XP and PowerPoint 97 fight...

[marbles]

Any XP expert..
I am trying to run a PowerPoint 97 show with a macro scheduler exe in the last slide.(works fine with 98)
Win XP Pro will not allow the exe to fire without calling up a "do you really want to do this?" window.
I really want to do this....does anyone know how to get XP to allow a macro exe to work without this warning?
I am stuck with PP97 and XP so am highly interested in a solution.

Thanks,
Pat

[Kris Thayloo]

This may not be what you're looking for but here goes.

How about having a script ( non exe) macro that is triggered by the xp message (wait window open). Have this macro respond to the the "do you really want to do this" message.

Kris Thayloo

[marbles]

Hello Kris,

Thank you for responding so quickly to my request. I have set up a script like this:

Let>WW_TIMEOUT=0
WaitWindowOpen>File Downloads*
Press Tab
Press Tab
Press Enter

the tabbing gets to the open button and away it goes, very quickly.

This works fine with the window open already and me activating the above "Enter" script however, when I start the macro along with the PP Show it seems to disappear by the time the macro exe tries to fire from within PP.
I thought that 2 macros could run at the same time but I don't know this for certain.
In any event, just doing what you suggested shows great promise and I thank you again for your advice.

Pat

[Lumumba]

Sometimes it's usefull to be more specific
Not to be able to execute an exe from within a PowerPoint presentation isn't what you realy wan't (I guess) ...

What you want is to start a download from within that presentation, isn't it ?

Where is the source to get the files from? On the web? In a network? On your local box?

Have you checked if you could disable that security feature of XP in the registry? Never to late to google a little ...

[marbles]

Hello Lumumba,

Thank you for responding. This isn't a download but XP opens a file download caution window. That's the reason it's referred to like that in the script below. I don't know XP at all so why it perceives it as a download I can't tell.
What I am trying to do is start a macro exe that will first open the line in on the sound card(we use Mixer Browser for that) then start another program that is a graphical display system for a Bulletin Board.
The macro we have built to do this works fine with win98 and looks like it will do the job with XP as long as I can get this wait window script to stay active while the other macro starts so it can clear the "do you really want to download this file" window.
Is that clear as mud?
Thanks,
Pat.

[Lumumba]

I'm a little irritated at which level the "download" has to be done?
Could you provide some code like ...

Run Program>Mixer
.
.
.
IfWindowActive>*
.
.
.

[Bob Hansen]

You may just need to add a SetFocus>File Downloads* before doing the Tabs?

That was just an off the top of my head thought, would really like to understand the total picture of what is happening.

I am getting confused, it sounds like you may have two or more Macro Scheduler scripts running at the same time...how are they called, manually, aoto run, or called by script?

Providing more specifics about what is run, how it is triggered, and especially the code for each of the Macro Scheduler scripts, will be needed for us to help you out.

[Guest]

Ok Gentlemen,

Am taking the non exe tack on this. Will be letting PP Show end by itself so don't have to embed an exe in it.
This is what we have now:

IfWindowOpen>Display Systems International,close_dsi
ExecuteFile>D:\Power Point Scripts\Straight shooters.pps
Wait>5
Let>WW_TIMEOUT=0
WaitWindowClosed>PowerPointShow
Wait>5
ExecuteFile>C:\DSI95\DSI.exe
goto>exit

Label>close_dsi
closewindow>Display Systems International
wait>5
ExecuteFile>D:\Power Point Scripts\Straight shooters.pps
Label>exit


This script seems to play the PPS fine after closing the bulletin board program but right before the last pp slide, the DSI program which we are trying to restart flashes on as if loading but then is not there when PP ends.
I confess I do not know how the label thing works... is this part of the problem?

As far as the "File Downloads" thing goes, that is literally what the window was called by XP? even tho we just wanted to start a program on the c drive....not a problem now because this other way will probably do the trick.

thanks,
pat

[Bob Hansen]

I don't think this is a Label problem, but a timing one.

Try using Run Program> with Let>RP_WAIT=1 vs. using vs. ExecuteFile>.

IfWindowOpen>Display Systems International,close_dsi
Let>RP_WAIT=1
Run Program>C:\Path\POWERPNT.EXE D:\Power Point Scripts\Straight shooters.pps
Let>RP_WAIT=0
Wait>5
Let>WW_TIMEOUT=0
WaitWindowClosed>PowerPointShow
Wait>5

Let>RP_WAIT=1
Run Program>C:\DSI95\DSI.exe
Let>RP_WAIT=0
goto>exit

Label>close_dsi
closewindow>Display Systems International
wait>5
Let>RP_WAIT=1
Run Program>C:\Path\POWERPNT.EXE D:\Power Point Scripts\Straight shooters.pps
Let>RP_WAIT=0
Label>exit

This should make sure that program being executed is completely done before going to the next line of your script.

In this example it is not really necessary to redefine RP_WAIT for every instance of Run Program>, but I am showing it as a reminder to reset it after using it so you will always be in the default condition before the next instance of Run Program>. If you insert code at a later time, you may forget that RP_WAIT has been toggled.

[Guest]

Hi Bob,

We have given it a shot but still have issues. One big one being that PP opens but only in the edit mode...not to run the PPS.
Since then we have tried this:

ExecuteFile>C:\Downloads\Mixer Browser\LINE In OFF.mix
wait>2
CloseWindow>Mixer Browser
wait>1
ExecuteFile>D:\Power Point Scripts\Terrace test.pps
Wait>5
WaitWindowClosed>PowerPoint Slide Show -*
Run Program>C:\DSI95\DSI.exe

and it seems to work fine! for the visual...

We now have a problem with the Mixer Browser program muting everything and will have to mute the line in some other way.

How does this look?

Run Program>C:\WINDOWS\sndvol32.exe
Press Tab * 9
Send>M
CloseWindow>Volume Control*

Is there anything more efficient?

Thanks for all your help and I appreciate the time all of you have put in oi help us.

Pat