Great News for PowerPoint Users!
Microsoft Has Released the New PowerPoint Viewer and a GREAT Alternative to "Pack and Go"
This article reprinted with permission from All 'Bout Computers.
With the release of PowerPoint 2003 in
October, 2003, the feature most
requested by PowerPoint users will be
granted: Microsoft has released a new
Viewer. This Viewer will come with all
purchased versions of PowerPoint and is
available for download from the
Microsoft site. I recommend that even if
you purchase PowerPoint 2003, you check
the website for a newer version of the
Viewer.
Where do I get the new Viewer?
You can
download the viewer from the Microsoft
site
You can find a note from one of the
PowerPoint developers about the new
viewer on the PPT FAQ
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00436.htm
What does the Viewer support?
Almost everything!
- The new animations added in
PowerPoint 2002 (XP)? Supported.
- Triggers? Supported.
- Animated Gifs? Supported.
- Password Protection? Supported.
In fact, password protection can be
set to allow read access or modify
access.
The Viewer does not need installation.
Download it from the web and it is ready
to be used as is, from your hard drive
or from removable media. (Removable
media includes CDs, USB drives, and a
number of other media formats.)
Okay, drop the other shoe… What
doesn't it support?
The Viewer does not now and will never
support VBA or PowerPoint macros. If
your presentation needs macros to run,
the people receiving it will need full
up PowerPoint. Adding support for VBA
made the Viewer interface too
complicated for Microsoft to feel
comfortable supporting in a free
application.
Did they add a replacement for Pack
and Go?
Not only did they add a replacement for
Pack and Go, they made the replacement
easier to use and pre-set with
intelligent default options. The feature
is now called "Package to CD".
When started, it brings up a window that
allows you to name your CD, select your
presentations and other files, set
options, and copy to either CD or
folder. The main window looks like this:
Notice the smarter default? Not only
does it default to include linked files
and the Viewer, it even tells you that
it is going to do so!
One of the new features of Package to CD
is its link recognition system. By
default, PowerPoint will go through each
presentation and find all linked files
for that presentation. If you want to
add files beyond those that are linked
directly from one of the PowerPoint
files, click Add Files. A browse window
will come up and you will be able to add
other files from your computer or
network.
To build a default CD, click the "Copy
to CD" button. PowerPoint will gather
your files and copy them to the CD. It
will tell you (via a message box) as it
copies the files to the CD. When it is
done, it will close the CD and bring up
this window:
If you want to make another copy, click
yes. The program will prompt you for
another CD and copy the files to that
new CD. If you are done with this
presentation, click no. You will be
returned to the Package for CD window.
Same kind of thing when you are saving
to a folder. Click the "Copy to Folder"
button. PowerPoint will bring up a
window to ask you for the new folder
name and its location. The default
folder name will be the same name as was
entered on the main Package for CD
screen for the CD name. If you want to
change the location, you can.
Once you have set the folder name and
location, PowerPoint will gather your
files and copy them to the new folder.
It will tell you (via a message box) as
it copies the files to the folder. When
it is done, you will be placed back at
the Package for CD window.
What options do I get if I click the
Options button?
Clicking the options button will bring
up this window. The setting for each of
these values will depend on your
particular use. Obviously, if you add
passwords to the file, be sure to pass
along the passwords to those that need
them.
Once the files are packaged to either
CD or a folder, the Viewer can be run
automatically by clicking the batch
files (autorun.bat or play.bat). These
files will pass the name of the packaged
presentation to the Viewer and start it
up.
