PPSM to TCR Converter

Convert PPSM presentations to TCR format free online

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Maximum Compression

TCR squeezes text into an extremely compact format — the resulting file is among the smallest eBook outputs possible from a PPSM presentation.

Pure Text Extraction

Every visual element, macro, and formatting layer is stripped. What remains is the essential text content from your slides — nothing else.

Convert from Any Browser

No special software needed on your end. Upload the PPSM from any web browser, and Convertio delivers the TCR file directly.

How to convert PPSM to TCR

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose tcr or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your tcr file right afterwards

About formats

PPSM (PowerPoint Slideshow with Macros) is a macro-enabled slideshow format in Microsoft PowerPoint, introduced with Office 2007 as part of the Office Open XML family. PPSM combines the auto-play slideshow behavior of PPSX with the VBA macro capabilities of PPTM — opening a PPSM file launches it directly into full-screen presentation mode while allowing embedded macro code to execute during the slideshow. The format is structurally a ZIP archive containing the same XML slide parts as other OOXML presentation formats, plus a vbaProject.bin stream housing the VBA project. This combination is particularly valuable for interactive presentations: macro-driven slideshows can respond to user input, navigate non-linearly between sections, query external databases, update content in real time, and log audience responses during training or assessment sessions. One advantage is interactive presentation capability — PPSM enables quiz-style presentations where clicking answer buttons triggers immediate scoring feedback, branching paths, or data recording, all invisible to the audience. The macro-enabled slideshow format also supports self-contained automation: a PPSM file can run initialization routines on launch, configure the display environment, and clean up resources on exit without any manual intervention. As with all macro-enabled Office Open XML formats, the distinct .ppsm extension helps administrators enforce security policies that differentiate between trusted macro content and standard presentations. PPSM is supported exclusively in Microsoft PowerPoint desktop editions.
Developer: Microsoft
Initial release: January 30, 2007
TCR (Text Compression for Reader) is a compressed plain-text ebook format developed by Barry Childress in the early 1990s for the Psion Series 3 family of palmtop computers. The format was created for Childress's Reader3 application, a text file viewer that needed to fit large books into the Psion's extremely limited storage — typically 128 KB to 2 MB of available memory. TCR uses a dictionary-based compression scheme derived from the earlier ZVR format by Ian Giddings, replacing repeated byte sequences with single-byte tokens that reference a header dictionary. This straightforward approach achieves compression ratios of roughly 40-60% on typical English prose while requiring minimal CPU resources for decompression. The Psion Series 3 ran on a 3.84 MHz NEC V30 processor with no floating-point unit, so TCR's low computational overhead was essential for smooth page-by-page reading. A key advantage is remarkable storage efficiency for its simplicity — users could carry dozens of novels on removable SSD cards that held only a few hundred kilobytes. The format found a dedicated user community among Psion enthusiasts who built libraries of compressed literature for portable reading years before smartphones existed. Though the Psion platform faded from the market in the early 2000s, TCR files can still be opened and converted by modern ebook tools, and the format stands as an early example of purpose-built mobile reading technology from the pre-smartphone era.
Developer: Barry Childress
Initial release: 1993

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PPSM to TCR?

TCR compresses plain text very efficiently — originally designed for Psion handheld devices. It is useful for ultra-lightweight text extraction from presentations.

How do I open a TCR file?

Psion Series 3 devices read TCR natively. On modern systems, Calibre can open and convert TCR. Some PDA emulators also handle the format.

Is TCR a text-only format?

Yes. TCR stores compressed plain text without images, formatting, or multimedia. Only the raw textual content from your PPSM slides is preserved.

What happens to macros and images?

Both are discarded. TCR retains only text — no VBA macros, no images, no styling. It is the most stripped-down output option available.

Is conversion free?

Yes — Convertio converts PPSM to TCR at no cost. Premium plans are available for users with bulk or large-file requirements.

When would TCR be useful today?

TCR remains relevant for retro computing enthusiasts, Psion collectors, and scenarios where maximum text compression in a tiny file is the priority.