PowerPoint 2004 for Mac can't open PowerPoint PC files

[Don Bullick]

When I attempt to open a PowerPoint file created on a PC, I get the following
error message from PowerPoint 2004 for Mac:

"The server application, source file, or item cannot be found. Check that the
path and file name are correct, or try reinstalling the server application."

Several of my colleagues have tried to open PC created PPT files using
PowerPoint X for Mac. They get the same unhelpful error message.

I'm running OS 10.3.5.

Anybody have an answer? Thanks.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi,

It sounds like you have been given presentations that have links to
files that are not available on your computer.

Have your Windows friends read the information here:
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptools/FAQ00035.htm

Hopefully Steve will chime in and let us know whether the add-in will
create presentations that work both on Mac and PC.

-Jim

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Hi,

It sounds like you have been given presentations that have links to
files that are not available on your computer.

Have your Windows friends read the information here:
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptools/FAQ00035.htm

Hopefully Steve will chime in and let us know whether the add-in will
create presentations that work both on Mac and PC.

Funny you should ask. I've just been working with another newsgroup member who
uses both PCs and Macs. Had to make a few [bam!bam!screeeeeechhhh!] little
[whack!thumpthumpCRASH!] adjustments under the hood but it now can fix links
with "Macintosh HD:Linkaths That Look:Like this:file.ppt". It only runs in
Windows PPT though.

It sounds as though these are OLE links, though (because of the reference to
the "server" ... in this case it means a server app, not computer). OLE links
can't be made pathless. On the other hand, PPT generally will look in the same
folder as the PPT file for the linked files. Perhaps if they're all dropped
into the same place, it'd work.



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

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Thanks, for the update, Steve

To amplify Steve's comments a bit...

The windows users who create presentations that contain OLE objects
should create a folder. Inside the folder should be the presentation
file and the OLE objects to which the presentation is linked.

The presentation file should be opened after it is in the folder, and
the links should be created to the objects that are in the same folder
(at the same directory level - not a subfolder).

The entire folder as an entity should be distributed with the
presentation and its linked objects.

-Jim

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP
MVP FAQ
<http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;mvpfaqs>

Hi,

It sounds like you have been given presentations that have links to
files that are not available on your computer.

Have your Windows friends read the information here:
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptools/FAQ00035.htm

Hopefully Steve will chime in and let us know whether the add-in will
create presentations that work both on Mac and PC.

Funny you should ask. I've just been working with another newsgroup member who
uses both PCs and Macs. Had to make a few [bam!bam!screeeeeechhhh!] little
[whack!thumpthumpCRASH!] adjustments under the hood but it now can fix links
with "Macintosh HD:Linkaths That Look:Like this:file.ppt". It only runs in
Windows PPT though.

It sounds as though these are OLE links, though (because of the reference to
the "server" ... in this case it means a server app, not computer). OLE links
can't be made pathless. On the other hand, PPT generally will look in the same
folder as the PPT file for the linked files. Perhaps if they're all dropped
into the same place, it'd work.



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

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thanks, for the update, Steve

To amplify Steve's comments a bit...

The windows users who create presentations that contain OLE objects
should create a folder. Inside the folder should be the presentation
file and the OLE objects to which the presentation is linked.

To updat the amplification of the comments amplified upon: ;-)

The "common folder" trick is necessary for links to media files (sound/movies)
to have a chance of working on other computers. These are simple file links:
a bit of text that points to the location of a linked file.

The commond folder trick results in a link to the file name but no path.

OLE links (like MSGraph charts, Excel content in some cases, etc) are different
and more complex. For one thing, they *cannot* be pathless. A full path is
required and will always be created by the app when you create one, even if the
source file's in the same folder as the PPT. So the common folder trick won't
hurt, but it won't help either. On the PC, OLE links are better about "finding
themselves" though. Generally, PPT will look in the folder the PPT's in if it
can't find the OLE file on the indicated path. It won't do that for
media/sound files.

Images? Hopeless, or as near as. Though they're file links, the common folder
trick doesn't work. They're always fully pathed links.


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