Problem with rotated text in embedded PC metafile graphics, opened with Mac

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Roger - 14 Jan 2007 02:22 GMT

Using Arial font on the PC, rotated text, such as used to label Y axes
in embedded plots, is not positioned correctly when opened on a Mac.
The label usually overlaps other text or runs off the edge of the
graphic, rendering it unusable. This problem also occurs with other
Office applications.

The problem specifically occurs when the embedded graphic uses a
metafile format.

I know there are workarounds, such as converting to a bitmap format on
the PC beforehand, but this is very inconvenient when I have dozens of
plots which exist as embedded objects in the PC file.

The PC version is Powerpoint 2003, SP2, and the Mac version is
Powerpoint 2003, unknown updates.

My suspicion is this is an issue with the metafile -> PICT conversion
being done on the Mac. Is there an updated version of this converter
that does a better job?

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Steve Rindsberg - 14 Jan 2007 15:46 GMT

> Using Arial font on the PC, rotated text, such as used to label Y axes
> in embedded plots, is not positioned correctly when opened on a Mac.
> The label usually overlaps other text or runs off the edge of the
> graphic, rendering it unusable. This problem also occurs with other
> Office applications.

Is there any chance that the Arial font is either unavailable or bunged on the
Mac, forcing it to substitute a different font? Try ungrouping a sample chart
on the PC until you can't ungroup it any more, then see what happens to it on
the Mac. Then on the Mac try Format, Replace Fonts and see if Arial's listed
in the lower of the two selection boxes on the dialog box that appears.

> The problem specifically occurs when the embedded graphic uses a
> metafile format.

It sounds like these are not MSGraph or Excel charts but graphics imported from
some other software. Is that the case?

> I know there are workarounds, such as converting to a bitmap format on
> the PC beforehand, but this is very inconvenient when I have dozens of
> plots which exist as embedded objects in the PC file.
>
> The PC version is Powerpoint 2003, SP2, and the Mac version is
> Powerpoint 2003, unknown updates.

Can I assume that's PPT 2004 on the Mac? There's no Mac 2003 version.

If nothing else works, we can probably cook you up a macro that'd fly through
the presentation and replace each chart with a bitmap version of itself.

> My suspicion is this is an issue with the metafile -> PICT conversion
> being done on the Mac. Is there an updated version of this converter
> that does a better job?

You might want to ask that question ... in fact, post a duplicate of your
entire problem description (with a few add'l details) ... in the Mac section of
this newsgroup: Public.Mac.Office.PowerPoint

-----------------------------------------
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================

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Roger - 15 Jan 2007 03:41 GMT

> Is there any chance that the Arial font is either unavailable or bunged on the
> Mac, forcing it to substitute a different font? Try ungrouping a sample chart
> on the PC until you can't ungroup it any more, then see what happens to it on
> the Mac. Then on the Mac try Format, Replace Fonts and see if Arial's listed
> in the lower of the two selection boxes on the dialog box that appears.

I'll check to see if the Mac has Arial font (it's my colleague's
computer). I didn't know Arial was used on the Mac; I thought
Helvetica was substituted but had equivalent metrics.

> It sounds like these are not MSGraph or Excel charts but graphics imported from
> some other software. Is that the case?

Correct, I'm seeing the problem with Origin Pro 7.5 and Igor (PC v5.0)
plot packages.

> Can I assume that's PPT 2004 on the Mac? There's no Mac 2003 version.

Yes, it's probably the closest version to the PC 2003 version, as
they're both from our company's licensed Office software.

> If nothing else works, we can probably cook you up a macro that'd fly through
> the presentation and replace each chart with a bitmap version of itself.

That might do the trick, indeed.

> ... post a duplicate of your
> entire problem description (with a few add'l details) ... in the Mac section of
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> PPTools: www.pptools.com
> ================================================

Ok, Steve, thanks for your suggestions. I'll follow your advice and
hopefully reply tomorrow.
Roger

Reply to this Message

Steve Rindsberg - 15 Jan 2007 16:38 GMT

> > Is there any chance that the Arial font is either unavailable or bunged on the
> > Mac, forcing it to substitute a different font? Try ungrouping a sample chart
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> computer). I didn't know Arial was used on the Mac; I thought
> Helvetica was substituted but had equivalent metrics.

Arial will be installed on any Mac that has Office (unless the user's removed it,
in which case whack them with a rolled up presentation and make them sit in the
corner).

On the other hand, PPT would likely substitute Helvetica if Arial were unavailable,
yes, and the metrics should match.

> > It sounds like these are not MSGraph or Excel charts but graphics imported from
> > some other software. Is that the case?
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> That might do the trick, indeed.

Say the word. But first see if ungrouping the plot before sending it to the Mac
helps. That'd be simpler to do and would give you higher quality (and somewhat
more editable) results.

> > ... post a duplicate of your
> > entire problem description (with a few add'l details) ... in the Mac section of
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> hopefully reply tomorrow.
> Roger

-----------------------------------------
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================

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