how to prevent changes to a PowerPoint 08presentation when distributing it

[Pamimu]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Is there a way to save a PP '08 for Mac presentation so that no one can make changes to it without considering the option of saving it as PDF or JPEG ? I want to keep it as a PowerPoint presentation.
Also, will a .pptx be compatible with PP for PC's ?

 

[michael_carr]

Option 1: Save the file as PowerPoint Show (.pps or .ppsx), from the Save As file menu commands. It will then only open in full screen presentation mode. The only drawback is if the end user attempts to open the file from within PowerPoint, rather than double-or right-clicking the icon. The former will cause the presentation to open in the normal, editable format.

Option 2: Save the file as PNG images under Specialty Formats within the same Save As menu command. When you specify all slides it will save them into a folder. You can then insert the images into a new presentation that will look just like a regular presentation, but the slides will not be editable because they are inserted as images.

Hope this helps.

 

[Priyanka]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Is there a way to save a PP '08 for Mac presentation so that no one can make changes to it without considering the option of saving it as PDF or JPEG ? I want to keep it as a PowerPoint presentation.
Also, will a .pptx be compatible with PP for PC's ?

You could change the permissions of the file. Any other user will not
be able to save any edits to your file.
Or did you want editing to be disabled as well?

Thanks,
-Priyanka

 

[Pamimu]

Thanks michael.
I've already tried them, but I was looking to find a way to save it or mark it as a "final version" like you can do with the PC PP version, and then you can send or distribute the presentation in it's present format and it cannot be edited.
With the PNG images, or other image formats, the kb size of the presentation increases considerably. If you decrease the image sizes then the quality suffers. With the .pps option I had already found what you explained as it's only drawback. guess I'll have to work with the slides as images until I find a format/size that does not increases considerably the kb size of the presentation and that has good enough visual quality. Thanks again.

 

[Pamimu]

You could change the permissions of the file. Any other user will not
be able to save any edits to your file.
Or did you want editing to be disabled as well?

Thanks,
-Priyanka

Thanks for your answer Priyanka
1 - How do I change the permissions to the file ?
2 - I do want editing to be disabled, can it be done ?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Is there a way to save a PP '08 for Mac presentation so that no

one can make changes to it without considering the option of saving
it as PDF or JPEG ? I want to keep it as a PowerPoint presentation.

Not really, no. Windows versions can save presentations with
passwords to prevent editing or opening unless you have the password
but the result isn't Mac-compatible and it's not all that secure
anyhow.

Also, will a .pptx be compatible with PP for PC's ?

If the PC has PowerPoint 2007 or higher, the PPT 2007 Viewer, or an
older version of PowerPoint (back to 2000) with the Compatibility
Pack installed, yes.

That is, they'll be able to open and view the presentation.
Depending on which of the above bits of magic made *that* possible,
they may or may not be able to edit or view all of the features that
2007/2008 allow you to use.

 

[CyberTaz]

Hello Pamimu;

I couldn't help noticing this & would like to make sure you aren't being
deceived...

I've already tried them, but I was looking to find a way to save it or mark it
as a "final version" like you can do with the PC PP version, and then you can
send or distribute the presentation in it's present format and it cannot be
edited.

Mark As Final does not prevent changes from being made & saved to that same
file. It serves as nothing more than a tamperproof seal by generating an
icon on the status bar when the file is opened. Anyone can then select that
same command from the Office Button> Prepare menu to turn the 'feature' off.

Even the tamperproof seal is deceptive because once the user has modified
the file they can reselect the command to Mark As Final again.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Pamimu]

Hello Pamimu;

I couldn't help noticing this & would like to make sure you aren't being
deceived...



Mark As Final does not prevent changes from being made & saved to that same
file. It serves as nothing more than a tamperproof seal by generating an
icon on the status bar when the file is opened. Anyone can then select that
same command from the Office Button> Prepare menu to turn the 'feature' off.

Even the tamperproof seal is deceptive because once the user has modified
the file they can reselect the command to Mark As Final again.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Thanks for your answer.
Converting slides to images appears to be the only way to assure the presentation won't be edited.

 

[Pamimu]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Is there a way to save a PP '08 for Mac presentation so that no

one can make changes to it without considering the option of saving
it as PDF or JPEG ? I want to keep it as a PowerPoint presentation.

Not really, no. Windows versions can save presentations with
passwords to prevent editing or opening unless you have the password
but the result isn't Mac-compatible and it's not all that secure
anyhow.

Also, will a .pptx be compatible with PP for PC's ?

If the PC has PowerPoint 2007 or higher, the PPT 2007 Viewer, or an
older version of PowerPoint (back to 2000) with the Compatibility
Pack installed, yes.

That is, they'll be able to open and view the presentation.
Depending on which of the above bits of magic made *that* possible,
they may or may not be able to edit or view all of the features that
2007/2008 allow you to use.
[/QUOTE]
Thanks Steve

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Is there a way to save a PP '08 for Mac presentation so that no one can make changes to it without considering the option of saving it as PDF or JPEG ? I want to keep it as a PowerPoint presentation.
Also, will a .pptx be compatible with PP for PC's ?

Hi,

There's a practical aspect and a technical aspect to your question about
saving a presentation so that no one can make changes to it. As some
have pointed out, you could use PowerPoint on Windows to save it with a
password to create changes - which would thwart anyone who didn't have
an interest in making modifications anyway. The password protection is
extremely weak, and Mac users simply would not be able to open your
presentation.

As a practical matter, there's an inherent contradiction in your
proposition. You want to present to your audience but you want them to
instantly forget the entire thing, so they can't reproduce it
themselves. You simply can't give it to the audience as a presentation
and not give it to them at the same time. If you present to an audience,
then the audience has your presentation. 99% of the time they can
reproduce your presentation by scratch from memory if they really want
to reproduce your stuff. Chances are good that some copycats might
actually improve what you offered, which is an argument against copyright.

The most rigorous way I know of to protect a presentation is to use File

Print and click the PDF button. Choose Save as PDF. Click the PDF

Options button and you're offered password protection against editing
the PDF. Still, screen shots are easy to make no matter what kind of
protection scheme you try to use. Saving as PDF will usually result in a
larger file size, unless you choose one of the Handout styles under
Print What in the Print dialog. If you have extensive notes on your
slides and you wish to share those, use Print Notes in the Print What
portion of the Print dialog.

-Jim

 

[Pamimu]

Hi Jim,

I just tried the File>Print - PDF - Save as PDF - options & password protect, and it does work.

Many thanks to you and to all who contributed to answer my question.
It's the first time I've used this forum, and I'm impressed.

Pamimu

 

[Priyanka]

Thanks for your answer Priyanka
1 - How do I change the permissions to the file ?
2 - I do want editing to be disabled, can it be done ?

You can change the Unix file permissions or lock the file:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61335
People will be able to edit the file but not save changes to the same
file. They can however save as a different file.

Hope this helps.
-Priyanka
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.

 

[Pamimu]

You can change the Unix file permissions or lock the file:
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61335>
People will be able to edit the file but not save changes to the same
file. They can however save as a different file.

Hope this helps.
-Priyanka
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.

It does help, thanks.