Powerpoint not Recognized as a Microsoft Document

[Chris]

Hi guys!

I have an application that generates PPT files on the fly. On Windows
the PPT file -- either when automatically opened or opened after first
being saved -- contain all of the report data. On my Mac, the PPT file
is empty. At first I thought the issue was tied to the fact that this
application is entirely secure (https), but I've begun to disregard
that assumption based on a few tests:

(The Mac OS is 10.3.9, using MS Office 2004.)

1) Created the PPT file on my Win machine, uploaded it to the server
and then directly accessed the PPT file on my Mac. The PPT file _was_
readable.

2) Downloaded <a
href="http://tonicsystems.com/products/viewer/">TonicPoint Viewer</a>
to my Mac. It recognized the PPT file that was retrieved directly from
the server, but when trying to open the auto-generated PPT file (from
the application), I received a "Not a MS Office Document" error.

Has anyone ever encountered this issue before?

Thanks.
-Chris

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Chris -

One point not clear to me in your post - Have you tried opening the file in
Mac PPt, itself?

I d/l the viewer & had no problem viewing a number of PPt files that were
created on a PC & my Mac had no problem opening the files in PPt 2004.

If the file is opened in PC PPt, what is the nature of the content on the
slides? Is it actually [editable] text or is the content some sort of
graphic composition which may not be Mac-friendly? What file extension does
the file have?

You may need to contact support for the app that generates the files to find
out more.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I have an application that generates PPT files on the fly.

By automating PowerPoint, or from scratch, writing your own binary format
files? Or something else?

If from scratch, we can't help much, as we're not party to the file spec.
Either you've had to reverse engineer it and you're pretty much on your own, or
you've got a special agreement with MS, which I assume would include tech
support. Or you're using a third party library, in which case they might be
able to help.

But perhaps it's not a file format issue at all. Moving along then ...

On Windows

the PPT file -- either when automatically opened or opened after first
being saved -- contain all of the report data. On my Mac, the PPT file
is empty. At first I thought the issue was tied to the fact that this
application is entirely secure (https), but I've begun to disregard
that assumption based on a few tests:

(The Mac OS is 10.3.9, using MS Office 2004.)

1) Created the PPT file on my Win machine, uploaded it to the server
and then directly accessed the PPT file on my Mac. The PPT file _was_
readable.

More details needed:

Do you mean a web server or a server doing file sharing?

If file share, is it a Mac or PC server?

Is the file opening in the browser, PowerPoint or the viewer?

Are you opening it by doubleclicking the file's icon (what sort of icon does it
show?) or by starting the app and using File, Open? Have you tried it both
ways?

When you moved the file to your mac and it refused to open, HOW did the file
get to the Mac?

2) Downloaded <a
href="http://tonicsystems.com/products/viewer/">TonicPoint Viewer</a>
to my Mac. It recognized the PPT file that was retrieved directly from
the server, but when trying to open the auto-generated PPT file (from
the application), I received a "Not a MS Office Document" error.

Has anyone ever encountered this issue before?

Thanks.
-Chris

================================================
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================

 

[Chris]

I have tried opening the file in Mac PPT itself. No luck.

The application I have is written in coldfusion and I'm using the
mime-type vnd.ms-powerpoint to return the file as a powerpoint
presentation.

The extension is .ppt. The content is a graphic and an editable text.
As I mentioned in my first post, if I try to create th file through the
application--which asks if I want to open it in powerpoint or save it
to a disk--the file isn't recognized as a Microsoft document at all.
Even if I opt to save the file to my desktop and access it by double
clicking the icon or open it by starting the PowerPoint application and
doing a File < Open, the file is still not read.

Now, if I create this PPT file through the application on a windows
machine, then save the PPT file back to the web server, and then on the
Mac browse to that file directly (via the browser), the file is
recognized as a PPT presentation and all data is viewable.

It's very strange and I haven't figured out why the mac doesn't want to
recognize the PPT page as a PPT file when asked to create the report
through the application.

I'll contact Macromedia and see if they have ever encountered this
issue.

Thanks.

Hi Chris -

One point not clear to me in your post - Have you tried opening the file in
Mac PPt, itself?

I d/l the viewer & had no problem viewing a number of PPt files that we
created on a PC & my Mac had no problem opening the files in PPt 2004.

If the file is opened in PC PPt, what is the nature of the content on the
slides? Is it actually [editable] text or is the content some sort of
graphic composition which may not be Mac-friendly? What file extension does
the file have?

You may need to contact support for the app that generates the files to find
out more.
--
Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi guys!

I have an application that generates PPT files on the fly. On Windows
the PPT file -- either when automatically opened or opened after first
being saved -- contain all of the report data. On my Mac, the PPT file
is empty. At first I thought the issue was tied to the fact that this
application is entirely secure (https), but I've begun to disregard
that assumption based on a few tests:

(The Mac OS is 10.3.9, using MS Office 2004.)

1) Created the PPT file on my Win machine, uploaded it to the server
and then directly accessed the PPT file on my Mac. The PPT file _was_
readable.

2) Downloaded <a
href="http://tonicsystems.com/products/viewer/">TonicPoint Viewer</a>
to my Mac. It recognized the PPT file that was retrieved directly from
the server, but when trying to open the auto-generated PPT file (from
the application), I received a "Not a MS Office Document" error.

Has anyone ever encountered this issue before?

Thanks.
-Chris