Loss of transparency when exporting PDF from MS Office












0















Full disclosure, I've cross-posted this on the official MS support forum, but I have very little faith that I'll get a decent answer any time soon, and this is kinda urgent.



As you'd see from that link, I've recently started having an issue with MS Office, specifically Powerpoint, whereby presentations with quite a number of complex elements, many with transparency have suddenly ceased to export to PDF correctly. These slide decks have been in use without any issues for a couple of years now (I tweak them every now and again to create new versions, but always from the same 'base' file).



I recently updated to OSX Mojave (10.14), and once I'd done that, MSOffice also wanted to update (inclusion of dark themes etc.), to version 16.20. Office is installed via my organisational live email (Office 365) which I believe makes it Powerpoint (and Office) 2016.



The only other thing which I can think might be relevant, was that when I did the upgrade, I also did a bit of a 'spring clean' and removed a bunch of apps I don't use. Among these was the Adobe CS6 suite. I've since restored the deleted apps, but, if this is relevant at all, I'm not sure if 'the damage is already done'.



The actual problem is that when a presentation is exported via File > Export or File > Save As > PDF most (I'm not quite sure if it's all) the transparent components suddenly appear as grey. If they are a gradient, they still 'colour mix correctly', but the transparency is lost.



I honestly have no idea what else I can provide in terms of version numbers, or some kind of a minimal working example, so please do let me know in the comments if there is something specific that would help with the answer.



In terms of solutions, these are the only things that spring to mind at the moment:




  • The answer in this thread mentions something about the use the the Adobe engine, but the way its worded makes me unsure about whether its relevant at all (but I mention it because of me deleting and restoring the adobe suite).


  • Roll back the powerpoint updates? On the off chance this is an issue with the newer versions of Powerpoint, is there a mechanism for rolling back updates on OSX Office 2016?



Any ideas for things to even try/test would be greatly received because I'm a little desperate at the moment!










share|improve this question



























    0















    Full disclosure, I've cross-posted this on the official MS support forum, but I have very little faith that I'll get a decent answer any time soon, and this is kinda urgent.



    As you'd see from that link, I've recently started having an issue with MS Office, specifically Powerpoint, whereby presentations with quite a number of complex elements, many with transparency have suddenly ceased to export to PDF correctly. These slide decks have been in use without any issues for a couple of years now (I tweak them every now and again to create new versions, but always from the same 'base' file).



    I recently updated to OSX Mojave (10.14), and once I'd done that, MSOffice also wanted to update (inclusion of dark themes etc.), to version 16.20. Office is installed via my organisational live email (Office 365) which I believe makes it Powerpoint (and Office) 2016.



    The only other thing which I can think might be relevant, was that when I did the upgrade, I also did a bit of a 'spring clean' and removed a bunch of apps I don't use. Among these was the Adobe CS6 suite. I've since restored the deleted apps, but, if this is relevant at all, I'm not sure if 'the damage is already done'.



    The actual problem is that when a presentation is exported via File > Export or File > Save As > PDF most (I'm not quite sure if it's all) the transparent components suddenly appear as grey. If they are a gradient, they still 'colour mix correctly', but the transparency is lost.



    I honestly have no idea what else I can provide in terms of version numbers, or some kind of a minimal working example, so please do let me know in the comments if there is something specific that would help with the answer.



    In terms of solutions, these are the only things that spring to mind at the moment:




    • The answer in this thread mentions something about the use the the Adobe engine, but the way its worded makes me unsure about whether its relevant at all (but I mention it because of me deleting and restoring the adobe suite).


    • Roll back the powerpoint updates? On the off chance this is an issue with the newer versions of Powerpoint, is there a mechanism for rolling back updates on OSX Office 2016?



    Any ideas for things to even try/test would be greatly received because I'm a little desperate at the moment!










    share|improve this question

























      0












      0








      0








      Full disclosure, I've cross-posted this on the official MS support forum, but I have very little faith that I'll get a decent answer any time soon, and this is kinda urgent.



