Import PowerPoint

Importing a Powerpoint presentation

If your Moodle 2.3 installation dates from before October 18th 2012, you will have an option "Import Powerpoint" in your Lesson settings.

It has been removed since, as it does not work. See tracker MDL-21801

NOTE: If you simply wish to display a Powerpoint in your course, then see File.

The following page explains alternatives for Moodlers who still have the "Import Powerpoint" option.

Powerpoint 2003 Instructions

It is possible to import Powerpoint 2003 presentations but animations and transitions are not retained.

1. Create your MS Powerpoint 2003 presentation.
   • In the "File" menu click on "Save as Webpage"
   • Change or note "Save In" setting location and name
     • The Save "file type" should be "Web Page"
   • Click on "Save"
     • This will create a file and a folder. The HTML file has links to files in the new folder of the same name as the HTML file.
2. Using Windows Explorer or your favorite program
   • Zip the new folder that contains the webpage files ***NB - DO NOT INCLUDE THE HTML FILE OR THE IMPORT WILL FAIL***
     • This is the file you will import into a new lesson.

Moodle instructions

After you have created the zip file above

• Add a new Lesson activity to a course; set the settings; save settings
  • This will bring you to a screen with several choices
• Select "Import PowerPoint"
• Use the browse button to select the zipped file that contains the webpage folder
• Select "Continue"
• Start editing the Content pages

Basic tips

1. Keep it simple: text only is best
   • No page numbers (see masterslide)
   • No text boxes with graphic or filled backgrounds
   • Masterslide content will not import, but delete all the footers
   • Watermarks and text over graphics is probably not a good idea
   • It will import some bullet formats but not all
   • It probably does not like "special characters" (any non-english letters)
2. Graphic images can be imported as a part of the presentation but
   • Graphic images will have to be moved in the Lesson page
   • More than one graphic image might not always import to a Lesson page

An alternative method of importing presentation pages

It is possible to save presentation slides as images by selecting an image file type such as .png from the save as... drop down menu in either Powerpoint or Open/Libre Office. These images can then be embedded into individual content pages of a lesson. As with the previous Powerpoint 2003 option however; this is only suitable for plain text and images. Animations/transitions will not work and care also must be taken regarding the dimensions and loading time of the images in each content page.

See also

• MDL-17413 to vote for an improvement to insert (by importing) a series of pictures or a series of text pages into a series of lesson branch pages at any point in the lesson. (Like a series of questions).
• Inserting content into a lesson activity - some alternatives suggested in Lesson forum