Defeating information bars/security warnings in links from PowerPo

[Guest]

Help!!

I have a mock web site on my hard drive for use in a business presentation.
I have a shortcut on my desktop to this mock web site. I have IE7 configured
so the "site" comes up and the ActiveX controls and scripts run fine without
any information bar or security warnings.

But when I call that same "site" up in IE7 within my PowerPoint presentation
(Office 2007/Vista Ultimate) using an "action" setting, I get an ActiveX
information bar and security warning. I have done everything I can think of
to try to defeat them, including all the recommended "trustworthy" settings,
but still the ActiveX information bar comes up. And when I turned off ALL
the security settings associated with ActiveX, I get an information bar
warning me that I have done THAT.

How can I get this mock site to come up clean within PowerPoint the way it
does from the shortcut on the desktop? I will be eternally grateful for the
magic solution. Thanks...

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Help!!

I have a mock web site on my hard drive for use in a business presentation.
I have a shortcut on my desktop to this mock web site. I have IE7 configured
so the "site" comes up and the ActiveX controls and scripts run fine without
any information bar or security warnings.

But when I call that same "site" up in IE7 within my PowerPoint presentation
(Office 2007/Vista Ultimate) using an "action" setting, I get an ActiveX
information bar and security warning. I have done everything I can think of
to try to defeat them, including all the recommended "trustworthy" settings,
but still the ActiveX information bar comes up. And when I turned off ALL
the security settings associated with ActiveX, I get an information bar
warning me that I have done THAT.

How can I get this mock site to come up clean within PowerPoint the way it
does from the shortcut on the desktop? I will be eternally grateful for the
magic solution. Thanks...

IE may be smart enough to work out whether it was invoked by the user or by an
application and if the latter, tries to "protect" you.

How exactly are you invoking it? Which action setting are you using?

 

[Guest]

Hi. Thanks for your interest. I am invoking it with "Run program" and I
show a path to the file, which is an htm file. FYI: I have gone into
PowerPoint Options, Trust Center, Trust Center Settings where I did the
following: unchecked the "Check Microsoft Office documents, etc." under
Privacy Options; added the path of the htm file to "Trusted Locations"; and
selected "Enable all controls without restrictions and without prompting"
under ActiveX Settings. Hope this helps you help me, Steve. And thanks
again for your interest.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I don't have a way of checking this with IE7 immediately to hand, but with
IE6/PPT2007/WinXP SP2, it works if I add a hyperlink to an HTML file rather than a
Run Program link/action setting. Give that a shot and if it doesn't fly, I'll fire
up a machine with IE7 on it.

Oh, and if that doesn't work, is a VBA solution acceptable?

 

[Guest]

Sorry to report that using the Hyperlink approach does not solve the problem.
In fact it is marginally worse. When I use Hyperlink rather than the Action
command I first get a security warning telling me that hyperlinks can be
dangerous and when I click on "yes" to continue, the htm file opens, but
minimized, so if I am actually running the show, there is no indication
whatsoever that the htm file has actually opened. And in addition to that,
the same ActiveX Information bar and security warning is active in the
minimized window anyway. No gain. Some loss. Frustrating. If you can see
a way to solve this when you get in IE7 I will be forever grateful.

 

[Guest]

Hi Paul

This is a long rambling story that may be irrelevant, but stick with it ;-)

Ages ago I designed my website using Expression Web and when I viewed it
online I got no warnings, but when I previewed it through Expression Web I
got a blocked content warning. I posted in the newsgroup and got a reply
about it being normal behaviour. I can't now find the thread but look at Mark
Fitzpatrick's reply here:
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...396337-90a5-4679-9e26-cd6797198a48&sloc=en-us

I hope that helps and sorry it's not the answer you were after :-(

Lucy

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Bouncing off Lucy's reply here ...

Does this occur with all HTML pages or just some? If just some, can they be re-created
w/o ActiveX controls?

What about substituting another browser for IE7? Firefox or Opera, for example?

