I just thought I would drop in to see what others were saying about this software. Honestly, I found it odd that so many people were complaining that the software wasn't working, when they didn't have PowerPoint on their computers. The system requirements clearly stated that PowerPoint 2000 or above was a requirement for the program to run. In fact it's the first requirement listed on the sameshow.com website. Also, I find it odd that so many people assume that OpenOffice is the equivalent of Microsoft. While I personally like OpenOffice I have found many compatibility issues with some of the Microsoft formats to include RTF, PPT and even some DOC. This being the case, it's safe to assume that any software which requires a Microsoft product, will not work with the same if at all with OpenOffice.

Not at all, Mario.

I am also a programmer (windows only) but my background is very unorthodox and non traditional. The two main areas I have extensive experience in is automation and integration (getting apples to talk to oranges) and security (from the viewpoints of application design, and the operational/network security).

I started on apples (USDC Pascal, 6502 Machine Language, and Basic) in 1983, then over the next few years went through DOS PCs with Borland C, Turbo Pascal, some Fortran - then Windows came along and I discovered VB 1.0 and stuck with it through to VB6. Dabbled a bit with Delphi, but went back to VB again. And somewhere in the middle I had my "woodstock" with the Commodore Amiga (oh what a machine).

Still nothing beats a bit of hacking, to understand how stuff works when there are no instructions. Getting apples to talk to oranges, for no reason other than people say it can't be done. That is the best sort of job satisfaction ever.

Good luck with your challenges.

Bubby,

I think you nailed it, but IMHO it should have advertised the need to own PowerPoint 2003 as part of the requirements to get successful results. A lot of people are getting frustrated because they don't know this. I grant you that if you think about it, it makes sense, but most people are plug'n play types and can't be bothered with that.

BTW I got proof that what you said is the truth. I got the trial edition of the latest M$ Office and DVD presenter failed to convert the same file that a computer with Office 2003 had no trouble with. The presentation is long and complex and DP "Failed to convert" it. I followed your advice and I created a one page "slide show" with just a title and a phrase and DVD presenter was able to handle it.

I am a software developer. I started with DOS back in '87 and when I switched to Linux (i.e. job requirement ) windows just got out of the DOS interface with Windows 32 I believe it was called. Four years ago I took it upon myself to learn to program windows (i.e. I lost the job) and I started to play with Windows. Boy, things have change ever since! I thought it would be a walk in the park (linux hadn't evolved that much during the time I used it), but I started to get lost in the .com, c#, SQL, etc, etc, etc.

But I'll raise to the challenge. I'll get to the guts of ppt and as you say, get control. I am good at reverse engineering and I have lots of time. My future job deals with .ppt and PowerQ, and I can start whenever I want to, so I will impress the honchos if I can get things working!

Thanks for your patience Bubby. You are one of the few moderators that actually responds to posts. It is appreciated and I hope I didn't bore you too much with my diatribe.

Cheers,

-Mario

It is entirely possible (and if you knew the reason for it, you would probably think it's the smartest approach to use)

To render/display a PPT file you need to fully understand every nuance and detail of the PPT file format - and you must also display everything (transitions, graphics, timings, backgrounds, fonts) exactly the same way powerpoint does it. (no point converting if the output looks nothing like the input).

Now to do this your program basically has to display everything and work the same way that powerpoint does - even for features that maybe are quirky, strange or rarely used. Features with their own "features" (or bugs) must behave and display the same way in your conversion.

If Microsoft makes a change between versions of Powerpoint - your conversion software output must still look the same as the original viewed in Powerpoint.

Now if you are not a software developer this might not seem like a big deal... until you realise that what is required... you need to also develop your own powerpoint, and keep it in sync with Microsofts' version.

The alternative - it to use the routines and code inside Microsoft powerpoint, and code to it's own documented interface. So you are basically having your program "drive" or "control" powerpoint to handle the render of it's own presentations. If Microsoft change the way PPT works - no worries, because you are using their PPT code. The "update" is automatic (most of the time - except when they change their external interface).

So what happens when you only have powerpoint viewer. The code you expect and need to be able to hook into (the full retail powerpoint program) just isn't there, and the program doesn't run.

What happens when you have Open Office? Same deal. The Microsoft Powerpoint libraries are not present, so the converter doesn't run.

The point that you can convert and load Open Office powerpoint document files in Microsoft Powerpoint isn't the issue. The converter relies on the Microsoft code libraries to decode and display a PPT file.

That's just how it works.

Bubby,

I would like to do that, but I don't have power point, only the power point viewer. It seems, however, that for the program to run you need to have powerpoint. The same .ppt file fails to convert on a computer that doesn't have Microsoft Office, but goes smoothly on a computer that has it (my neighboor's).

I didn't know or even expect that this was a requirement. According to PattyGale, the program won't run on open Office either. This smells like a typical Microsoft tactic, even though it is not even remotely possible, or is it...? (jk)

-Mario

You could try one ppt file that doesn't work - and make a copy of it - and try to convert removing a slide each time - till it works - then make a note about what (if anything) was unusual about the last slide you removed.

Perhaps some feature, or embedded file type or transition it doesn't like.

Thanks PattyGale,

That's a very interesting observation. My PowerPoint files were created with various versions of Microsoft Office PowerPoint, but I see no pattern. It will open one that was made with one version but not another made with the same and I too get the 'Failed to convert' error message which says nothing. The only options is to contact customer support or start a new project. We don't have customer support and there is no information that hints as to why the conversion failed.

It looks like this program is very picky about which files it will work with. The insistence to contact support indicates that they are aware of the problem and they want their paying customers to send the .ppt files that fail so they can fix it. In other words, it is still in beta, but since we don't have support, they can't get feedback from us and we are left with no options.

Its a shame, because the ones that work are very nice. Thank you again.

-Mario

I installed the software withou a problem, but it does not work with Powerpoint presentations that were saved from Open Office.

I keep getting "failed to convert" messages no matter what I do.

Hello,

Has anybody who has been able to install this program have problems with different .ppt files? For me it works on some and not on others and I have no clue why. I don't have ppt, but i have .ppt files and ppt viewer has no problem with any of them. There is also no pattern, old files versus new files, large vs small, version xxx vs version xxy...

If anybody can help me that'll be great. I've been to their forums, but of course paying customers get tech support, so there is no mention of this problem because the error message simply says to contact tech support, no actual useful info there :(

Thanks,

-Mario