PowerPoint not linking properly to files

[CDS_ICT]

PowerPoint seems to be holding linked files in memory when the actual file
isn’t accessible on a subsequent access.
We have a Powerpoint (2003) presentation that runs in a continuous loop,
with three slides. Each slide has in it a link to a presentation which is a
PowerPoint file on a network drive. which (when the slide displays),
automatically shows. The three files (I lie! – the first and third files are
actually one and the same file) get updated and then copied to the network
drive by admin staff. The system running the presentation has multiple
screens connected around our site. This way, the system can be kept secure
and fully under our control.
If the updated files are copied by the admin staff at the moment the
'calling' presentation tries to access them, the previous version of the
updated file seems to be held in memory and used thereafter. Neither closing
the presentation from within PowerPoint and re-opening, nor closing
PowerPoint down and opening it up again will clear the use of "old" slides,
once this has happened. Not even deleting the links in the slides and
re-creating them by browsing to the real files accesses the updated files.
The only way to get PowerPoint to access the updated files is to re-boot the
computer.
I am unsure whether it's really an Office/PowerPoint or an operating system
(XP Pro) issue. I posted this problem before – but it seems I did it on a Mac
forum.

Is there a way to force Powerpoint (probably a similar situation exists for
any Office application) to go to the actual files specified in the link every
cycle of the presentation even if previous attempts have been unable to
access the file?

 

[CDS_ICT]

Thanks for picking up the re-sited thread. I hadn't originally spotted that
it was Mac-located.

Presumably, PowerPoint hasn't the hard code for the file access in itself
but requests the OS to get the file. Hence, my emphasis on it possibly being
an OS issue.

The sequence is that the "calling" presentation shows a slide which has an
object inserted (a PowerPoint object which is browsed to and displayed as an
icon) which 'shows' the slides from a PowerPoint file on a network drive.
When that linked presentation ends, the next slide in the "calling"
presentation is displayed with the inserted object on that slide linking and
showing another PowerPoint file.

The whole thing cycles round for days on end but every so often it displays
information which used to be in the network drive file - which has by then a
new file of the same name saved over it! Even deleting the inserted objects
in the "calling" presentation slides and re-creating new objects linking to
the new files by browsing and selecting doesn't access the content in the
actual files. I suspect that Powerpoint says to XP "give us file xxx" and XP
thinks "last time I tried that I couldn't get to it but as I have it in
memory, I'll supply it from there" - in a similar way to optimised compilers
hanging on to variable values.

Once the information displayed is out-of-date, the "calling" presentation
goes round and round (for days) re-using it - even though each cycle ought to
link to the updated files. This situation survives closing powerPoint down
and re-opening it and refreshing the links and even re-creating the inserted
objects and browsing afresh to the network drive files.

If XP is holding the data in memory and supplying it when PowerPoint asks
for the file, that would explain why re-booting is the way to restore correct
operation.

But there may well be other explanations ...

I've chased up on file monitoring and will feed back any news. Will also
experiment with just deleting the network files and see the effect. I'm a bit
restricted as to when I can mess about with the display, though.

Thanks for the interest - regards, Simon

 

[CDS_ICT]

I have stopped and put to manual the Distributed Link Tracking service on the
"calling" computer, run the presentation, deleted the files the presentation
calls up (!) and the presentation continues to run. I have then closed down
PowerPoint, clicked on the desktop link to the "calling" presentation and
re-run it - choosing the update links option. The presentation runs,
displaying the slides from the deleted files!

Re-booting the computer, restoring the required files on the network drive
and repeating that last process above causes all to run OK.

 

[CDS_ICT]

Fingers crossed, I may have the solution!!

There is an add-in that tells PowerPoint to update links during a looped
presentation.

See http://skp.mvps.org/updtlinks.htm

It says that "PowerPoint updates the links contained with a presentation
when it is opened and when the slide show begins, it does not refresh this
information during the course of the show if the show has been set to loop.
This add-in performs that task. It will refresh all information within the
running show while it loops. "

The statement that 'PowerPoint updates the links contained with[in] a
presentation when it is opened and when the slide show begins' is the
remaining question - Experience says that it doesn't but a way of forcing
PowerPoint to refresh the link was my original request and may be the
solution.

Watch this space ...

Best wishes

 

[CDS_ICT]

No, back to square one. Using the option in the add-in to refresh the link
doesn't seem to force refreshing and if the option to pause the presentation
and display a message is added, the presentation freezes (may provide a
clue, am analysing where the freeze occurs).

When PowerPoint opens, it offers to try and get the "latest information" for
the links. Is this starting from the file address associated with the
inserted object or where XP/Power\Point this the inofrmation might have moved
to?

If, once the display is using historic content, I halt the presentation,
right-click on the object in the slide and 'show' the 'linked presentation'
the correct (updated) slides are shown but if the presentation is run from
that slide, the historic content is displayed!!

It seems clear that the information is being held in memory somewhere and
PowerPoint isn't really aware of what is happening and is getting the blame
unfairly.

Yes, do let us know how this works out

Fingers crossed, I may have the solution!!

There is an add-in that tells PowerPoint to update links during a looped
presentation.

See http://skp.mvps.org/updtlinks.htm

It says that "PowerPoint updates the links contained with a presentation
when it is opened and when the slide show begins, it does not refresh this
information during the course of the show if the show has been set to loop.
This add-in performs that task. It will refresh all information within the
running show while it loops. "

The statement that 'PowerPoint updates the links contained with[in] a
presentation when it is opened and when the slide show begins' is the
remaining question - Experience says that it doesn't but a way of forcing
PowerPoint to refresh the link was my original request and may be the
solution.

 

[CDS_ICT]

Monitoring the file accesses does show temporary files being created (also
some media files in temporary internet folder!).

I don't seem able to find a way of forcing PowerPoint to go back to the link
specified in the inserted object. If I knew what actually happened when the
"update links" option was offered, I may be able to go further.

A slightly more messy but efficient and effective way of achieving the
requirements is to ditch the 'calling' PowerPoint and do it from a batch
file. Lines of ":label if exist path>filename path>powerpnt.exe /s
path>filename" and a "goto label" at the end work well except that there's a
flash of the cmd window between slide shows.

The process to udate the files is now to update each file locally and, when
ready, delete the network file and copy over the updated file. If the file
isn't there when the batch file tries to run it, it just moves on to the next
one in the loop.

Obviously, removing the blank black slide at the end of the presentations is
necessary so that it doesn't sit waiting for esc.

Thanks for all your help, I've been instructed to live with the solution
found and not spend any more time!!

Thanks again, Simon