 

[Guest]

Bingo! Almost. Thanks, Lucy, I followed Mark's instructions at the link and
the file now opens without the Information bar and its attendant security
warning, but.....before the file opens I still get a security warning telling
me that Windows has "blocked the ability to run an external program
automatically". This warning then offers me 3 options: Enable All, Enable
or Disable. If I choose Enable All, the htm file, my DVD player and another
mpg app all will open without difficulty during the course of my
presentation, but ONLY during the current one. Next time I open PowerPoint
it has forgotten all about my Enable All command and I am forced to go
through the same drill all over again. Which means that I have to do a
false start of the show in private every time I do a presentation just to get
past this security warning. (Obviously I don't want the security warning
popping up in the middle of a presentation.)

Help tells me that in order to open such programs regularly they have to be
in a folder added to the "trusted locations" list in the "Trust Center".
This I have done, but it seems to mean nothing. I still get this warning.
Can this be right? Will Vista not permit me to select trusted external
programs and then reliably run them? I can obviously now work around this
final hurdle by "Enabling all" in private each time I open PowerPoint. But I
can't imagine that it was the intent that I should have to do that. What am
I missing here? Can we defeat this one, too?

P.S. To Steve: It is not practical to recreate the htm file in question.
And with regard to the other browsers, since this is now seemingly a
PowerPoint /Windows blocking issue, that would seem unwarranted. Is that
right?

 

[Echo S]

You bring up a good point, and one that's frustrating to many of us. The
other Office apps make use of the "trusted folders" location, but I see
absolutely no benefit to it for PPT users. And it really honks me off. We
get stuck with some stupid security warning in the middle of
presentations -- you'd think the "trusted locations" would help overcome
that, but it doesn't seem to at all.

Grrr.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

P.S. To Steve: It is not practical to recreate the htm file in question.

Understood. I was curious to see if a simpler file, one with no ActiveX controls would also trigger
backchat from WistfulVista.

And with regard to the other browsers, since this is now seemingly a
PowerPoint /Windows blocking issue, that would seem unwarranted. Is that
right?

It would seem so, but it'd be worth a try just the same ... both Firefox and Opera should be willing to
coexist w/ IE w/o causing trouble.

Another thought ... what about running under elevated privileges, just for the duration of your
presentation?

Or installing a virtual computer under VPC (free from MS) using a less nannyish version of Windows and
running the show in the virtual machine.

Or ... my favorite ... checking your PC supplier to see if they have an upgrade CD available, one
that'll let you switch to XP instead of Vista. Several vendors have this now. And you understand
better than most why they would, eh? <g>

 

[Guest]

Thanks Echo. It really is a strange oversight. Do you happen to know if
anyone has actually talked to Microsoft about it? And if so, what Microsoft
had to say? Would be interesting to know. In the meantime, my workaround
does work, however, so I'm just going to quickly trigger the security warning
when I'm setting up and click on "Enable all". After that, they'll all come
up as smooth as can be and the problem will be invisible. I hope.

You bring up a good point, and one that's frustrating to many of us. The
other Office apps make use of the "trusted folders" location, but I see
absolutely no benefit to it for PPT users. And it really honks me off. We
get stuck with some stupid security warning in the middle of
presentations -- you'd think the "trusted locations" would help overcome
that, but it doesn't seem to at all.

Grrr.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

Bingo! Almost. Thanks, Lucy, I followed Mark's instructions at the link
and
the file now opens without the Information bar and its attendant security
warning, but.....before the file opens I still get a security warning
telling
me that Windows has "blocked the ability to run an external program
automatically". This warning then offers me 3 options: Enable All,
Enable
or Disable. If I choose Enable All, the htm file, my DVD player and
another
mpg app all will open without difficulty during the course of my
presentation, but ONLY during the current one. Next time I open
PowerPoint
it has forgotten all about my Enable All command and I am forced to go
through the same drill all over again. Which means that I have to do a
false start of the show in private every time I do a presentation just to
get
past this security warning. (Obviously I don't want the security warning
popping up in the middle of a presentation.)

