PPT paste options button doesn't show

[MichaelBrashier]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I use PPT a lot as I lecture in a university setting. I only say this to indicate that I am fairly familiar with PPT. I have recently upgraded to Office 2008, although I have reinstalled 2004 as well, since I was appalled to find out VBA compatibility was dropped. I add this just in case there is some conflict between the two apps. Anyway, I have found that the Paste Options button is not available as I paste pictures and text between two slide shows or even from one slide to another within the same slide show. I find this button useful for applying the theme of the slide show I am pasting into for example. And yes, the check box for displaying the Paste Options button is checked in preferences. The odd thing is that the Paste Options button is working normally in Word 2008, so this is specific to PPT and not Office 2008 as a whole on my machine. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[CyberTaz]

Since you don't specify your update level of Office 2008 the first
suggestion is that you confirm that both the SP1 (12.2.0) & 12.2.1 updates
have been applied. Then, run Apple's Disk Utility - Repair Disk Permissions
[or comparable] routine & restart the Mac.

If the problem continues try launching PPT while holding the Shift key to
see if there is any difference in the behavior. Reply with your results as
necessary.

 

[MichaelBrashier]

Yes I have the latest version of MS Office (12.2.1). I do run Cocktails periodically to perform permissions repairs and the maintenance that is supposed to occur at night when everyone is asleep, but I turn my computer off. I tried the PPT start holding the shift key, but that didn't help either.

Thanks

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Michael;

OK, good for you on the updates & maintenance -- You'd be surprised how many
are nowhere near as conscientious What you've determined so far is that
it apparently is not a Preferences issue.

The next thing to try is to run the program using a different User
Account -- preferably a new one -- to see if the same behavior occurs there.

Also, log out, then hold Shift while you log back in using your regular user
account & see how it goes.

Let me know what happens in each case.

 

[MichaelBrashier]

Thank you for that. I logged out, and logged back in holding down the shift key, and now the paste options menu appears when I paste from one PPT to another. Can you tell exactly what holding down the shift key did. I have never done that before, and am always curious and hoping to learn new things. I am actually the only one using the computer so there is only the one account on it.

Anyway, thanks again.

 

[CyberTaz]

That is simply a diagnostic/troubleshooting technique which tells us that
you have some program set to launch on Log In & that program is interfering
with PPT... What program it is I don't know, but if you have any utilities
or haxies that "enhance" the standard OS X clipboard I'd start with that.

Logging in with the shift key held bypasses the startup/login items, so we
know it's there rather than anything having to do with PPT or Office.

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