PPT97: Error Editing PowerPoint File Type in Windows Explorer

ID: Q189553

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you use Windows Explorer to view the settings for the following file types

Microsoft PowerPoint Addin
Microsoft PowerPoint Animation
Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation
Microsoft PowerPoint SlideShow
Microsoft PowerPoint Template
Microsoft PowerPoint Wizard

you receive the following error message:

   The specified program could not be found. Make sure the filename and
   path are correct.

This error occurs when you click OK to exit the "Editing Action for Type" dialog box.

NOTE: To locate the "Editing Action for Type" dialog box, in Windows Explorer, click Options on the View menu, and click the File Types tab. In the Registered File Types list, click Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation, and then click Edit.

CAUSE

This error occurs because PowerPoint was installed in a folder with a long file name and the path to the executable file was not enclosed in quotation marks (") when the program was registered.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods:

Method 1. Cancel the Error Message

When you receive the error message, click Cancel rather than OK.

Method 2. Enclose the Path in Quotation Marks

Use the following procedure to add the quotation marks to the Open action for the Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation file type. The procedure for correcting the other actions for the other file types is similar.

1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Programs, and then click Windows

   Explorer.

2. On the View menu, click Options, and then click the File Types tab.

3. In the Registered File Types list, click Microsoft PowerPoint

   Presentation.

4. Click Edit.

5. In the Actions list, click Open. Click Edit.

6. In the "Application Used to Perform Action" box change this:

      C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\PowerPnt.exe "%1"

   to this:

      "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\PowerPnt.exe" "%1".

7. Click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows. This problem was corrected in Microsoft PowerPoint 97 SR-1.

Additional query words: ppt97 ppt95 ppt8 ppt8.0 ppt7.0 8.00 file locked can't be found netware dcl408.exe cannot be found kberrmsg kbnetwork

Keywords          : kbusage
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: November 24, 1998