Microsoft KB Archive/140996

PPT4: “Sorry, Cannot Write to PowerPoint Settings” Error Message

PSS ID Number: Q140996 Article last modified on 05-16-1998

MACINTOSH:4.0

MACINTOSH

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

The information in this article applies to:

 == Microsoft PowerPoint for the Macintosh, version 4.0 == 

= SYMPTOMS =

When you start PowerPoint, you may receive the following message:

Sorry, cannot write to “PowerPoint Settings”. Your custom settings will not be preserved.

When you click OK, you will find that all of the custom settings (toolbar layouts, tip of the day, and so on) have been set back to the defaults.

= CAUSE =

One of the reasons this problem occurs is because the PowerPoint Settings (4) file has been locked. If this file is locked, PowerPoint uses its internal default settings.

You may have locked the PowerPoint Settings (4) file to prevent others who use your computer from changing the toolbar layout. PowerPoint uses the settings file for things other than customizing PowerPoint’s appearance. Therefore, if PowerPoint can’t write to the PowerPoint Settings (4) file, it will ignore it.

= STATUS =

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft PowerPoint 98 Macintosh Edition.

= RESOLUTION =

To lock (or unlock) the PowerPoint Settings (4) file:


 * 1) Open your System Folder:Preferences folder.
 * 2) Click the PowerPoint Settings (4) icon to select it.
 * 3) On the File menu, click Get Info.
 * 4) Select or clear the Locked check box to lock or unlock the file.

If you want to be able to easily restore your customizations if someone else changes them, you can do the following:


 * 1) Start PowerPoint and configure the toolbars the way you want them.
 * 2) Exit PowerPoint.
 * 3) Open the System Folder:Preferences folder and copy the PowerPoint Settings (4) file.
 * 4) Move the copy to another folder.
 * 5) Change the name of the copy to PowerPoint Settings (4).

Now, if you ever want to restore your custom settings, you can put your PowerPoint Settings (4) file in the Trash and move the copy back to your Preferences Folder.

= REFERENCES =

For more information on PowerPoint Settings (4), please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q139745 TITLE : OFF4: How to Add an Extension with Office 4.2.1

ARTICLE-ID: Q123073 TITLE : PPT4: Prompt to Locate Speller Starting PowerPoint Speller

= Additional query words: 4.00 m_powerpt m_macsys macsys m_ppt4 =

Keywords : kberrmsg kbdta Version : MACINTOSH:4.0 Platform : MACINTOSH Hardware : MAC Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.