      As you'd see from that link, I've recently started having an issue with MS Office, specifically Powerpoint, whereby presentations with quite a number of complex elements, many with transparency have suddenly ceased to export to PDF correctly. These slide decks have been in use without any issues for a couple of years now (I tweak them every now and again to create new versions, but always from the same 'base' file).



      I recently updated to OSX Mojave (10.14), and once I'd done that, MSOffice also wanted to update (inclusion of dark themes etc.), to version 16.20. Office is installed via my organisational live email (Office 365) which I believe makes it Powerpoint (and Office) 2016.



      The only other thing which I can think might be relevant, was that when I did the upgrade, I also did a bit of a 'spring clean' and removed a bunch of apps I don't use. Among these was the Adobe CS6 suite. I've since restored the deleted apps, but, if this is relevant at all, I'm not sure if 'the damage is already done'.



      The actual problem is that when a presentation is exported via File > Export or File > Save As > PDF most (I'm not quite sure if it's all) the transparent components suddenly appear as grey. If they are a gradient, they still 'colour mix correctly', but the transparency is lost.



      I honestly have no idea what else I can provide in terms of version numbers, or some kind of a minimal working example, so please do let me know in the comments if there is something specific that would help with the answer.



      In terms of solutions, these are the only things that spring to mind at the moment:




      • The answer in this thread mentions something about the use the the Adobe engine, but the way its worded makes me unsure about whether its relevant at all (but I mention it because of me deleting and restoring the adobe suite).


      • Roll back the powerpoint updates? On the off chance this is an issue with the newer versions of Powerpoint, is there a mechanism for rolling back updates on OSX Office 2016?



      Any ideas for things to even try/test would be greatly received because I'm a little desperate at the moment!










      share|improve this question














      Full disclosure, I've cross-posted this on the official MS support forum, but I have very little faith that I'll get a decent answer any time soon, and this is kinda urgent.



      As you'd see from that link, I've recently started having an issue with MS Office, specifically Powerpoint, whereby presentations with quite a number of complex elements, many with transparency have suddenly ceased to export to PDF correctly. These slide decks have been in use without any issues for a couple of years now (I tweak them every now and again to create new versions, but always from the same 'base' file).



      I recently updated to OSX Mojave (10.14), and once I'd done that, MSOffice also wanted to update (inclusion of dark themes etc.), to version 16.20. Office is installed via my organisational live email (Office 365) which I believe makes it Powerpoint (and Office) 2016.



      The only other thing which I can think might be relevant, was that when I did the upgrade, I also did a bit of a 'spring clean' and removed a bunch of apps I don't use. Among these was the Adobe CS6 suite. I've since restored the deleted apps, but, if this is relevant at all, I'm not sure if 'the damage is already done'.



      The actual problem is that when a presentation is exported via File > Export or File > Save As > PDF most (I'm not quite sure if it's all) the transparent components suddenly appear as grey. If they are a gradient, they still 'colour mix correctly', but the transparency is lost.



      I honestly have no idea what else I can provide in terms of version numbers, or some kind of a minimal working example, so please do let me know in the comments if there is something specific that would help with the answer.



      In terms of solutions, these are the only things that spring to mind at the moment:




      • The answer in this thread mentions something about the use the the Adobe engine, but the way its worded makes me unsure about whether its relevant at all (but I mention it because of me deleting and restoring the adobe suite).


      • Roll back the powerpoint updates? On the off chance this is an issue with the newer versions of Powerpoint, is there a mechanism for rolling back updates on OSX Office 2016?



      Any ideas for things to even try/test would be greatly received because I'm a little desperate at the moment!







      pdf microsoft-office microsoft-powerpoint macos-mojave image-transparency






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      asked Jan 9 at 20:28









      Joe HealeyJoe Healey

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