CD and relative paths

[Guest]

I'm attempting to create a CD using PowerPoint. I'd like 99% of the content
to be on the CD, but I'm hoping to have one hyperlink to a .ppt file the end
user creates and saves onto their computer (I'll specify the file name).This
would be used internally at my company and all users are using XP.

My problem is that each employee has a unique profile for the file path
(i.e. C:\Documents and Settings\username\..." Is there any way to "hard
code" a path that is suitable for all users, such as
"C:\Desktop\Myfolder\Mypresentation.ppt."

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I'm attempting to create a CD using PowerPoint. I'd like 99% of the content
to be on the CD, but I'm hoping to have one hyperlink to a .ppt file the end
user creates and saves onto their computer (I'll specify the file name).This
would be used internally at my company and all users are using XP.

My problem is that each employee has a unique profile for the file path
(i.e. C:\Documents and Settings\username\..." Is there any way to "hard
code" a path that is suitable for all users, such as
"C:\Desktop\Myfolder\Mypresentation.ppt."

It may depend on what you're hardcoding it into but in a bat file you can use
%USERPROFILE% to return the user's "home" directory.

At a command prompt, type SET to get a list of other possibly useful
environmental variables like this.

 

[Guest]

It may depend on what you're hardcoding it into but in a bat file you can use
%USERPROFILE% to return the user's "home" directory.

At a command prompt, type SET to get a list of other possibly useful
environmental variables like this.




-----------------------------------------
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================


Steve:

I guess I wasn't very specific. So sorry. I'm only vaguely familiar with
..bat files (enough to make me dangerous). I would like the hyperlink (or
Action) to be a button within a PowerPoint show that opens the
above-mentioned file. Does that make sense?

Thanks!

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I guess I wasn't very specific. So sorry. I'm only vaguely familiar with
..bat files (enough to make me dangerous).

Where's your sense of ADVENTURE??? The danger is half the fun!

I would like the hyperlink (or
Action) to be a button within a PowerPoint show that opens the
above-mentioned file. Does that make sense?

It does, but it may not be straightforward to accomplish. But give this a shot:

Use e.g. Notepad to create STARTME.BAT
In it, put the following:

@echo off
c:
cd %userprofile%
cd "my documents"
start "MYFILE.PPT"
exit
:END OF BAT FILE

Change MYFILE.PPT to the name of the PPT file you want to launch.
Save the PPT file in the My Documents folder.

Have the action button launch the BAT file.