I've got a PowerPoint file that I'm trying to open in PowerPoint 2003.
When I try to open it, it says "The presentation cannot be edited
because it contains a read-only embedded font."

I don't need to edit it, but I can't even copy slides or text from
slides to the clipboard.

How do I fix this and copy slides to the clipboard, so I can paste
them into another presentation?

Hi Jhabley,

According to the Microsoft Knowledge Base, "you cannot edit or save a
PowerPoint presentation if it contains embedded read-only fonts." The
embedded read-only fonts made the PowerPoint file you trying to open
restricted to read-only.

But don't worry, there are ways to resolve the problem. One solution
can be found on this page:

Microsoft Knowledge Base
You Cannot Edit or Save a PowerPoint Presentation if It Contains an
Embedded Read Only Fonts
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=827405

There are also other people who encountered the same problem. Below
are threads describing the same problem with solutions suggested by
some PowerPoint and Microsoft professionals. In case the links below
don't work, just copy and paste them to your browser's address bar.

Google Groups
Subject: read-only embedded font
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&threadm=40523b98%240%246550%24cc9e4d1f%40news-text.dial.pipex.com&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522The%2Bpresentation%2Bcannot%2Bbe%2Bedited%2Bbecause%2Bit%2Bcontains%2Ba%2Bread-only%2Bembedded%2Bfont.%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26newwindow%3D1%26safe%3Doff%26selm%3D40523b98%25240%25246550%2524cc9e
4d1f%2540news-text.dial.pipex.com%26rnum%3D1

Subject: Read-only embedded fonts
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&threadm=VA.00000355.42e54730%40localhost.com&rnum=2&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522The%2520presentation%2520cannot%2520be%2520edited%2520because%2520it%2520contains%2520a%2520read-only%2520embedded%2520font.%2522%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26newwindow%3D1%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwg

Subject: Font error message
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&threadm=bPn6c.19626%24Nj.5905%40fed1read01&rnum=3&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522The%2520presentation%2520cannot%2520be%2520edited%2520because%2520it%2520contains%2520a%2520read-only%2520embedded%2520font.%2522%26num%3D100%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26newwindow%3D1%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwg


Since your main objective is to copy the content of the PowerPoint and
not to edit or retain the presentation settings, you can also use a
different program that can import PowerPoint files such as CorelDraw.
Once imported, you can then copy the images and text into another
presentation


Search strategy:

Personal knowledge

Searched for info in Microsoft Knowledge Base

"The presentation cannot be edited because it contains a read-only
embedded font." in Google Groups
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22The+presentation+cannot+be+edited+because+it+contains+a+read-only+embedded+font.%22&num=100&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&filter=0


I hope this helps. If you have a question, please feel free to post
your clarification and I'll attend to you as soon as possible. Thanks
for asking.

Best regards,
Feilong

---

Request for Answer Clarification by jhabley-ga on 05 May 2004 09:54 PDT

Thanks for your work on this. I've read everything you posted, but I
don't have a copy of 2002, XP, 2000, or any of the previous versions
so this fix won't work for me. I need a fix that will work with
PowerPoint 2003 because I don't have access to anything earlier...

---

Clarification of Answer by feilong-ga on 05 May 2004 13:28 PDT

Hi Jhabley,

Thanks for your clarification. Now I'm challenged!

"...but I don't have a copy of 2002, XP, 2000, or any of the previous
versions so this fix won't work for me"

You don't necessarily need to have a copy. Perhaps you can use another
computer like your friend's or from an internet cafe with an earlier
version of PowerPoint ? If you can, your solution will be simple and
you only need to follow the directions in the first link I gave you.

Here's another possible solution I made especially for your situation:

1) Open IE and go to File and choose Work Offline

2) Again, go to File> Open. A dialogue box will appear. Check "Open as
Web Folder" and then click "Browse". Another dialogue box will appear.

3) Choose "All Files" in "Files of type" and locate the PowerPoint
file. Click OK and choose Yes. Choose "Open" on the next prompt. The
PowerPoint file is now open.

4) Again, go to File and choose "Save as..." In "Save as type" choose
"Web Page (*.htm; *.html)" and then click save. Make sure to save it
in a new and empty folder so that you won't be confused when you
access it.

Now you have saved the file as web page or html file. In the folder
where you saved this file, you will see that there is another folder
with the same name as your saved html file. This folder contains all
the contents of your converted html file -- text and graphics. When
you click on your converted html file, it will be shown in IE like the
original PowerPoint file. However, you can now select the contents of
each slide and paste them another presentation. You can right click on
the html file and choose "Select all" then copy and paste the contents
into your desired presentation.


From a thread in one of the links above:

"Ouch... Microsoft created a number of problems with 2003 and font
embedding. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do in PPT 2003 to
remedy the problem other than install the needed fonts on the
computer. The solution is to open the presentation in PPT XP (or
below) and uncheck the embed fonts option. Here is more details:
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00076.htm"

The workaround I just gave you is a result of your clarification.
Based on the links I gave you, it's clear that you have very limited
solutions to choose from. I hope you understand that if this doesn't
work, you have to stick with the solution described by Microsoft in
the first link.

Best regards,
Feilong

---

Request for Answer Clarification by jhabley-ga on 05 May 2004 14:44 PDT

Thanks -- we have an Internet cafe down the road. I'll try it there
and get back to you...

---

Clarification of Answer by feilong-ga on 05 May 2004 17:51 PDT

By the way, please don't forget the other alternative solution I
mentioned in the original answer and that is to use a different
program that can import PowerPoint files. From there you can then copy
the images and text into another file or paste them directly into
another presentation. An example of such program is CorelDraw. So
please check your computer for any program that can import PowerPoint
(.ppt; .pps) files.

It worked at the cafe. Thanks -- for this and the creative IE solution as well.

A quick work around - not great but at least you can get at slides that you want.

Open Visio 2003
New Document
Insert Object
Select create object from file
browse to the ppt that you want
Visio will open the presentation in an object on the document
Right click on the object and select presentation object --> edit
This will open a ppt edit control.
in the bottom right of the object is the PPT controls - select slide
sorter view. This will allow you to pick any of the slides in the ppt
- double click a slide.

You can then select objects on the slide and copy them into a new ppt.

Again not great but will get you out of a bind.