inserting video clip

[ladytasha]

I am trying to insert a video clip into a PP
presentation. I keep getting a clip inserted, with sound,
no visual video with the message:

vids:mjpg decompressor

not available / found....

I can play the video clip through Media Player if not in
the presentation.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
LT

 

[TAJ Simmons]

LT,

Read the tip towards the end of this page (in the workarounds section)
http://www.powerpointbackgrounds.com/powerpointtips.htm


If it works for you please report back here

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

awesome - powerpoint backgrounds,
free sample templates, tutorials, hints and tips etc
http://www.powerpointbackgrounds.com

 

[mgerhold]

I have found you can properly embed AVIs, MPGs etc (in both Powerpoint
Word) by inserting a 'package' object first, then copying the vide
file into that. Now why couldn't I find that info anywhere? Any idea
why the help for both Word and PPT make no mention of the embeddin
'feature' - they give the impression that true embedding was intended?
I am using Ofice 97, but I guess from your comments that this featur
has not been corrected in later vns.

Martin Gerhol

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I have found you can properly embed AVIs, MPGs etc (in both Powerpoint &
Word) by inserting a 'package' object first, then copying the video
file into that. Now why couldn't I find that info anywhere? Any ideas
why the help for both Word and PPT make no mention of the embedding
'feature' - they give the impression that true embedding was intended?
I am using Ofice 97, but I guess from your comments that this feature
has not been corrected in later vns.

Is there some advantage to creating a package rather than doing Insert, Object,
Create from File directly?

 

[Martin Gerhold]

Is there some advantage to creating a package rather than doing Insert, Object,
Create from File directly?

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

These confirm that, whatever the help says (and whatever PPt seems to do), clips are not actually embedded! Try embedding a clip, then rename the clip (the source file): double-clicking on the clip in the ppt file will throw up a file-find dialog box! PPt is trying to relocate the file you thought it had already embedded! I can only believe this is a bug which has existed so long that no-one at MS thinks it worth correcting - else why would there be an option to insert the clip as either linked or not, when 'not' is all you actually get? And why would the help give no indication of the real behavour? The fact that the ppt file grows when the clip is 'embedded' is even more frustrating - you pay the price in file size, but get no benefit cf linking!

Note that Word seems to suffer from the same problem - thats how I got onto this the other day when a colleague was having trouble.

I can't believe I have discovered anything new in the use of packager, but found no references to its use.

Regards, Martin

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

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.

 

[mgerhold]

Is there some advantage to creating a package rather than doing
Insert, Object, Create from File directly?

I am using Office97, and if I do 'Insert, Object, Create from File'
and don't select the link option, PPt appears to embed the file. Bu
what I said about trying to rename the source, or moving it, does appl
- the so-called 'inserted' (or embedded) object won't play if th
source isn't where it was when inserted - obviously a link has bee
created regardless of the 'link' selector box. I don't have eas
access to later versions of ppt, but John Langhans' comments sugges
this still applies, as do yours for 2003. I don't think change in fil
size is a reliable indicator of whether the file has been embedded
you have to rename the source to see what really happened.

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.

In 97, I get a warning "you are about to activate an OLE object...d
you want to continue?" This seems a small price to pay to actually ge
the file embedded! Obviously recipients of the file will have to b
reassured that its OK.

Sorry for the confusion caused by my writing (in my reply to you
'embed' as shorthand for 'Insert, Object, Create from File'.

Regards, Martin

PS sent via web-based forum so no MIME junk I hope. The last reply wa
sent from work, where I often have to insert long URLs, which ge
wrapped (and thus broken) if I use plain text

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I am using Office97, and if I do 'Insert, Object, Create from File',
and don't select the link option, PPt appears to embed the file. But
what I said about trying to rename the source, or moving it, does apply
- the so-called 'inserted' (or embedded) object won't play if the
source isn't where it was when inserted - obviously a link has been
created regardless of the 'link' selector box. I don't have easy
access to later versions of ppt, but John Langhans' comments suggest
this still applies, as do yours for 2003. I don't think change in file
size is a reliable indicator of whether the file has been embedded -
you have to rename the source to see what really happened.

Oddly, and I'd have to try this again to verify, it seemed to work as you'd
expect in PowerPoint 2000 when I tried it last.

Send Tuits. I'll have to try it again.

It certainly does seem to be broken in the other versions, doesn't it?
JohnL? Can you shine your spotlight over this way?

Sorry for the confusion caused by my writing (in my reply to you)
'embed' as shorthand for 'Insert, Object, Create from File'.

No problem. I just like to be specific about the *exact* method used. And
version. And so forth. As we've both seen, it all makes a difference <g>.