MsAgent and PowerPoint

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tom Nedwek
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T

Tom Nedwek

I'm trying to use the PowerPoint 2000 sample deck for MSAgent
(PresentationNarrator.ppt) with Win XP SP2. I can run the Web-based samples,
but when I try to start the agents in PowerPoint I get the following error:

Scripting error. There is nothing to execute in the Notes page of this slide.

I have installed the 5.7 scripting update; still getting the same error. Any
ideas of what I need to do to get this sample up and running?

Thanks.
 
Thanks for your reply. I'm using 2007, But 2000 was the most recent sample I
could find; is there a separate sample for 2007?

Echo S said:
Are you using PowerPoint 2000?

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


Tom Nedwek said:
I'm trying to use the PowerPoint 2000 sample deck for MSAgent
(PresentationNarrator.ppt) with Win XP SP2. I can run the Web-based
samples,
but when I try to start the agents in PowerPoint I get the following
error:

Scripting error. There is nothing to execute in the Notes page of this
slide.

I have installed the 5.7 scripting update; still getting the same error.
Any
ideas of what I need to do to get this sample up and running?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I don't know if there's one for PPT 2007 or not, sorry. I kind of doubt it,
though.

Anyway, I thought you might be using 2007. I think the notes placeholder in
2007 must not "register" the same way, which is why the script can't find
it. Perhaps someone here will know an easy way around that.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


Tom Nedwek said:
Thanks for your reply. I'm using 2007, But 2000 was the most recent sample
I
could find; is there a separate sample for 2007?

Echo S said:
Are you using PowerPoint 2000?

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


Tom Nedwek said:
I'm trying to use the PowerPoint 2000 sample deck for MSAgent
(PresentationNarrator.ppt) with Win XP SP2. I can run the Web-based
samples,
but when I try to start the agents in PowerPoint I get the following
error:

Scripting error. There is nothing to execute in the Notes page of this
slide.

I have installed the 5.7 scripting update; still getting the same
error.
Any
ideas of what I need to do to get this sample up and running?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Tom Nedwek said:
I'm trying to use the PowerPoint 2000 sample deck for MSAgent
(PresentationNarrator.ppt) with Win XP SP2. I can run the Web-based samples,
but when I try to start the agents in PowerPoint I get the following error:

Scripting error. There is nothing to execute in the Notes page of this slide.

I have installed the 5.7 scripting update; still getting the same error. Any
ideas of what I need to do to get this sample up and running?
Click to expand...

Try typing some text in the notes page. Does that help?
 
I did try adding some text to the beginning of what was already in the
sample; same problem.

FYI, that initial note content is below. Just wondering ... what about that
"magic word" made it recognizable to PowerPoint as a script? Is there some
setting I need to make in PPT 2007 to make that work?

Sample contains the following note on first slide:

To begin the narration, switch to Slide View and wiggle the mouse over
Merlin’s name on the slide.
Please see the accompanying documentation for information about authoring
scripts and the command syntax.
You can put any text that you want right here. As much as you want. And use
whatever punctuation that you want (e.g. <!$^*&#($%^*). Cut and paste freely.
But only as long as it is above the demarcation line below(you might want to
think of it as the magic marker).
^*#{}#*^
SHOW merlin, merlin.acs, 83, 80
PLAY Confused
SAY Hey, wait a second.
PLAY RestPose
SAY If these people want to find out about Microsoft Agent, they should be
hearing about it from me.
SAY Please allow me to introduce myself.
PLAY Greet
PLAY Explain
SAY I am Merlin, one of the Microsoft Agent characters.
PLAY RestPose
SLIDE 2 = SAY Let me tell you about how you can easily humanize Web sites,
applications and even presentations, just like this one.
 
I think there's script that tells the agent character to look in the notes
placeholder. If PPT 2007 defines the notes placeholder differently than PPT
2003 (and prior) does, then that's causing the problem.

At least, I think that's what's happening. It's been a long time since I
played with MSAgent.
 
Hi,

Yes. It used to be downloadable form the Microsoft website. You run it as a
macro linked to a button. Works quite well.

--
Regards,

Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP
www.pptworkbench.com

Australia

glen at pptworkbench dot com

Please tell us your PowerPoint / Windows version,
whether you are using vba, whether
your cows are in the corn paddock, or
anything else relevant.


Echo S said:
I think there's script that tells the agent character to look in the notes
placeholder. If PPT 2007 defines the notes placeholder differently than PPT
2003 (and prior) does, then that's causing the problem.

At least, I think that's what's happening. It's been a long time since I
played with MSAgent.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://tinyurl.com/36grcd
PowerPoint 2007 Complete Makeover Kit http://tinyurl.com/32a7nx


Tom Nedwek said:
I did try adding some text to the beginning of what was already in the
sample; same problem.

FYI, that initial note content is below. Just wondering ... what about
that
"magic word" made it recognizable to PowerPoint as a script? Is there
some
setting I need to make in PPT 2007 to make that work?

Sample contains the following note on first slide:

To begin the narration, switch to Slide View and wiggle the mouse over
Merlin's name on the slide.
Please see the accompanying documentation for information about authoring
scripts and the command syntax.
You can put any text that you want right here. As much as you want. And
use
whatever punctuation that you want (e.g. <!$^*&#($%^*). Cut and paste
freely.
But only as long as it is above the demarcation line below(you might want
to
think of it as the magic marker).
^*#{}#*^
SHOW merlin, merlin.acs, 83, 80
PLAY Confused
SAY Hey, wait a second.
PLAY RestPose
SAY If these people want to find out about Microsoft Agent, they should
be
hearing about it from me.
SAY Please allow me to introduce myself.
PLAY Greet
PLAY Explain
SAY I am Merlin, one of the Microsoft Agent characters.
PLAY RestPose
SLIDE 2 = SAY Let me tell you about how you can easily humanize Web
sites,
applications and even presentations, just like this one.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I think there's script that tells the agent character to look in the notes
placeholder. If PPT 2007 defines the notes placeholder differently than PPT
2003 (and prior) does, then that's causing the problem.
Click to expand...

By default, in 2003 and generally prior, the notes page body text placeholder
is named "Rectangle 3" and is a Type 14 object (Placeholder
(ppPlaceholderBody))

In 2007, the type stays the same but the default name is "Notes Placeholder 2"

If the addin is boneheaded enough to rely on the name for finding the text
placeholder, it'd fail in 2007.

If that's the case, I'm thinking a littabittaVBA should fixemup.

This will rename each notes page body text placeholder that has the default
2007 name to the default 2003 name:

Sub RenameNotesTextPlaceholders()

Dim oSl As Slide
On Error Resume Next

For Each oSl In ActivePresentation.Slides
oSl.NotesPage.Shapes("Notes Placeholder 2").Name = "Rectangle 3"
Next

End Sub
 
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