Saving edited files to pptx [CAN CLOSE]

esuastegui · November 8, 2021, 7:20pm

I am having the same problem reported back in 2016 in this closed thread. In short, bringing in a file created in Powerpoint-windows into my Linux Lite version of Impress works fine so long as I do nothing to the file. I can go into presentation mode and the file displays (mostly, with the exception of font rendering) as intended. However, if I make the slightest edit to the file and save it in pptx format, when I open it subsequently, the last bullet of text in most pages is gone. The text is just removed. However, if I save the edits to .odp format, the content remains intact. Does anyone know if there is more than a work-around solution? For those of us collaborating with folks using Powerpoint-windows, who want to stay in .pptx format, saving to .odp or .ppt does not seem practical.

(I will be glad to provide the file in question as a test case for debugging if needed.)

sokol92 · November 8, 2021, 7:36pm

It seems logical that each program (MS PowerPoint and LibreOffice) correctly saves data in its native format. Are users having trouble opening an .odp file in PowerPoint?
I think an example file will be helpful.

esuastegui · November 8, 2021, 8:00pm

Thank you. I just confirmed that if I open the .odp file and save it as .pptx, the content previously missing is now retained. So, instead of working directly with a .pptx file I receive from a colleague, the workflow would be:

Open source .pptx file.
Save-as .odp immediately, before making any edits
Work as needed, make edits in .odp file.
Close .odp file (not sure if this is strictly necessary) and re-open.
Then Save-as .pptx prior to forwarding the file back to my colleague.

Is that about right? Seems a bit like reaching over my head with my right hand to scratch my left ear, but I suppose it is feasible. On the other hand, more robust direct handling of .pptx files by Impress might make Bill Gates grin a little less.

esuastegui · November 8, 2021, 8:51pm

Thank you again for your response. As a (now retired) coder, if I couldn’t guarantee the integrity of a format my software writes, I would not support it. Incidentally, the fact that the .odp to .pptx conversion does not suffer from the direct edit-and-save error proves the application is entirely capable of writing a .pptx file that does not drop off data. And, for clarification, the data was detected as missing in Impress (embarrassingly, while presenting to an audience), after re-opening the saved .pptx file. No digging into closed-source applications needed. Finally, about those “problems like yours not reported” the link I posted in OP demonstrates prior reporting has taken place, circa 2016.

EarnestAl · November 8, 2021, 9:33pm

I create my presentation in Impress as ODP if I know I’m going to present using Impress (really great with remote on mobile phone so I can walk around and still check notes when I get sidetracked).
I create my presentation in Powerpoint if I have to use Powerpoint or I don’t know what software is going to be used.

I think the paragraph spacing is handled differently in Impress and PowerPoint. Your last bullet point has been pushed off the bottom of the page but changing the paragraph spacing can bring it back. Having both Above and Below paragraph spacing seems to be the issue.

If you delete the Above paragraph spacing in your bullets and use only Below paragraph spacing, then the paragraph spacing should remain the same if you save odp as pptx.