PPT Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation (Legacy)

The original PowerPoint file format was a binary format known as .ppt. This format was used by Microsoft PowerPoint from its inception in 1987 until the release of Office 2007.

In more technical terms, the .ppt format was a proprietary binary format that consisted of a series of records, each containing a specific type of data. The format was not openly documented, and it was not possible for third-party developers to create software that could read or write .ppt files without reverse-engineering the format.

The .ppt format stored presentations as a collection of slides, each consisting of text, images, charts, tables, and other graphical elements. The format also supported various features such as animations, transitions, and speaker notes.

Here’s a brief overview of the structure of the .ppt file format:

  • A .ppt file begins with a header record that contains metadata about the presentation, such as its title, author, and creation date.
  • Following the header is a series of slide records, each representing a single slide in the presentation. Each slide record contains a collection of atom records, which represent individual elements on the slide, such as text boxes, images, or charts.
  • Atom records contain various types of data, including text, image data, and formatting information.
  • The file also includes other records that store information about the presentation’s layout, theme, and animation effects.

With the release of Office 2007, Microsoft introduced a new file format called .pptx, which is based on the Office Open XML (OOXML) standard. This format is more open and interoperable than the original .ppt format, allowing third-party developers to create software that can read and write .pptx files without requiring special permission from Microsoft.

It’s worth noting that while the .ppt format is no longer supported in modern versions of PowerPoint, many older presentations are still stored in this format. Fortunately, most presentation software, including LibreOffice Impress and Google Slides, continue to support importing and converting .ppt files for compatibility purposes.