PPT2000: "Invalid syntax error" Trying to Connect to Chat Server

ID: Q226709

The information in this article applies to:
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

If you are running a presentation broadcast with Chat enabled, you might receive the following Internet Explorer 5.x error:

Invalid syntax error

The page cannot be displayed

The page you are looking for might have been removed or had its name changed.


CAUSE

This is caused when the wrong syntax is used in the ChatURL registry key. You cannot use the Chat URL "irc/chat_server/chat_room" or "irc/chat_server/%23chat_room".

Where Chatserver is the name of the Chat server and Chatroom is the name of your Chat room.


RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

Setting the ChatURL

To set the ChatURL, follow these steps:
  1. Start Registry Editor.


  2. Locate the ChatURL value under the following key in the registry:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Powerpoint\Broadcast


  3. On the Edit menu, click String. Type the following: mic://Chatserver/%23Chatroom, and then click OK.

    For example, if the Chat server is MyServer and the Chat room is #NewChatRoom, then the value for the string should be:
    mic://myserver/%23newchatroom
    NOTE: The "%23" represents the "#" or number sign character.


  4. Quit Registry Editor.



MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Microsoft Office Resource Kit, please see the following Microsoft World Wide Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/
And for specific information on setting the ChartURL registry key, please see the following location on the Microsoft World Wide Web site:
Installing Presentation Broadcasting and Scheduling Broadcasts

Additional query words: PPT2K PPT2000 PPT POWERPNT 2000 PPT9 9.0 


Keywords          : kbdta kbweb kbconf 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: June 28, 1999