Recommendation for a free viewer?

[r21]

I know that Microsoft has a free powerpoint viewer. It's been
recommended in this newsgroup in fact.

But the documentation says it doesn't handle linked or embedded files,
meaning that if sound is a part of the show, people using the viewer
won't get that.

Are there any good free viewers, PPT 2000 compatible, that handle
sound as well as images?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I know that Microsoft has a free powerpoint viewer. It's been
recommended in this newsgroup in fact.

But the documentation says it doesn't handle linked or embedded files,
meaning that if sound is a part of the show, people using the viewer
won't get that.

As I recall, the documentation refers specifically to OLE linked/embedded
files. Sounds and movies are a different sort of link. While they present
their own problems, once those are sorted, the viewer should cope.

I'd suggest downloading and trying the viewer on your own files. Note what
does and doesn't work then c'mon back and we'll talk.

 

[r21]

As I recall, the documentation refers specifically to OLE linked/embedded
files. Sounds and movies are a different sort of link. While they present
their own problems, once those are sorted, the viewer should cope.

I'd suggest downloading and trying the viewer on your own files. Note what
does and doesn't work then c'mon back and we'll talk.

I downloaded from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...27-43AB-4F24-90B7-A94784AF71A4&displaylang=en
and used the free PowerPoint viewer 2003. It does not play any of the
mp3 files that are attached to certain slides. Opening the same file
with PowerPoint will play the mp3 files during the presentation.

So far as I can see, everything else (and there really *isn't* that
much else) works as intended.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I downloaded from

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=428D5727-43AB-4F24-90B
7-A94784AF71A4&displaylang=en
and used the free PowerPoint viewer 2003. It does not play any of the
mp3 files that are attached to certain slides. Opening the same file
with PowerPoint will play the mp3 files during the presentation.

Is this on the same computer or have you moved the presentation to a different
machine to test?

I just tried it here and, on the same computer, both PPT and the 2003 viewer
play the MP3 I inserted w/o problems.

 

[r21]

Is this on the same computer or have you moved the presentation to a different
machine to test?

I just tried it here and, on the same computer, both PPT and the 2003 viewer
play the MP3 I inserted w/o problems.

Same computer. I started the PPT viewer, picked "open" and opened a
file. No music.

Then opened PowerPoint (2000), picked "open" and opened the same file
(it was a .pps file, if that matters). Music.

The mp3s were inserted via insert -> movies and sounds -> sound from
file, and then selecting an mp3 file.

The sound does play on a different machine, if the .pps and .mp3 files
are in the same folder. My viewer is NOT in the same folder as the
..pps file. But then again, neither is the PowerPoint exe file.

 

[Sonia]

Don't use the PowerPoint 2003 Viewer, as it has a bug in it that is causing your
problem. Use the PowerPoint 97 Viewer,
http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2000/Ppview97.aspx.

The 2003 Viewer will not automatically play audio or video if the presentation
was created in PowerPoint 97 or 2000.


Sonia Coleman
Microsoft PowerPoint MVP Team
Autorun Software, Templates and Tutorials
http://www.soniacoleman.com

 

[r21]

Don't use the PowerPoint 2003 Viewer, as it has a bug in it that is causing your
problem. Use the PowerPoint 97 Viewer,
http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2000/Ppview97.aspx.

Thanks as always. The 97 viewer worked.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Whew. I *knew* you'd be along with a better answer sooner or later.
Thanks!

FWIW, I've added info about this to:

Sounds/Movies don't play, images disappear or links break when I move or email
a presentation
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00155.htm

(But can you verify for me that it should work with the 2003 viewer if you
re-insert the movies and sounds using PPT2002/2003?)

 

[Sonia]

Yes, the bug only applies to presentations saved in PowerPoint 2000 or 97. I
thought there was a KB article about it, but I can't find it right now. The
best I can do is refer you to the last two paragraphs at
http://www.soniacoleman.com/Tutorials/PowerPoint/powerpoint_2003_viewer.htm. As
I recall, that is a direct quote from Uber John.

 

[Enric]

It is here...

Sounds do not play automatically when you use the PowerPoint Viewer 2003 to
show a presentation
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/832039/en-us

Very cordialmente

Enric

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thanks.

It actually is easier than what I've described then. Just needs a re-save in
2002/2003 rather than a re-insert. Much simpler

Love the favicon, btw.