Microsoft KB Archive/137648

PPT4: Macintosh PowerPoint 4.0 Doesn’t Use Default.ppt

PSS ID Number: Q137648 Article last modified on 05-17-1998

MACINTOSH:4.0

MACINTOSH

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

The information in this article applies to:

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

= SYMPTOMS =

After you try to customize the default template for PowerPoint, you may experience one of the following behaviors:


 * PowerPoint will not recognize the changes you made to the slide master of the default template.
 * PowerPoint continues to use the same default template even after you move it and/or rename it.
 * After you put the default template in the trash, PowerPoint will only use its internal defaults.

= CAUSE =

The default template is named Default.ppt, but PowerPoint tracks it by its internal file I.D., even if the file is renamed. Every time PowerPoint needs to use the default template, it looks for it and then records the location. If you move or rename it, PowerPoint will find it. If you put the default template in the trash and empty it, PowerPoint will use its internal default template settings.

= 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 =

Method 1: Place a Copy of the Default.ppt in the Trash
If you placed the default.ppt in the trash, when PowerPoint was running, and deleted it. It is possible that PowerPoint is still looking for the default.ppt in the trash. Try re-creating the default.ppt and place a copy there.

  Start PowerPoint.   On the File menu, click New.   Click Blank Presentation (on the New Presentation dialog box) and click OK.   Click the Bulleted List auto layout (on the New Slide dialog box) and click OK.   Place an object on the Slide Master.   On View menu, point to Master, and then click Slide Master. </li>  Click on the Rectangle Tool (on the Drawing Toolbar) and draw a rectangle on the master. </li>  Switch back to slide view. On the View menu, click Slides. </li></ol> </li>  On the File menu, click Save As. </li>  Click the Save File as Type drop down list and change the setting to Stationary Pad. Stationary Pad is format of the original default.ppt template. </li>  Type the following text into the Save Presentation as box: default.ppt </li>  Click the Desktop button. </li>  Click the Save button to save the default.ppt Stationary Pad to the desktop. </li>  If the Summary Info dialog appears, enter the appropriate information and click OK. </li>  Quit from PowerPoint. On the File menu, click Quit. </li>  Drag the default.ppt file you created on the desktop to the trash. Do not empty the trash. </li>  Start PowerPoint and create a blank presentation. </li></ol>

Do you see the rectangle you created?

Yes:


 * 1) With PowerPoint running, drag the default.ppt file out the trash back into the Microsoft PowerPoint 4 folder.
 * 2) Create a blank presentation. Do you see the rectangle? If so, you have successfully reconnected PowerPoint to the default.ppt. If not, go on to Method 2 in this article.

No:

Go to Method 2 in this article.

Method 2: Reinstall PowerPoint
If after following the steps detailed in Method 1, PowerPoint is still using the internal default template, please use one the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge base to perform a clean installation of PowerPoint.

ARTICLE-ID: Q150867 TITLE : PPT4: How to Perform a Clean Reinstallation of PowerPoint 4.0

ARTICLE-ID: Q155477 TITLE : Mac Office: How To Do A Clean Reinstall Of Office 4.2.x

Method 3: The Recommended Method to Create a Default.ppt
Use the following steps to create a custom default.ppt template:

<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">  Start PowerPoint and create a blank presentation. </li>  Select an AutoLayout and click OK. </li>  Switch to the Slide Master. On the View menu, point to Master, and click Slide Master. </li>  Make the appropriate changes to your Slide Master. </li>  Switch to the View you want stored in the default.ppt. The view your in when you save the default.ppt, will be the view that is used every time you create a presentation based on default.ppt. For example, if you are in the Slide Master and save the presentation as your default.ppt. The next presentation you create (based on default.ppt) opens in Slide Master view. </li> <li> On the File menu, click Save As. </li> <li> Click the Save File as Type drop down list and change the setting to Stationary Pad. Stationary Pad is format used by the default.ppt template. </li> <li> Type the following text into the Save Presentation as box: default.ppt NOTE: Your default.ppt must be lower case characters. </li> <li> Click Save button. </li> <li> Navigate to your Microsoft PowerPoint 4 folder. If you have Office, you’ll find the PowerPoint folder in the Microsoft Office folder. </li> <li> Click Save, you should receive a message that says: Replace existing “default.ppt”? </li> <li> Click the Replace button. </li> <li> If the Summary Info dialog appears, enter the appropriate information and click OK. </li></ol>

= Additional query words: 4.00 ppt4 powerpnt powerpoint missing =

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