Is there some advantage to creating a package rather than doing
Insert, Object,
This was in response to a question about so-called 'embedded' clips not
being found when the original sources were moved (or renamed), or the
containing document was sent to someone who didn't have the sources. It was
news to me, but I have seen many references (on Usenet and the web):
see
http://www.soniacoleman.com/Tutorials/PowerPoint/multimedia.htm#Portability
and
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00155.htm
I'm familiar with the second one and the problems of linked files. That wasn't
the question.
Insert, Movies and Sounds, From File does create a link and like as not, the
link will break.
Insert, Object, Create from File will, so long as you don't choose Link, embed
the file in your PowerPoint presentation rather than linking to it. Or will
depending on PPT version.
This is interesting. Seems that PPT2003 has been <cough> "improved".
It does indeed insert a link when you Insert Object and choose an MPEG (my
example here), even though you don't choose Link. However, it seems to make a
fairly small file as a result - 130kb vs 1500kb in the MPEG file I chose.
PPT 2000 embeds the MPEG under the same circumstances, same MPEG.
Rats. Yet ANOTHER layer of inconsistency to cope with.
BUT inserting a package does embed the same MPEG into the PPT file, even in PPT
2003 (judging by the file size that results).
But in PPT 2003, it's very slow to do anything when clicked, then it gives me a
warning message and finally a file dialog box. No indication what it wants,
just a file dialog box.
I'm apparently missing a crucial step here. Will re-read your original msg and
see if I can work that out. But in general, you're right. Linking in PPT is a
messy business. And that's on a good day. Talk about more than one version of
PPT at once and it won't be a good day.