PPT2000: Group Command Unavailable When Placeholder Object Is Selected (264853)

SYMPTOMS

If you select several objects on a slide and your selection includes the Title object and/or any other default slide layout objects, such as the Body Text object, the Group command on the Draw menu is unavailable (appears dimmed).

CAUSE

Placeholders are elements of the slide layout chosen for each slide. Whenever you change the slide layout, these placeholders may change or even disappear from the slide. Therefore, PowerPoint cannot create groups of objects that include any of the slide layout placeholders.

RESOLUTION

If you want to make a group that includes one or more slide layout placeholders, copy all the existing objects on the slide to a new slide that is formatted with the Blank slide layout. After you paste them onto the new slide, you can create the group.

On the Edit menu, click Select All.
On the Edit menu, click Copy.
On the Insert menu, click New Slide.
In the New Slide dialog box, choose the Blank slide layout.
On the Edit menu, click Paste Special, and then click MS Office Drawing Object.

You can now select any combination of the objects on this slide and group them together.

NOTE: You cannot copy empty placeholders or paste them into a new blank slide or any other slide.