Help tells me that in order to open such programs regularly they have to
be
in a folder added to the "trusted locations" list in the "Trust Center".
This I have done, but it seems to mean nothing. I still get this warning.
Can this be right? Will Vista not permit me to select trusted external
programs and then reliably run them? I can obviously now work around this
final hurdle by "Enabling all" in private each time I open PowerPoint.
But I
can't imagine that it was the intent that I should have to do that. What
am
I missing here? Can we defeat this one, too?

P.S. To Steve: It is not practical to recreate the htm file in question.
And with regard to the other browsers, since this is now seemingly a
PowerPoint /Windows blocking issue, that would seem unwarranted. Is that
right?

 

[Guest]

Hi Steve. You're right, it would be interesting to know. And it would be
interesting to try the other browsers, too. As to "elevated privileges",
we're way over my head with that; I'll do some research though, because if
the words mean what they sound like they mean it might be something. Ditto
the virtual machine concept. On the final thing, though, going to XP, I'm
reluctant to do that because this is a presentation that's all about media
and it really wants to give a cutting edge impression. The provider does NOT
have the XP option for this particular machine anyway, but they will provide
drivers if I elect to buy XP and "downgrade" (their word). And I don't know
what I'd be giving up in the way of media performance there, either. For
example, right now the machine will deliver dual resolutions so the external
displays can be set very high for HD while the laptop, which is very small
and light, is running at its native resolution of 1289 X 800. I'm not sure
if XP and its drivers would allow all those features to work. Plus I'm under
a time gun. So all in all.....check out my reply to Echo and you'll see what
I'm thinking at this point. But everyone here has been great and I am very
appreciative. When I can take a breath I'll come back to your suggestions
above and play around and try to report back. And in the meantime, if you
come across a solution that's NOT a workaround, please post it. I'm sure we
would all appreciate it. Many thanks for you attention.

 

[Echo S]

Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's kind of like talking to a brick wall
when it comes to Microsoft and "security," but a couple of the MVPs are
masochists and keep trying. I don't know who mandates this stuff, but I
think they've gone overboard with protecting users from themselves,
especially when I'm the presenter as well as the creator, so I know darned
good and well where all the files came from!

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

Thanks Echo. It really is a strange oversight. Do you happen to know if
anyone has actually talked to Microsoft about it? And if so, what
Microsoft
had to say? Would be interesting to know. In the meantime, my workaround
does work, however, so I'm just going to quickly trigger the security
warning
when I'm setting up and click on "Enable all". After that, they'll all
come
up as smooth as can be and the problem will be invisible. I hope.

You bring up a good point, and one that's frustrating to many of us. The
other Office apps make use of the "trusted folders" location, but I see
absolutely no benefit to it for PPT users. And it really honks me off. We
get stuck with some stupid security warning in the middle of
presentations -- you'd think the "trusted locations" would help overcome
that, but it doesn't seem to at all.

Grrr.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PowerPoint 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
(New!) The PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit
http://tinyurl.com/2qzlpl
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/index.html

Bingo! Almost. Thanks, Lucy, I followed Mark's instructions at the
link
and
the file now opens without the Information bar and its attendant
security
warning, but.....before the file opens I still get a security warning
telling
me that Windows has "blocked the ability to run an external program
automatically". This warning then offers me 3 options: Enable All,
Enable
or Disable. If I choose Enable All, the htm file, my DVD player and
another
mpg app all will open without difficulty during the course of my
presentation, but ONLY during the current one. Next time I open
PowerPoint
it has forgotten all about my Enable All command and I am forced to go
through the same drill all over again. Which means that I have to do
a
false start of the show in private every time I do a presentation just
to
get
past this security warning. (Obviously I don't want the security
warning
popping up in the middle of a presentation.)

