PowerPoint 2003 lost sound embedding

Grannygeek · 07-03-2009, 08:06 AM

I am using a custom-built pc with 4 gb of ram, XP Pro, all current updates and Office 2003.

After successfully embedding mp3 sound files in four PowerPoint 2003 slide shows consisting of a total of 87 slides, 4 slides into Show Five, the embed function quit working. No file name appears in the file name field when I select a file. If I click OK, an icon appears on the slide, but it won't play. No error message appears, it just won't play.

I have tried mp3 files from many different folders, and no new ones play. My previously inserted files play fine.

I tried inserting a .wav file. The same missing file name situation occurred, but the file did play.

As a truly bizarre twist, when I turned to my laptop (Vista, updated, Office 2003), I discovered the same problem, not just with the existing files, but new ones. It also embeds wav files.

The next thing I tried was OpenOffice Presentations. I can embed the mp3 files and play them there with no problem.

Since I have to finish this presentation within a couple of days, I'm pretty much at my wits end. I do not want to switch to OpenOffice, because I don't know how to use it as well, i.e. hiding the sound icon.

HELP! Please!

Jinny Kris · 07-03-2009, 02:27 PM

I'm uploading PowerPoint (2003) ppts to a website to be viewed as tutorials. I want to embed the sound file into the presentation so that no matter who opens it from whatever computer they will still hear the sound. Is this possible?ppt2swf

Guereoro · 07-03-2009, 02:43 PM

I have MS Office 2007 but people with Office 2003 can not open Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents prepared in Office 2007 in my computer. Hence I thought I should also install Office 2003 while keeping Office 2007. I want to know if that is feasible and any glitches in working.

powerpoint to swf

Grannygeek · 07-03-2009, 06:36 PM

Although neither of these replies address my problem, I did solve it myself. It was due to overly long filenames. Audio players all work with very long filenames, but Office 2003 limits them to 42 characters. Renaming files did the trick. This was not easy to discover!

Jinny, there is a way to save files in the earlier format. You can even set it to do that by default. So you don't need Office 2003. Also, if people who don't have Office 2007 install OpenOffice, they'll be able to open the DocX format or whatever it is. That's how I handle them.

Guereoro, I found a terrific program last night, totally free, that works slick as a whistle to convert PPT files to SWF. It's iSpring Free, and it works inside PowerPoint. Most excellent. The only indication it is involved is the discreet iSpring logo on the Flash player built into the DNA of the converted file. I love the program so much I'm happy to let them do that. My files convert flawlessly and are equally good at full-screen resolution on my new HD monitor as if I were watching the original PowerPoint.

Hope this helps both of you.

07-03-2009, 08:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
Grannygeek Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista sp1, XP Pro, sp2, XP Home, Sp3, Ubuntu 9.04	PowerPoint 2003 lost sound embedding I am using a custom-built pc with 4 gb of ram, XP Pro, all current updates and Office 2003. After successfully embedding mp3 sound files in four PowerPoint 2003 slide shows consisting of a total of 87 slides, 4 slides into Show Five, the embed function quit working. No file name appears in the file name field when I select a file. If I click OK, an icon appears on the slide, but it won't play. No error message appears, it just won't play. I have tried mp3 files from many different folders, and no new ones play. My previously inserted files play fine. I tried inserting a .wav file. The same missing file name situation occurred, but the file did play. As a truly bizarre twist, when I turned to my laptop (Vista, updated, Office 2003), I discovered the same problem, not just with the existing files, but new ones. It also embeds wav files. The next thing I tried was OpenOffice Presentations. I can embed the mp3 files and play them there with no problem. Since I have to finish this presentation within a couple of days, I'm pretty much at my wits end. I do not want to switch to OpenOffice, because I don't know how to use it as well, i.e. hiding the sound icon. HELP! Please!

07-03-2009, 02:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jinny Kris Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 2 OS: xp	Re: PowerPoint 2003 lost sound embedding I'm uploading PowerPoint (2003) ppts to a website to be viewed as tutorials. I want to embed the sound file into the presentation so that no matter who opens it from whatever computer they will still hear the sound. Is this possible?ppt2swf

07-03-2009, 02:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
Guereoro Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Xp servicepack 2	Re: PowerPoint 2003 lost sound embedding I have MS Office 2007 but people with Office 2003 can not open Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents prepared in Office 2007 in my computer. Hence I thought I should also install Office 2003 while keeping Office 2007. I want to know if that is feasible and any glitches in working. powerpoint to swf

07-03-2009, 06:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
Grannygeek Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista sp1, XP Pro, sp2, XP Home, Sp3, Ubuntu 9.04	Re: PowerPoint 2003 lost sound embedding - Solved Although neither of these replies address my problem, I did solve it myself. It was due to overly long filenames. Audio players all work with very long filenames, but Office 2003 limits them to 42 characters. Renaming files did the trick. This was not easy to discover! Jinny, there is a way to save files in the earlier format. You can even set it to do that by default. So you don't need Office 2003. Also, if people who don't have Office 2007 install OpenOffice, they'll be able to open the DocX format or whatever it is. That's how I handle them. Guereoro, I found a terrific program last night, totally free, that works slick as a whistle to convert PPT files to SWF. It's iSpring Free, and it works inside PowerPoint. Most excellent. The only indication it is involved is the discreet iSpring logo on the Flash player built into the DNA of the converted file. I love the program so much I'm happy to let them do that. My files convert flawlessly and are equally good at full-screen resolution on my new HD monitor as if I were watching the original PowerPoint. Hope this helps both of you.