Powerpoint Viewer 2003 error

  • Thread starter Thread starter RLM
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R

RLM

I work for a school library where we installed Powerpoint Viewer 2003
on our XP pro (SP2) machines so that users can access powerpoint
lectures on the web and print them. The problem is that whenever
someone clicks on a link, the viewer gives an error in separate boxes
-- can't read "temporary", then can't read "internet" then can't read
"files", etc until the box saying it can't read the file itself. This
happens if the presentations are uploaded in ppt or html format on
different sites, and I have verified that our security and antivirus
software are not at fault - I uninstalled them completely and got same
problem. I also get the same error with the older PowerPoint Viewer.

Anybody out there got an answer for this one?

Much thanks in advance!

RLM
 
The PowerPoint Viewer sees a space as a delimiter. In other words it marks the
end of the file name. That's why you are getting multiple messages, because if
it is pointed to C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary
Internet Files\anyfile.ppt it sees Temporary as a file name and Internet as a
file name and Files as a file name.

Not knowing how you are creating or accessing the links, it's hard to tell you
how to correct this. Are they opening the Viewer and then opening the file?
 
I work for a school library where we installed Powerpoint Viewer 2003
on our XP pro (SP2) machines so that users can access powerpoint
lectures on the web and print them. The problem is that whenever
someone clicks on a link, the viewer gives an error in separate boxes
-- can't read "temporary", then can't read "internet" then can't read
"files", etc until the box saying it can't read the file itself. This
happens if the presentations are uploaded in ppt or html format on
different sites, and I have verified that our security and antivirus
software are not at fault - I uninstalled them completely and got same
problem. I also get the same error with the older PowerPoint Viewer.
Click to expand...

It sounds as though your file associations for PowerPoint are mildly goofed up.

Normally the file association for PPT files should point to:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\POWERPNT.EXE" "%1"

The exact path to POWERPNT.EXE will depend on your setup; the main point is
that the entire path to POWERPNT.EXE is enclosed in quotes AND so is the %1
that represents the name of the file passed to PowerPoint to launch.

W/o the quotes, PowerPoint sees the spaces in the path and filename as
separators and treats each bit as an individual file.

This will explain how to reset the associations:

Changing a File Association
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00355.htm

Sometimes running Detect and Repair will do it too, by the way. I'd try that
first.


--
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
================================================
 
The file association will only point to PowerPoint if it is installed on the
system. In the case described, the system only has the Viewer on it and the
file is on the web. What I can't figure out is where the link is and what it
contains. It sounds a bit like someone created shortcuts on the Desktop that
are pointing to the local \Temporary Internet Files.
 
The file association will only point to PowerPoint if it is installed on the
system. In the case described, the system only has the Viewer on it and the
file is on the web. What I can't figure out is where the link is and what it
contains. It sounds a bit like someone created shortcuts on the Desktop that
are pointing to the local \Temporary Internet Files.
Click to expand...

Ah, the viewer, yeah. Substitute the path to the viewer for the path to
PowerPnt.exe and the same thing should hold true though ...

On clicking a link to a recognized file type, the browser will pop the file inot
the local temporary internet files folder then launch it just the same as you'd
do by doubleclicking. It doesn't open the file directly from the web server.

So the same thing would happen ... if the %1 in question isn't quoted, it'll see
the spaces as the beginning of new file names.

It's hard to tell what's going on if you already have PPT installed on the system
(the installer leaves PPT/PPS registered to PPT itself, bless its clever little
paws).

But on a system w/ no PPT, it registers PPT/PPS files to this by default:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\PowerPoint Viewer\pptview.exe "%1"

If for some reason the quote marks are missing, you'd get exactly the kind of
weirdness described.


--
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
================================================
 
Oh, now I gotcha. I missed the "%1" part.

Steve Rindsberg said:
Ah, the viewer, yeah. Substitute the path to the viewer for the path to
PowerPnt.exe and the same thing should hold true though ...

On clicking a link to a recognized file type, the browser will pop the file inot
the local temporary internet files folder then launch it just the same as you'd
do by doubleclicking. It doesn't open the file directly from the web server.

So the same thing would happen ... if the %1 in question isn't quoted, it'll see
the spaces as the beginning of new file names.

It's hard to tell what's going on if you already have PPT installed on the system
(the installer leaves PPT/PPS registered to PPT itself, bless its clever little
paws).

