -- they didn't put it
into backwards editibility.

And I do apologize for giving you such an earful. I just came from yet
another program with yet another malformed template. It makes it hard to
work and clean up slides quickly.