Playing PPT2007 files with PPT Viewer 97?

OK, I have saved the file as a 97-2003 file now. It loads fine in to MediaShout now except that playback lacks the bullet by bullet animations, which is how the file was set up. If I go back to the computer that it was created on, and play the slideshow, it works fine. So I know that the file didn't lose the attributes when it was converted to 97-2003 Compatibility. Is there a fix for this?

OK, so you can't just hit the "Play" button? The reason I ask is because we have some not-so-computer-literate people that help us run this for our weekend services. It used to be in Version 3 that you could just have them hit the "Fire" button or double-click and it would work. Do I need to add the step that only for PowerPoint Cues they use the F10 key?

Maybe I did something wrong, but that still did not work for me. In Version 4, you still use the space bar for advancing each animation right?

Thank you for all your help... I'm sorry, but before your last 3 replies were received, I had to leave the office. I have come back to my office, and am trying to figure out the whole MediaShout/PowerPoint fiasco. The only thing that we use PowerPoint for is sermon notes. Otherwise, the rest of MediaShout 4 seems to work fine. I still am not able to do bullet-by-bullet animations. To be clear, I am using Offfice 2007 PowerPoint to create the slideshow. I am saving as a 97-2003 .ppt file on the network. I go to the computer that we actually present with, which is using MediaShout 4 / PowerPoint Viewer 97 and I drag the file into the script. It creates the thumbnails fine now, but still will not play the bullet-by-bullet animations. Every time I hit the space bar, it loads the next slide with all of the text, instead of just the background that should show before the animations. Idk why this is happening, because as I said earlier, if I go back to the computer that the PowerPoint was created on, and play the slideshow, it works, bullet-by-bullet.

However, this is not the only issue I am having the MediaShout's relationship with PowerPoint. Usually what we do is create the script on our office computer, and then pack it to a folder on the network, and open it up on the presentation computer. We obviously upgraded our office computer's to MediaShout 4 as well. Our office computers have full versions of Microsoft Office 2007 PowerPoint. So during installation of MediaShout 4 I chose not to install the PowerPoint Viewer 97 because according to everything I've seen on GetSatisfaction, I should not have to. When I try drag a PowerPoint 97-2003 .ppt file into the MediaShout script I get the "Failed to write thumbnail" error with no error code, just the option to hit "OK". I've gone to Tools>Settings>Applications and set PowerPoint up as both the SlideShow Editor and SlideShow Player. Still to no avail.

To try to solve this, I have followed the instructions on http://getsatisfaction.com/mediacompl... (including uninstalling, rebooting, and re-installing PowerPoint) and http://getsatisfaction.com/mediacompl... .

I have also uninstalled, rebooted, and re-installed MediaShout 4 twice. I’ve tried just basic slides with no animation, white background, and black text. Nothing will fix the issue.

For now, I am going to downgrade to 3.5.739 so that we can at least have a service presentation this weekend. But please, any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated because you guys are going to stop supporting version 3 and we’ve paid for version 4 so we would like to use it. I had no idea how incredibly complicated a version upgrade was going to be. However, such is life in the computer world...

Blessings.

When you are saving your presentations in Office 2007, you have the option to save the file as an older version. Check the drop-down when you click "save as". There should be an option to save as Powerpoint 97-2003 presenation. That should allow the viewer to play your show.

John,

I can't really mark any of these "This answers the question". However, I am extremely thankful for all of your help and patience with this. Basically I think it boils down to 2 things, me upgrading to a full version of PPT 2007 for now, and MediaShout considering the implementation of PPT Viewer 2007 (http://getsatisfaction.com/mediacompl...). I'm glad that we purchased the software from such a great company, with employees like you. I know that sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. Thank you.