PPT97: Error Opening Playlist File With Long File Name

ID: Q171632

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When you open a playlist (.lst) file, which lists presentations whose file names include spaces, you receive the following error message: 

   PowerPoint Viewer cannot read <filename.ppt>.
where <filename.ppt> represents a word in the filename. For example, If the first file in the playlist file is 

   My New Presentation.ppt
you will receive the following three error messages: 

   PowerPoint Viewer cannot read My.ppt
   PowerPoint Viewer cannot read New.ppt
   PowerPoint Viewer cannot read Presentation.ppt

CAUSE

PowerPoint Viewer 97 reads the file name up to the space and then attempts to open the file. Because the file does not exist, the error message appears.

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, insert quotation marks around the file name. For example, change a playlist file that looks like this: 

   My New Presentation.ppt
   test.ppt
   My best presentation ever.ppt
to: 

   "My New Presentation.ppt"
   test.ppt
   "My best presentation ever.ppt"
For more information about creating play lists, click the Office Assistant, type "playlist," click Search, and then click to view "Create a play list to run presentations from the PowerPoint Viewer."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q120802
   TITLE     : Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office
               Program or Component
Additional query words: pptview32.exe list wont open 8.0 
Keywords          : kberrmsg kbdta kbviewer
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: November 25, 1998