TCR to PPSM Converter

Convert TCR text to PPSM macro slide show — free

Drop files here. 1 GB maximum file size or Sign Up
to
Facebook Amazon Microsoft Tesla Nestle Walmart L'Oreal

Macro Slide Show

Turn TCR text into PPSM — a presentation that auto-plays on open and supports VBA macros for interactive and automated slide experiences.

Privacy Ensured

TCR uploads are deleted immediately after conversion. PPSM outputs are automatically removed from Convertio servers within 24 hours.

Remote Processing

Convertio converts TCR to PPSM entirely on cloud servers. No local installation of PowerPoint or macro editors needed.

How to convert TCR to PPSM

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

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
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

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert TCR to PPSM?

PPSM combines auto-play slide show mode with macro support. Convert TCR text to create an interactive, automated presentation experience.

What software handles PPSM?

Microsoft PowerPoint is the primary application. LibreOffice Impress can open PPSM files, though VBA macro execution may not be fully supported.

Are macros included automatically?

The conversion creates the PPSM container, which supports macros. You can then add VBA macros through PowerPoint developer tools afterward.

How is PPSM different from PPSX?

Both launch in slide show mode, but PPSM supports VBA macros while PPSX does not. Choose PPSM when you need automation or interactivity.

Any cost for TCR to PPSM?

No, Convertio provides this conversion for free. Paid plans unlock batch conversion and extended upload limits for power users.