Pass PPT password to viewer via command line

  • Thread starter Thread starter Troy @ TLC
  • Start date Start date
T

Troy @ TLC

I have created a presentation in PPT 2003 and used PowerPoint's security
options to password protect (and encrypt) presentation. I was pleased to
find that the new PPT viewer supports the password option. My goal now is to
use a command line to tell the viewer what presentation to open
(presentation-name.pps), suppress the viewer splash screen (/S), and provide
the password. This is where I am stuck. How do I add the password
information to the command line....?

PS: I know it may sound unusual to automatically include the password, but
for my purpose it is exactly what I want to do.

Appreciate all suggestions and information!
Troy Chollar
TLC Creative Services, inc.
troy at tlccreative dot com
================================================
Featured Presenter, PowerPoint Live 2004
October 10-13, San Diego, CA www.PowerPointLive.com
================================================
 
Hello Troy,
I would be very surprised if the PowerPoint development team implemented
command line support for opening password protected files in the PowerPoint
viewer when they didn't provide any interface for it via automation in the
PowerPoint application .
 
You don't need to worry about the password unless you assigned a "password
to open". If you assigned a "password to modify", the password is
meaningless to the Viewer and won't be needed because it always opens in
Show mode and never in Edit mode. The Viewer doesn't even request it.
 
Thanks for clarifying Sonia. Yes I am looking to implement a "password to
open" and have not assigned a "password to modify." Just trying to develop
some additional content security for a clients distributed presentation that
works within the environment its is being deployed in, so all comments and
suggestions are welcome!

--
Best Regards,
Troy Chollar
TLC Creative Services, inc.
troy at tlccreative dot com
================================================
Featured Presenter, PowerPoint Live 2004
October 10-13, San Diego, CA www.PowerPointLive.com
================================================
 
Thanks for clarifying Sonia. Yes I am looking to implement a "password to
open" and have not assigned a "password to modify." Just trying to develop
some additional content security for a clients distributed presentation that
works within the environment its is being deployed in, so all comments and
suggestions are welcome!
Click to expand...

If MS allowed a command line param to provide the password to open the file, it
becomes much much simpler to crack the password by pounding away at it with a
program that tries one word after another automatically.

So they don't. <g>

[thinks out loud, mumbling to self] but a password encrypted zip file can be
opened from the command line, maybe? and if so, maybe you could extract the
file and run it like that?

--
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================
Featured Presenter, PowerPoint Live 2004
October 10-13, San Diego, CA www.PowerPointLive.com
================================================
 
[CRITICAL UPDATE - Anyone using Office 2003 should install the critical
update as soon as possible. From PowerPoint, choose "Help -> Check for
Updates".]
[TOP ISSUE - Are you having difficulty opening presentations in PowerPoint
that you just created (you can save, but not open)? -
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=329820]

Hello,

PowerPoint Viewer 2003 doesn't provide the functionality that you are
looking for.

If you (or anyone else reading this message) think that it's important that
PowerPoint Viewer provide this kind of functionality, don't forget to send
your feedback (in YOUR OWN WORDS, please) to Microsoft at:

http://register.microsoft.com/mswish/suggestion.asp

It's VERY important that, for EACH wish, you describe in detail, WHY it is
important TO YOU that your product suggestion be implemented. A good wish
submssion includes WHAT scenario, work-flow, or end-result is blocked by
not having a specific feature, HOW MUCH time and effort ($$$) is spent
working around a specific limitation of the current product, etc. Remember
that Microsoft receives THOUSANDS of product suggestions every day and we
read each one but, in any given product development cycle, there are ONLY
sufficient resources to address the ones that are MOST IMPORTANT to our
customers so take the extra time to state your case as CLEARLY and
COMPLETELY as possible so that we can FEEL YOUR PAIN.

IMPORTANT: Each submission should be a single suggestion (not a list of
suggestions).

John Langhans
Microsoft Corporation
Supportability Program Manager
Microsoft Office PowerPoint for Windows
Microsoft Office Picture Manager for Windows

For FAQ's, highlights and top issues, visit the Microsoft PowerPoint
support center at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=ppt
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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