PPT2000: Cannot Use Playlist File in PowerPoint

ID: Q197924

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

Playlist (.lst) files are not supported in PowerPoint; they are only supported in the Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer. If a Playlist file is opened from the File, Open dialogue, the text within the file will be opened as an outline.

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:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\powerpnt.exe" /s
      c:\powerpnt\myfile1.ppt
      start "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\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.

Additional query words: winppt ppt9 9.0 w_powerpt powerpnt play lists .LST ppview97.exe ppview32.exe ppt2k 


Keywords          : 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: June 28, 1999