PPT4: PowerPoint 7.0 Translator for Mac PowerPoint 4 Available

ID: q133803

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft PowerPoint for the Macintosh, version 4.0

SUMMARY

Microsoft PowerPoint 4.0 is unable to open PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0 files directly. Microsoft has made translators available that allow Macintosh PowerPoint 4.0 (Power Macintosh or 680x0) to read files created in PowerPoint for Windows 95. These translators are available from the Microsoft Software Library:

 ~ Pp7trans.hqx (size: 398400 bytes)

For more information about downloading files from the Microsoft Software Library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q119591
   TITLE     : How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online
               Services

For more information about the converters, decode the .hqx file and consult the Readme files provided with the converters.

The "More Information" section" of this article covers the following topics:

Decoding the Translators
Configuring PC Exchange on Your Macintosh
Installing the Translators
Opening PowerPoint 7.0 Files

MORE INFORMATION

Decoding the Translators

Files with the .hqx file name extension are not self-extracting files. The .hqx extension designates a file as being BinHex (binary/hexadecimal) encoded. BinHex encoding is a technique that allows Macintosh files to be stored on file systems that either strip or ignore the resource fork.

After you download the Pp7trans.hqx file, you will need to decode the BinHex file format. Do not attempt to use the translator until it is decoded. Microsoft does not manufacture a BinHex decoder. You will need to obtain the decoder from a third-party vendor.

For additional information about downloading and decoding BinHex files, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q141862
   TITLE     : How to Decode .hqx Files Downloaded from Online Services

Configuring PC Exchange on Your Macintosh

1. In the Control Panels folder (in the System Folder), double-click the PC

   Exchange icon.

2. Click the Add button.

3. In the MS-DOS Suffix box, type:

PPT

4. In the box that contains the directory structure of your Macintosh,

   locate and select the PowerPoint 4.0 program. (By default, PowerPoint is
   located in the Microsoft PowerPoint 4 folder.)

   The Application Program field, at the top of this dialog box, should
   indicate that PowerPoint is selected.

5. Click and hold the drop-down arrow for Document Type.

   This should reveal a list of types.

6. From the list of types, select:

      SLD3

   NOTE: Document Type is case sensitive. Do not select sLD3.

7. Click OK.

8. Close the PC Exchange control panel.

PC Exchange is now configured for use with PowerPoint files transferred to the Macintosh from a floppy disk.

Installing the Translators

1. The PP7TRANS folder contains both the 680x0 and PowerPC versions of the

   translator. To determine the appropriate translator to install you will
   need to know which version of PowerPoint 4.0 you are running (680x0 or
   PowerPC). Use the steps below to determine the version of PowerPoint:

   a. Start PowerPoint. If PowerPoint is already running, skip to step c.

   b. Click the Cancel button to bypass the startup screens.

   c. On the Apple menu, click About PowerPoint.

   d. Look at the first line in this dialog box. If you are using the Power
      Macintosh version of PowerPoint, the dialog box will display a
      message similar to "Microsoft PowerPoint Version 4.0 for the Power
      Macintosh"; If no text appears after the version number, you are
      running the 680x0 version of PowerPoint.

2. Drag the appropriate translator into the Microsoft PowerPoint 4 folder.

      PP7TRANS (The PowerPC version)
      PP7TRANS (The 680x0 version)

When the translator is correctly installed, the "PowerPoint 7.0 Files" command will be displayed in the List Files Of Type drop-down menu.

Opening PowerPoint 7.0 Files

1. On the File menu, click Open.

2. From the List Files Of Type drop-down list, select PowerPoint 7.0 Files.

   NOTE: The translator will not function if this step is not done.

3. Find the file and select the 7.0 presentation.

   If the 7.0 presentation does not appear in the Open dialog box when you
   select PowerPoint 7.0 Files, the 7.0 presentation does not have the
   correct type and creator. In order to work, the PowerPoint 7 translator
   (pp7trans) requires that the presentation file have the following type
   and creator:

      Type:    SLD3
      Creator: PPT3

   Type and Creator fields are case sensitive. All alpha characters should
   be in upper-case letters.

   If the presentation is located on an MS-DOS-formatted floppy disk, the
   solution usually involves configuring PC Exchange to work with .PPT
   files. However, if the presentation is transferred to the Macintosh by
   some other method or if it already resides on the Macintosh other steps
   must be used.

4. Click the Open button.

The presentation should be translated to the Macintosh format.

REFERENCES

For additional information about opening PowerPoint 7.0 files on your Macintosh, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q88082
   TITLE     : PPT: Error Opening Untranslated Presentation

   ARTICLE-ID: Q139151
   TITLE     : PPT: 7.0 Translator Requires Correct Type and Creator

   ARTICLE-ID: Q139915
   TITLE     : PPT4: Contents of PowerPoint 7.0 Translator Disk (for Macintosh)

Additional query words: 4.00 macppt kbconversion mac translator convert winppt powerpoint7 Q141862 Q119591

Keywords          : kbfile kbinterop kbnetwork kbdta kbconversion
Version           : macintosh:4.0
Platform          : MACINTOSH
Hardware          : MAC
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: September 10, 1998