PPT: Playlists Don't Work in PowerPoint 7.0 or 97

RESOLUTION

If you want to run a series of presentations as slide shows in PowerPoint, you can use a batch file. To create the batch file, follow these steps:

1. In a text editor, such as Notepad, create a list of the presentations you want to run. To do this, use the following syntax:

   start <path>\powerpnt.exe /s <path>\<presentation.ppt>

   For example, if you have two presentations, Myfile1.ppt and Myfile2.ppt, create your list so that it looks similar to this example:

   start c:\powerpnt\powerpnt.exe /s c:\powerpnt\myfile1.ppt
   start c:\powerpnt\powerpnt.exe /s c:\powerpnt\myfile2.ppt

   NOTE: If your path, including the presentation file name, does not follow the MS-DOS 8.3 naming convention (in other words, it is long or contains spaces), enclose the path and file name inside quotation marks, like this:

   start "c:\ppt 95\powerpnt.exe" /s "c:\my documents\file 1.ppt"

   NOTE: You do not need to enclose a path that follows the MS-DOS 8.3 naming convention in quotation marks. Doing so may cause the batch file to fail.
2. Save this file with a .bat extension.
3. Start Windows Explorer. Right-click the file and then click Properties on the menu that appears.
4. Click the Program tab. From the Run list, click Minimized.
5. Click to select the Close On Exit check box.
6. Click OK.

NOTE: This procedure creates a shortcut to your batch file. You can move this shortcut to your desktop or put it on your Start menu.

To run the batch file, double-click it in My Computer or Explorer, or double-click the shortcut.

The result is very similar to a playlist; the presentations play in order. The only difference is that you will see your desktop for a moment between presentations.