Help tells me that in order to open such programs regularly they have
to
be
in a folder added to the "trusted locations" list in the "Trust
Center".
This I have done, but it seems to mean nothing. I still get this
warning.
Can this be right? Will Vista not permit me to select trusted external
programs and then reliably run them? I can obviously now work around
this
final hurdle by "Enabling all" in private each time I open PowerPoint.
But I
can't imagine that it was the intent that I should have to do that.
What
am
I missing here? Can we defeat this one, too?

P.S. To Steve: It is not practical to recreate the htm file in
question.
And with regard to the other browsers, since this is now seemingly a
PowerPoint /Windows blocking issue, that would seem unwarranted. Is
that
right?

:

Hi Paul

This is a long rambling story that may be irrelevant, but stick with
it
;-)

Ages ago I designed my website using Expression Web and when I viewed
it
online I got no warnings, but when I previewed it through Expression
Web
I
got a blocked content warning. I posted in the newsgroup and got a
reply
about it being normal behaviour. I can't now find the thread but look
at
Mark
Fitzpatrick's reply here:
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...396337-90a5-4679-9e26-cd6797198a48&sloc=en-us

I hope that helps and sorry it's not the answer you were after :-(

Lucy
--
MOS Master Instructor
www.aneasiertomorrow.com.au




:

Sorry to report that using the Hyperlink approach does not solve the
problem.
In fact it is marginally worse. When I use Hyperlink rather than
the
Action
command I first get a security warning telling me that hyperlinks
can
be
dangerous and when I click on "yes" to continue, the htm file opens,
but
minimized, so if I am actually running the show, there is no
indication
whatsoever that the htm file has actually opened. And in addition
to
that,
the same ActiveX Information bar and security warning is active in
the
minimized window anyway. No gain. Some loss. Frustrating. If you
can see
a way to solve this when you get in IE7 I will be forever grateful.

:

I don't have a way of checking this with IE7 immediately to hand,
but
with
IE6/PPT2007/WinXP SP2, it works if I add a hyperlink to an HTML
file
rather than a
Run Program link/action setting. Give that a shot and if it
doesn't
fly, I'll fire
up a machine with IE7 on it.

Oh, and if that doesn't work, is a VBA solution acceptable?


Paul
G wrote:
Hi. Thanks for your interest. I am invoking it with "Run
program"
and I
show a path to the file, which is an htm file. FYI: I have
gone
into
PowerPoint Options, Trust Center, Trust Center Settings where I
did
the
following: unchecked the "Check Microsoft Office documents,
etc."
under
Privacy Options; added the path of the htm file to "Trusted
Locations"; and
selected "Enable all controls without restrictions and without
prompting"
under ActiveX Settings. Hope this helps you help me, Steve.
And
thanks
again for your interest.

:

Paul G wrote:
Help!!

I have a mock web site on my hard drive for use in a
business
presentation.
I have a shortcut on my desktop to this mock web site. I
have
IE7 configured
so the "site" comes up and the ActiveX controls and scripts
run
fine without
any information bar or security warnings.

But when I call that same "site" up in IE7 within my
PowerPoint
presentation
(Office 2007/Vista Ultimate) using an "action" setting, I
get
an ActiveX
information bar and security warning. I have done
everything I
can think of
to try to defeat them, including all the recommended
"trustworthy" settings,
but still the ActiveX information bar comes up. And when I
turned off ALL
the security settings associated with ActiveX, I get an
information bar
warning me that I have done THAT.

How can I get this mock site to come up clean within
PowerPoint
the way it
does from the shortcut on the desktop? I will be eternally
grateful for the
magic solution. Thanks...

IE may be smart enough to work out whether it was invoked by
the
user or by an
application and if the latter, tries to "protect" you.

How exactly are you invoking it? Which action setting are you
using?

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





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

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thanks for the followup, Paul.

As Echo's mentioned, some of us do keep lowering our heads and running full speed at MS about this, so we do
feel the pain. In our presentations and our pates. <g>