Error: “The specified data type is unavailable” When pasting Shapes as PNG format in PowerPoint

Question

I need to write a macro to convert all grouped diagrams (shapes, arrows and text) in a PPT presentation to PNGs. (I am converting the PPTs using some eLearning software and the diagrams end up corrupt; and I need them to be PNGs because enhanced metafiles also present issues).

I've been using some slightly modified code from a macro that converts Pictures (enhanced meta files) to PNGs. All I did was change msoPicture to msoGroup:

Sub ConvertAllPicsToPNG()
    Dim oSl As Slide
    Dim oSh As Shape

    For Each oSl In ActivePresentation.Slides
        For Each oSh In oSl.Shapes
            ' modify the following depending on what you want to
            ' convert
            Select Case oSh.Type
                Case msoGroup
                    ConvertPicToPNG oSh
                Case Else

            End Select
        Next
    Next

End Sub

Sub ConvertPicToPNG(ByRef oSh As Shape)
    Dim oNewSh As Shape
    Dim oSl As Slide

    Set oSl = oSh.Parent
    oSh.Copy
    Set oNewSh = oSl.Shapes.PasteSpecial(ppPastePNG)(1)

    With oNewSh
        .Left = oSh.Left
        .Top = oSh.Top
        Do
            .ZOrder (msoSendBackward)
        Loop Until .ZOrderPosition = .ZOrderPosition
    End With

    oSh.Delete

End Sub

I get the error "Shapes (unknown member)" on the line

Set oNewSh = oSl.Shapes.PasteSpecial(ppPastePNG)(1)

I suspect I'm having problems with VBA's Object Reference Model, as research has told me of GroupItems and GroupShapes, but I can't fathom it.

Answer 1

I get this error in PPT 2010: "Shapes (unknown member) : Invalid request. Clipboard is empty or contains data which may not be pasted here."

We both notice there is "Shape 125" when you zoom out or use the Selection Pane:

After a lot of trial and error (I thought the nesting might be a problem, and tried to un-nest them -- successfully, but the error still happened) I noticed that each of them had a height of 0. If I changed that to any positive value, success!

So here is the fix -- call a new function to make sure shapes have height > 0:

    For Each oSh In oSl.Shapes
        ' modify the following depending on what you want to
        ' convert
        Select Case oSh.Type
            Case msoGroup
                'Ensure each grouped shape has h/w of at least "1"
                FixShape oSh
                ConvertPicToPNG oSh
            Case Else

Here is the function:

Function FixShape(ByRef oSh As Shape)

Dim s As Shape
'## Iterate the GroupItems collection and ensure minimum height/width
'   for converion to png/jpg/etc.
For Each s In oSh.GroupItems
    If s.Height = 0 Then s.Height = 1
    If s.Width = 0 Then s.Width = 1
    'Recursive
    If s.Type = msoGroup Then
        Set s = FixShape(s)
    End If
Next

Set FixShape = oSh

End Function

Here is the final output which converts the shapes to PNG:

Root Cause of this Error

It seems you are not able to paste shapes with height/width of 0, as PNG format (although you can paste them as Shapes). This seems to be an intentional limitation, but unfortunately the error message is ambiguous.

Solution to this Error

Ensure that shapes have minimum dimensions of 1x1 before trying to paste as an image format (PNG, JPG, etc.)

While you were able to resolve the problem by deleting the offending shape, this should help you so that you don't have to search for those off-pane shapes or try to troubleshoot this again in the future.