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Q84926: PRB: Loading Metafile Causes "Cannot Convert Picture" Error

Article: Q84926
Product(s): Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kb16bitonly kbSDKWin16
Last Modified: 26-JUN-1999

3.00 3.10
WINDOWS
kbprg kbprb

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) 3.1 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When an application attempts to load a metafile from disk, the following error
message is displayed:

  Cannot convert picture

CAUSE
=====

Some Windows applications expect to load a "placeable" metafile, which has 22
additional bytes, at the beginning of a normal metafile. Both metafile types use
the .wmf file extension; only the contents of the file change.

In an application, the GetMetaFile function does not read a placeable metafile
correctly; however, it returns a non-NULL value, which indicates success.

RESOLUTION
==========

Load the metafile into an application that will accept both metafile types and
save the metafile in an appropriate type. The following applications accept
"placeable" metafiles: Aldus PageMaker, Microsoft PowerPoint, Micrografx, Corel
Draw, Microsoft Draw, Microsoft Graph, Microsoft Equation Editor, and Microsoft
Publisher.

For more information on placeable metafiles, query on the following words in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  prod(winsdk) and placeable and metafile

STATUS
======

This behavior is by design.

Additional query words: 3.00 3.10

======================================================================
Keywords          : kb16bitonly kbSDKWin16 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbSDKSearch kbWinSDKSearch kbWinSDK310
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1
Issue type        : kbprb

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