Link a JPG or PNG file to Powerpoint using 'Insert Object'

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tom M
  • Start date Start date
T

Tom M

Hello -
I am trying to link a JPG or PNG file to a MS Powerpoint
Presentation using the 'Insert Object' method.

Here's what I am doing:
Choose Insert, then 'Insert Object', then select
the 'Create from File' button.
I then check the 'Link' checkbox, and then I select
either a JPG or a PNG file from my Harddrive.
When I do this, I get an error message from Powerpoint
that says:
"It isn't possible to create a link to <FILENAME>"
(where <FILENAME> is the name of the file I tried to link
to).

Please help!

Tom Mazzotta
--------------------------------------------
Here are things I've tried thus far:

- If I do this exact same thing with a BMP file, it
works fine. Unfortunately, I can't use this technique
because the files are dynamically generated by another
application and this app can only generate PNG or JPG
files.

- If I do this exact same thing, but don't select
the 'Link' check box, it works fine. I can't use this
technique because I'd like the PPT file to update when
the source graphic files change.

- If I do this exact same thing, but link it to an HTML
file with the text:
'<img src='file:/C:\IE\data\facilitator\FGChart.JPG' />;'
in it, it doesn't complain, but then it displays garbage
in the PPT file.

- I can do this using 'Insert Picture', selecting the
file, and then choosing 'Link to File'. This works
fairly well, but the problem with this method is:
a) it doesn't create a link in the 'Links' list,
b) if the linked file gets moved/deleted/etc, it just
displays nothing in the PPT file (instead of at least
giving the user the option to skip updating the link).
 
Tom,

Try
Insert menu

Picture

From file

then tick the little known tick box marked "link to file"

Then powerpoint will do just that.

It's important to remember that if you move your pictures to another
directory...powerpoint will be unable to find them

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

awesome - powerpoint backgrounds,
free sample templates, tutorials, hints and tips etc
http://www.powerpointbackgrounds.com
 
Yes, I've tried that...
See my comment in the original post:
"- I can do this using 'Insert Picture', selecting the
file, and then choosing 'Link to File'. This works
fairly well, but the problem with this method is:
a) it doesn't create a link in the 'Links' list,
b) if the linked file gets moved/deleted/etc, it just
displays nothing in the PPT file (instead of at least
giving the user the option to skip updating the link)
link)
=============
I was hoping to be able to do it via the 'Insert Object'
system instead, because of the 2 issues described above,
especially item b). With 'Insert Object', if the source
graphic files don't exist, then Powerpoint says: 'the
file doesn't exist', but then it simply shows the slide
with the last image that was successfully imported (this
is good for my application).
Unfortunately, with 'Insert Picture', if the source
graphic doesn't exist, it doesn't give you any indication
that the file wasn't successfully linked. Then when you
go to the slide with the linked picture on it, it
displays a big blank box (not good for my application).

Net, Insert Object is better in how it handles missing
source pictures.

Any thoughts on how to either get 'Insert Object' to work
with these picture formats or how to get 'Insert Picture'
to handle missing files more gracefully? (or a 3rd way to
accomplish what I described above?)

Thanks in advance!

tom
 
WAG, but what if you change your file association for PNG and JPG to the
same as that for BMP (since it works with BMP objects)? I'm wondering if
PPT can't create an OLE link to whatever program you've assigned to open
JPG and PNG.
 
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