But on a system w/ no PPT, it registers PPT/PPS files to this by default:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\PowerPoint Viewer\pptview.exe "%1"

If for some reason the quote marks are missing, you'd get exactly the kind of
weirdness described.



--
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
================================================
Click to expand...
 
The % solution worked for opening PPT's in the viewer when they are
clicked on
directly, which is cool. Thanks!

Still have an issue, tho. For some reason, the folks in charge think
that if the html Powerpoint presentation can be opened with the Viewer
(instead of IE), then they can print 3 or 4 slides to a page, and that
this used to work fine until we went to XP Pro this year. I added the
PowerPoint Viewer to IE's Edit button, but I am getting the
multi-message error that it can't find c:\Documents and
Settings\<profilename>\local settings\temporary internet
files\content.IE5\<whatever>\frame1(1).htm. The complete name of one
of the files is http://blahblahblah.blah/nursing/nursing205/ppt/fluids and balance_files/frame.htm

Can anyone please give me a definitive yes or no or workaround to
printing 3 or 4 slides on a page thru the viewer? If it is possible,
then I will need a fix for the cannot find error when trying to open
the html presentation in the PPT viewer thru the edit button. I've
tried all of what little I know to no avail.

Much much much thanks in advance!

RLM
 
The Viewer doesn't (and never has) printed anything other than all slides.
Individual slides cannot be selected and Handouts cannot be printed from the
Viewer. You could print the handouts to a PDF file and offer a link to it for
users to print from the Acrobat Reader.

But, the Viewer also does not open HTML files, only .PPT or .PPS, so I guess I'm
not totally clear on what you are trying to do with the HTM file.
 
The % solution worked for opening PPT's in the viewer when they are
clicked on
directly, which is cool. Thanks!
Great!

Still have an issue, tho. For some reason, the folks in charge think
that if the html Powerpoint presentation can be opened with the Viewer
(instead of IE), then they can print 3 or 4 slides to a page
Click to expand...

The answer to that one's easy:

They're wrong.

;-)

Seriously, the viewer's never been able to print anything but one slide to a page.
PowerPoint itself can print 2,3,4,etc up per page.
They may have been launching the presentation in PPT's slide show view unawares.

, and that
this used to work fine until we went to XP Pro this year. I added the
PowerPoint Viewer to IE's Edit button, but I am getting the
multi-message error that it can't find c:\Documents and
Settings\<profilename>\local settings\temporary internet
files\content.IE5\<whatever>\frame1(1).htm. The complete name of one
of the files is
Click to expand...
http://blahblahblah.blah/nursing/nursing205/ppt/fluids and balance_files/frame.htm

You're invoking it for editing? That'd require another trip to the settings for the
file extension PPS or PPT. EDIT, PRINT and SHOW are all different settings and would
each need the quotes around the %1

I don't think you want to link to frame1.htm either - that's the frame that holds the
slides and so on. You want to link to the main html file that PPT creates when you
publish HTML, the one that gets the name that you gave it + htm. NOT any of the files
in the supporting folders. So my guess is that you want the link to:

fluids%20and%20balance.htm

And if it were mine, I'd lose all the spaces in the file names and folders just to make
things simpler.
Can anyone please give me a definitive yes or no or workaround to
printing 3 or 4 slides on a page thru the viewer?
Click to expand...

Definitively: No. Can't do it. Never could.

But a possible workaround: some printer drivers let you specify n-up (ie, multiple
pages per sheet) printing. This may or may not work - it doesn't here with the drivers
I've tried and the 2003 viewer.

--
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
================================================
 
Wow! I've been wracking my brain on this for a couple weeks, and in 2
days you gave me the answer I needed (and expected).

Regular presenataions open just dandy now, and I've taken the PP
Viewer off IE's edit button. I suggested they rename and re-upload the
HTML presentations as ppt if they want them to be opened by the
viewer, but I think it's best just to leave them as is since they have
the formatting the way they want - including outlines.

THANK YOU!

RLM
 
Wow! I've been wracking my brain on this for a couple weeks, and in 2
days you gave me the answer I needed (and expected).
Click to expand...

That'll teach ya! Next time, jump right in here when you get stumped. ;-)
Regular presenataions open just dandy now, and I've taken the PP
Viewer off IE's edit button. I suggested they rename and re-upload the
HTML presentations as ppt if they want them to be opened by the
viewer, but I think it's best just to leave them as is since they have
the formatting the way they want - including outlines.

THANK YOU!
Click to expand...

You're very welcome!

--
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
================================================
 
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