Sound / Control Conundrum

[Sam Hill]

In an academic setting, where the computers creating and presenting a
PPT presentation are running from the same base image (so theoretically
*everything* is the same, OS, Office, etc.), a faculty member adds
sounds to his PPT (mp3 and .wav), but when run on the presenting
machine receives a "Some controls on this presentation can't be
activated. They might not be registered on this computer." error.

In another thread I see that mp3 will not embed (how lame), and must be
converted or included in order to play, but that doesn't explain the
..wav refusing to play.

Could someone point me in the right direction to get this instructor
happy?

Thanks for you time:

 

[Austin Myers]

First, you do NOT need to embed the audio files to play them in a
presentation. They are linked when you insert them. As to why the sound
may not work on the other pc have a read here.


http://www.pfcmedia.com/Tutorial.htm



Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

Provider of PFCMedia, PFCPro, PFCExpress
http://www.pfcmedia.com

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

In an academic setting, where the computers creating and presenting a
PPT presentation are running from the same base image (so theoretically
*everything* is the same, OS, Office, etc.), a faculty member adds
sounds to his PPT (mp3 and .wav), but when run on the presenting
machine receives a "Some controls on this presentation can't be
activated. They might not be registered on this computer." error.

In another thread I see that mp3 will not embed (how lame), and must be
converted or included in order to play, but that doesn't explain the
..wav refusing to play.

First thing I'd check: did the instructor use Insert, Sounds and Movies, Etc,
Etc to add the sounds, or Insert Object? If the latter, swat him with a rolled
up master's thesis and tell him to try the former.

If he was using the former, we'll need to have another look.

 

[Sam Hill]

Steve,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

First thing I'd check: did the instructor use Insert, Sounds and Movies,
Etc, Etc to add the sounds, or Insert Object? If the latter, swat him with a
rolled up master's thesis and tell him to try the former.

There are times I'd like to do that anyway. '^)

If he was using the former, we'll need to have another look.

I will ascertain how he went about it and let you know.

Regards:

 

[Sam Hill]

First, you do NOT need to embed the audio files to play them in a
presentation. They are linked when you insert them. As to why the sound
may not work on the other pc have a read here.

http://www.pfcmedia.com/Tutorial.htm

Thanks for the link Austin, it's quite informative. What's funny
though, is that I seem to remember my son doing a presentation for
elementary school in the mid-90's and him using a Quicktime movie in
one slide...and it playing perfectly.

Now of course, my faculty download their QT movies and use the free
Radtools to convert them to AVIs. You can find it @
http://www.radgametools.com/bnkdown.htm if you're interested.

Regards:

 

[Sam Hill]

First thing I'd check: did the instructor use Insert, Sounds and Movies,
Etc,
Etc to add the sounds, or Insert Object?<snip>

Steve, sorry to be so long in getting back here, but it's been one of
those weeks.

The instructor maintained that he used Insert > Sounds and Movies from
File.

I experimented with it, deleting the sounds, reinserting them and
playing the slides. They played on his machine, but still did not on
the presentation machine.

Additionally, he is wanting to make these PPTs available to students to
download from our lab, to take home and play, adding another reason in
his mind to insure that they run properly.

Any thoughts?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Steve, sorry to be so long in getting back here, but it's been one of

those weeks.

The instructor maintained that he used Insert > Sounds and Movies from
File.

I experimented with it, deleting the sounds, reinserting them and
playing the slides. They played on his machine, but still did not on
the presentation machine.

Additionally, he is wanting to make these PPTs available to students to
download from our lab, to take home and play, adding another reason in
his mind to insure that they run properly.

The two common problems for sounds not playing are broken links and
incompatible sound files.

To keep the links from breaking:

Put the presentation in a folder with a short path (ie, NOT on your desktop,
preferably something like C:\Test\). Then put the sound files in the same
folder and only then insert them from that folder.

As long as all of the sounds and the PPT end up in the same folder on the
presentation machine, they should work (but you have to launch the presentation
any way BUT File, [one of the numbered recently used files].

To check the sounds on the presentation machine, Start, All Programs,
Accessories, Entertainment, Sound Recorder. See if the file will play there.
If not, PPT won't be able to play it either, most probably.