Microsoft KB Archive/136275

PPT: How to Run a Presentation as a Slide Show Automatically

PSS ID Number: Q136275 Article last modified on 05-16-1998

MACINTOSH:3.0,3.0b,4.0

MACINTOSH

================================================================ ==

The information in this article applies to:

 == Microsoft PowerPoint for Macintosh, versions 3.0, 3.0b, and 4.0 == 

= SYMPTOMS =

You can have a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation start the PowerPoint Viewer and run a slide show automatically when you double-click the presentation. The following article lists two methods you can use to accomplish this.

NOTE: Do no use the steps in the this article if you have PowerPoint 98 Macintosh Edition. PowerPoint 98 has the ability to save a presentation as a PowerPoint Show. A PowerPoint Show starts the slide show when you double-click the file.

= MORE INFORMATION =

Both methods involve changing the file type of a PowerPoint presentation. Before trying either of these methods, be sure to make a backup copy of your presentation.

Method 1: Change the Creator of Presentation
To use this method, you must have ResEdit (or some utility to change the type and creator of a file) and the PowerPoint Viewer installed on your computer. These directions apply to ResEdit 2.1.1 and 2.1.3.


 * 1) Start ResEdit.
 * 2) On the File menu, click Get File/Folder Info.
 * 3) In the Open dialog box, go to the folder that contains your presentation.
 * 4) Select your presentation and then click Get Info.
 * 5) Change the Creator field to PPTV. This is the creator of the Viewer program. This field is case sensitive, so be sure to use all uppercase letters.
 * 6) On the File menu, click Save.
 * 7) Quit ResEdit.

The file is now a PowerPoint Viewer file. To change the document back to a PowerPoint presentation file, repeat steps 1 through 7, except change the creator back to PPT3.

If you get an error message “‘Filename.ppt’:Sorry, this file is not a PowerPoint presentation.”,make sure the viewer is properly registered. You can do this by launching the viewer, then retry the newly defined icon.

Method 2: You PC Exchange to Assign the Creator
For this method, you must have PC Exchange. This control panel is included with System 7.5. You must also have an MS-DOS-formatted floppy disk.

  On the Apple menu, click Control Panel.   Double-click PC Exchange.   In the PC Exchange Control Panel, click Add.   Go to the folder that contains the PowerPoint Viewer.   Single-click the PowerPoint Viewer to select it.   Assign an MS-DOS suffix (extension), such as .PPV or .PPS. Leave the Document Type to the deafult (TEXT) and click OK. </li>  Change the name of your presentation to something that is eight characters or less followed by the MS-DOS extension you chose in step <ol start="6" style="list-style-type: decimal;"> For example, you can change Test Presentation to Test.ppv. The extension of the file name is not case sensitive.</li></ol> </li>  Insert the MS-DOS-formatted disk in the floppy disk drive. </li>  Drag the presentation onto the MS-DOS disk. The presentation is now converted to a PowerPoint Viewer document. </li></ol>

After you complete Method 1 or 2, the presentation icon changes to a blank document icon. This is normal behavior. The presentation is now a PowerPoint Viewer document. When you double-click the presentation icon, PowerPoint Viewer starts, and your slide show begins.

To have the presentation automatically play after you start your computer, place this Viewer file in the Startup Items folder, which is located in the System folder. You can even place several Viewer files in the Startup Items folder and have them play consecutively.

NOTE: If you are using multiple Viewer files, check the play order by opening the Startup Items folder. On the View menu, click By Name. This list will show the order the slide shows will play.

For more information on optaining a copy of the Macintosh PowerPoint Viewer, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q122935 TITLE : PPT: Mac PowerPoint Viewer Available on Online Services

For more information on Viewer usage and PlayLists, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q131685 TITLE : PPT: How to Use PowerPoint Playlists on the Macintosh

The third-party products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products’ performance or reliability.

= Additional query words: 3.00 3.00b 4.00 macppt M_Powerpt powerpnt =

Keywords : kbdta kbviewer Version : MACINTOSH:3.0,3.0b,4.0 Platform : MACINTOSH Hardware : MAC Issue type : kbinfo ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.