skipping a powerpoint file by using metadata

[Mohan]

Hello Experts,

I use a vba macro to print power point files silently. It works fine except
for the case of password protected ppts, where a password dialog is shown to
the user.

Have spent some efforts to kill the password dialog, but it didn't work and
I do not want to even explore that option since the password dialog will at
least momentarily appear even if we succeed by any theortical technique.

When we see the properties of a powerpoint file which is password protected,
there is no information about the ppt, even the title. When we right Click on
any ppt file, in the file explorer, we do get a properties dialog. Click the
summary tab, and there is the title of the ppt. If it is empty, it definitely
means that the slide is password protected.

So, by checking the metadata, explicitly, I think that I can skip password
protected ppts. Is there any way to read this meta data programatically. Does
Microsoft provide any api to read such metadata of files.

Thanks,
Mohan

 

[PPTMagician]

Is this what you're looking for?

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/ms404384.aspx

 

[Shyam Pillai]

Dsofile.dll lets you edit Office document properties without Office in
Visual Basic .NET 2003 and in Visual Basic .NET 2002
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/224351


--
Regards,
Shyam Pillai

Image Importer Wizard
http://skp.mvps.org/iiw.htm

 

[Mohan]

Hello Shyam,

Your post was very extremely helpful as it will provide a possilbe way to
get the metadata information. The only limitation is that it does require the
..net environment.

I was interested in the possibility of a solution, that can be used even in
win2k, xp and vista. For win2k, my understanding that there isn't .net
support (hope I am correct?)

Fortunately, the link that you had sent also gave another reference,
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/186898/

The above link gives a sample, and it does not seem to require the .net env.
I think that my purpose will get solved with these resources. Sincere thanks
for your help.

Best Regards,
Mohan

 

[Mohan]

Hello Shaw,

Thanks for providing a link about the unmanaged data reference.

I was searching for an api to get the metadata of file, which might be
available as property sets. The links given below may help me to reach my
target.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa379840.aspx
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/186898/

Sincere thanks for providing pointers,
Mohan


Best Regards,
Mohan