Knowledge Base

PPT7: Error While Saving in PowerPoint 4.0 Format

Article ID: 134872

Article Last Modified on 8/16/2005

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q134872

SYMPTOMS

If you try to save a PowerPoint for Windows 95 presentation as a PowerPoint 4.0 presentation, you might see the following error message:
Sorry, either the filename is too long or PowerPoint cannot find or run the Viewer, which it needs to save in PowerPoint 4.0 format. If the filename is correct, you should run Setup, and re-install to get the Viewer.
Under certain conditions, the error message above may be preceded by this message from Viewer:
The path or filename is invalid.
This message occurs after you successfully import a PowerPoint version 4.0 for the Macintosh file into PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0, save it as a PowerPoint 7.0 file, and then try to resave the file as a PowerPoint 4.0 file.

Also, this error message can occur when you import a PowerPoint for the Macintosh file that contains unsupported objects into PowerPoint 7.0.

CAUSE

There are three possible causes for these error messages:
  • PowerPoint Viewer is not installed.
  • PowerPoint Viewer is currently in use.
  • The path (including the filename) is larger than 256 characters.
The PowerPoint Viewer is required by PowerPoint 7.0 to save a presentation to PowerPoint 4.0 format. If the PowerPoint Viewer is not installed or is currently in use, PowerPoint 7.0 cannot save the file.

RESOLUTION

  1. Check the Windows taskbar to see if PowerPoint Viewer is running. If it is running, close it, and then try to save again.
  2. If Viewer is not currently running, check to see if Viewer is installed:
    1. Click the Windows Start button, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
    2. Click the Name & Location tab.
    3. In the Named box, type pptview.exe.
    4. In the Look In box, change to the drive where PowerPoint is installed.
    5. Click Find Now.
    If the search results produce no files, PowerPoint Viewer is not currently installed. To install Viewer, you must rerun PowerPoint Setup (or Office Setup).
  3. If you still can't save the file, count the characters in the full path (including the filename) you are trying to use. If the path contains more than 256 characters, try giving the presentation a shorter name or saving it to another folder that has a shorter name.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: 7.00 7 ppt95 ppt7 4 0

Keywords: kberrmsg kbenv KB134872


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