Powerpoint hanging - 100% reproducible on my machine

[bhibbert]

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

I am using OSX 10.5.5 and Powerpoint 12.1.3 (080930) with latest installed update 12.1.4.

Here are the steps I use to make it hang:

- Right click in the toolbar and choose "Toobars" > "Drawing".

That's it. I cannot include any drawing elements in any presentation (even a new blank document). As soon as choose "Drawing Tools" Powerpoint gives me the spinning beach ball of death and never returns. I have to force quit it.

Anyone else experienced this and found an answer?

 

[Thomas_Chen]

I tried this on a new installation of 12.1.3 (080930) as well as 12.1.4 and did not see this problem.

Thanks,
--Thomas

 

[Jeff Chapman]

Hmmm... I tried those steps, but it worked for me. I'm running
12.1.4 (PPT 2008), Mac mini with 2 GB RAM, 2.0Ghz Intel
Core Duo, OS X 10.5.5. Selecting the drawing tools and so on seems to be
no problem at all here. Sorry to hear you're having troubles -
maybe you could give us more specifics on the configuration of
your toolbars, what content is open, other apps you're running
at the same time, anti-virus software, etc.

Jeff

 

[bhibbert]

I have also tried this on another Mac in the office here and it does work on another Mac. I assumed it would, if everyone could not open the Drawing toolbar I am sure there would have been a fix some time ago.

I am not running any Anti-Virus software and have tried this without any other apps running. Same result.

I am not opening any specific content. Simply starting with a new blank document and then attempting to view the drawing toolbar.

I am running a MacBook Pro, 2.4Ghz Core 2 Duo, 2Gb Ram.

I tried searching for a plist file for Powerpoint to see if I could reset some cache or preferences but could not find one.

 

[John]

I am using OSX 10.5.5 and Powerpoint 12.1.3 (080930) with latest installed
update 12.1.4.





Here are the steps I use to make it hang:





- Right click in the toolbar and choose "Toobars" > "Drawing".





That's it. I cannot include any drawing elements in any presentation (even
a new blank document). As soon as choose "Drawing Tools" Powerpoint gives
me the spinning beach ball of death and never returns. I have to force
quit it.





Anyone else experienced this and found an answer?




Here's the fix:

1) Close out of PowerPoint.

2) Go to MacintoshHD (double click HD icon on desktop) >Users > Username (the house icon with your login name) > Library > Preferences > com.microsoft . . .

3) Throw away all com.microsoft.Powerpoint.plist. There is no harm in this.

That's it. You will now be able to access your Drawing toolbox. I got this set of instructions from an Apple store "genius." as I had the exact problem as you describe.

Good luck!
--john

 

[Guest]

I have this problem also. But unfortunately, the described fix had no effect :-(