PPT97: How to Distribute Presentations on CD-ROM

ID: Q243413

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 97 For Windows
  • Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article contains tips about how to prepare and distribute Microsoft PowerPoint presentations on a CD-ROM.

NOTE: Before you prepare a presentation for CD-ROM distribution, please note following limitations and procedures.

Limitations

  • PowerPoint 97 does not support the creation of self-running presentations.


  • If you include multimedia with your presentation, PowerPoint does not support cross-platform or multiple-computer compatibility.


  • If you intend to use PowerPoint Viewer 97, you cannot include macros or ActiveX controls and components.


Procedures

  • Use Pack and Go to "package" the presentation, and then unpack it in the burn directory for the CD-ROM.


  • Place the viewer installer on the CD-ROM.


    • For more information about this topic, please click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    Q239815 PPT: How to include the PowerPoint 97 Viewer on a CD-ROM
  • Create a play list from which to run a series of presentations.



MORE INFORMATION

The Most Important Tip: Know Your Audience

When you create your presentation for distribution, keep in mind not only the people who will see it but also the capabilities of their computers and software.

Do they have PowerPoint 2000, PowerPoint 97, or earlier versions of PowerPoint?
  • If your audience has PowerPoint 2000 or PowerPoint 97, you do not need to include the viewer. If they have earlier versions, or do not have PowerPoint at all, include the PowerPoint Viewer 97 installer on your CD.


Do their computers have the same multimedia capabilities that your computer has?
  • Remember, your computer may have multimedia capabilities that exceed those of your target audience. Including the latest in audio and video compression schemes may limit your presentation's accessibility to only a select few. Sometimes, using the lowest common denominator is the best course for multimedia presentations: Use the Cinepack Codec for Audio-Video Interleaved files (AVIs) or MOVs, and use either the IMA ADPCM or PCM audio codec schemes, or do not compress your Wave (.wav) files.

    For those in your audience who use Macintosh computers, only embedded sounds will function correctly. AVIs and MOVs, although playable on the Macintosh, cannot be directly inserted into your presentation.

    For more information about this topic, please click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:



    • Q198202 PPT2000: Msg: "QuickTime and a Video Decompressor Are Needed"

    Q190397 PPT97: Movies Do Not Play When Moved Cross-Platform

    Q188910 PPT98: Movies Do Not Play When Moved Cross-Platform
Do you plan to use Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros to supplement your presentations?
  • If you plan to use VBA macros in your presentation, your audience needs to have PowerPoint 97 or later. When writing your macros, use PowerPoint 97, or at least test your macros on a computer with PowerPoint 97 first, to make sure they function correctly. If you want to be completely thorough, also test the macros with PowerPoint 98 Macintosh Edition.


Do you plan to use ActiveX controls to supplement your presentations?
  • Note the following cautions for using ActiveX controls:
    • You must use the PowerPoint program to run the controls.


    • Although PowerPoint can use many of the same ActiveX controls that Microsoft Internet Explorer can use, your audience may not have the same ActiveX controls installed on their computers.


    • ActiveX controls only work under Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, and Microsoft Windows NT. They do not work with PowerPoint 98 Macintosh Edition.


    • Unless you know which ActiveX controls your potential audience has, or unless you can provide an install point for the controls from your CD, it is recommended that you not use ActiveX controls.




Using Pack and Go to Prepare Your Presentation

  1. Open the presentation that you want to pack.


  2. On the File menu, click Pack and Go.


  3. Follow the instructions in the Pack and Go Wizard.

    When prompted for which drive to copy to, click Select destination and browse to a temporary file location. This is where you pack your presentation and its associated files. Click Next.


  4. Choose to include Linked Files. At this point, you may choose to embed TrueType fonts with your presentation. Click Next.


  5. Do not include the viewer. Click Next, and then click Finish.


When PowerPoint packs your presentation, it collects all of the components that are part of the presentation and changes links to point to the same directory that the presentation is in. This reduces lost files, which is one of the major issues with moving presentations from one computer to another.

Unpacking a Presentation

After you create the Pack and Go file, unpack to the folder from which you are going to burn the CD:
  1. In Windows Explorer, go to the location of the packed presentation, and then double-click Pngsetup.


  2. Enter the location of the burn folder to which you want to copy the presentation.


After unpacking to this folder, you can use this folder to create your CD. However, it is recommended that you test your presentation in a CD-like environment. To do this, run the files from a network server or from a drive with removable-storage media before burning your CDs, to make sure everything functions as planned. Please refer to the user manual for your CD-ROM burner for the actual procedures required to create a CD.

Additional query words: cdrom cd rom cd-rom cds burn burning distributing distribute packing viewer running from executing insert ppt ppt97 ppt2k 2000 9.0 8.0 ppt8 ppt9

Keywords : kbdta
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto


Last Reviewed: November 13, 1999
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