Updating Keynote '08 files for use with 6.5.2.

Thanks for the helpful info - and I'll be taking action based on it.

However, I tried a number of my old presentations after you said you'd been been able to open files from versions 3 and 4 with version 6.x, and just to verify the problem I'm having, this is the error message I get from 6.5.2 when I try to open any of my old 4.0.4 Keynotes:

And this surprised me as I did not expect Apple would abandon even conversion compatibility with files from prior versions this quickly.

I wonder why it would vary between your Mac and mine....???

Anyway, I also verified that the old files would still open on my venerable iBook, and finally, this is my version of Keynote...

Alright. I would be interested to see if your results are different than mine, so as per your suggestion I created a very simple test file in 4.0.4, and got the same message when trying to open it in version 6..5.2:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/21h0z4eik57xkn0/AADZg-kaGZGba8Qx-NNW_kb1a?dl=0

I didn't try your link but bought an "advertised as new" copy of iWorks '09 on Amazon for about $23. Looked legit and no issues installing on Yosemite 10.10.3.

Considering that I put in over 100 hours on one critical presentation in Keynote '08, a bargain in my book.

And my successful conversion experience is described in a reply to Gary

Thanks for all your help! You helped me save at least 100 hours of work on one file alone.

I successfully installed the advertised-as-new copy of iWorks '09 I bought on Amazon for about $23. (And was never asked for a serial number during the install). I was then able to instantly open and automatically convert the '08 version of my (huge and complicated) presentation to the '09 version - with everything intact and looking identical to the original - all the fonts, transitions, images, etc. (I saved a duplicate of the '08 original just in case.)

Next, opening that converted file in 6.5.3 actually took awhile - and returned these messages:

__________________________________________________________

This Keynote presentation may look different

Here’s what changed when you opened it in the new version of Keynote:

Convergence builds were imported as Dissolve (slide 20)

Placeholder images couldn’t be downloaded

___________________________________________________________

I did have to do some slight editing of text that now overran line length, but "Dissolve" seems to work as nicely as "Convergence" ever did. And all of the transitions seem to be there, although I'm apparently going to have re-time some for some reason.

So I don't even know what "placeholder images" are missing, or even what that means, but don't see a problem, or if there is one I later notice with more scrutiny, feel I should be able to edit my way around it. On the plus side, some of the thematic elements seem upgraded, but I only did one complete run-through, so that's just a first take.

In any case, after two conversions, there's less work to do than I anticipated might be necessary. I do think Apple could have provided more info on this themselves, and thank my stars that you were out there in the support community to bail me out.

And again, I saved a new copy of the 6.5.3 file, so I now have all three versions - at least for now - should I need them

NOTE: The "new old" apps I installed don't appear in Launchpad. I found them in a folder inside of the Applications folder called "iWork '09" - which I assume explains this. I didn't take them out of the folder as I don't expect I'll be using them - other than for possible future conversions of my limited number of iWorks app files from that period.

Bottom line: Problem solved!