Taming Monster Powerpoints

Gina Rheault [email protected] Feb 1 - Gina Rheault [email protected] Feb 1 - 20062006

Taming Monster Taming Monster PowerpointsPowerpoints


What is a “MONSTER” What is a “MONSTER” Powerpoint?Powerpoint?

A presentation so big it takes significant A presentation so big it takes significant time to download at high speed.time to download at high speed.

A presentation whose size makes it: A presentation whose size makes it: difficult to transmit via email, difficult to transmit via email,

difficult to download from Internet, difficult to download from Internet,

difficult to open because of virus scanning. difficult to open because of virus scanning.

A presentation bigger than 6 MbytesA presentation bigger than 6 Mbytes

Usually caused by overly large image files.Usually caused by overly large image files.


More monstrousness More monstrousness

Presentation is finally finished. It looks Presentation is finally finished. It looks GREAT, and fits easily on a CD. GREAT, and fits easily on a CD.

THEN the boss says: “ Make it smaller so THEN the boss says: “ Make it smaller so people can see it on the Internet! ”people can see it on the Internet! ”

AND Powerpoint compression of photos AND Powerpoint compression of photos doesn’t seem to help.doesn’t seem to help.

AND you have a DEADLINE! AND you have a DEADLINE!


The Fix The Fix

Use “File Save As”… to convert monster Use “File Save As”… to convert monster slides to jpg or gif files:slides to jpg or gif files:

JPEG – good for picturesJPEG – good for pictures

GIF – good for text and line drawingsGIF – good for text and line drawings

Create a new Powerpoint presentation. Create a new Powerpoint presentation. Use the “Insert-Picture-New Photo Album” Use the “Insert-Picture-New Photo Album” command with the jpgs or gifs from the old command with the jpgs or gifs from the old MONSTER. MONSTER.


Example 1 – Pictures onlyExample 1 – Pictures only

Problem: Problem: Stonewalls in Sicily – mostly photos, no text. Stonewalls in Sicily – mostly photos, no text. 70 pictures/slides, final size – 110 Mbytes.70 pictures/slides, final size – 110 Mbytes. Download takes twenty minutes at high speed.Download takes twenty minutes at high speed.

Solution: Solution: Save monster as 70 jpegs, which are compressedSave monster as 70 jpegs, which are compressed Recreate slide show from jpegs using Insert Picture…Recreate slide show from jpegs using Insert Picture… Resulting slide show is 10Mbytes. Still not small, but Resulting slide show is 10Mbytes. Still not small, but

more reasonable.more reasonable.


Example 2: Using JPG and GIFExample 2: Using JPG and GIF

ProblemProblem Urban Forests, 36MBytesUrban Forests, 36MBytes A mix of text slides and photo slides.A mix of text slides and photo slides.

SolutionSolution Create a jpeg set of slides & new pptCreate a jpeg set of slides & new ppt Create a gif set of slides & new ppt.Create a gif set of slides & new ppt. Merge the two new ppts, selecting gifs for text, jpegs Merge the two new ppts, selecting gifs for text, jpegs

for photos. (You could merge original text if “smaller” for photos. (You could merge original text if “smaller” than the gifs). than the gifs).

Resulting file: 3.3 Mbytes - with decent quality.Resulting file: 3.3 Mbytes - with decent quality.


1. Monster “Save AS JPEG”


2. Insert Picture New Photo Album


3. Insert from File/Disk


4. Select all the saved jpgs


5. “Create”


6. A new presentation appears. Delete first slide and Save


Some typical compressions


Taming MonstersTaming Monsters

Use “File Save As”… to convert slides to Use “File Save As”… to convert slides to picture files:picture files:

JPEG – good for picturesJPEG – good for pictures

GIF – good for text and line drawingsGIF – good for text and line drawings

Create a new Powerpoint presentation by Create a new Powerpoint presentation by using the “Insert-Picture-New Photo using the “Insert-Picture-New Photo Album” command. Album” command.


The end of the storyThe end of the story

Slides are sortable Slides are sortable

Text is not editable Text is not editable

Quality of text is reduced a bit, Quality of text is reduced a bit,

Quality of pictures is reduced a bit,Quality of pictures is reduced a bit,

…… …… but, the “MONSTER” is about ten but, the “MONSTER” is about ten times smaller, and it has been reasonably times smaller, and it has been reasonably tamed in a few short steps. tamed in a few short steps.

Taming Monster Powerpoints

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