ppta problems
Jul 16, 2014
I am having problems with a lesson that contains hyperlinks to launch video files. The hyperlinks are attached to a png on several (8) slides that says "click to launch the video". They worked fine in my test location.
The video files were relocated to a new location and the original/test location deleted. The hyperlinks were updated. And the lesson was saved again. But they are still throwing a 404 with an address to the old / deleted location!
I went so far as to delete all the hyperlinks and then cut the (now link-less) slides out of the presentation, save it, close PPT, and reboot the machine. I republished minus the slides. The cut slides were pasted into a another presentation with a differant title saved and the file closed.
The lesson ppta showed update times to match the pptx update details, so I expected that I had exorcised the problem.
Then I pasted the now link-less slides back, created new hyperlinks saved, closed, reopened and republished.
I got a 404 with an address to the old / deleted location!
What does it take to get these links updated? I have been screwing around all day with this. What do I need to delete to fix this? It seems beyond an update to remedy the problem.
I am aware that if I save my lesson with a new file name I will lose the ppta and all the "stuff" in it, and do not want to "brute force" fix the problem.
5 Replies
Pete, are your hyperlinks using relative paths (e.g., "/download/video_01.mp4" instead of an explicit URL like "http://www.myserver.com/myvideos/download/video01.mp4")? If so, unfortunately, an issue was created in PowerPoint 2007 and persists at least through PowerPoint 2010 whereby the forward slashes get changed to backslashes when you close the PowerPoint file.
If that's what you're experiencing, you can change the relative URLs to forward slashes and then publish but you'll have to do it again the next time you open the PowerPoint file. One workaround is to save the file to PowerPoint 2003 format; that'll avoid the issue; that older version doesn't change the forward slashes to backslashes.
Not sure if the above addresses your problem but just thought I'd toss it out there.
- Steve
My hyperlinks are explicit and worked fine in the test location. The PPTA file won't update when there are changes.
And I am assuming it's the ppta . . . I am pretty good with the ap, but not a PPT guru.
I can't go back to the 2003 program . . .
When you open a PowerPoint file that has an associated PPTA file and then perform a Save As of the PowerPoint file with a new name, a newly named PPTA file should be created to match. If that's not happening, the link between the two may have become broken. This can happen if you move the PowerPoint file alone to a new folder and remove or delete the matching PPTA. Also, be sure your files for the project (PowerPoint, PPTA, Engage, Quizmaker) are all on your local drive and not on a networked drive or portable media.
- Steve
The files have never been moved, or saved-as with a new file name.
I have also done a re-install repair on the application to no avail.
It is absolutely clear that the PPTA is not being consistently updated when the file is saved and closed.
You can easily determine this by viewing the files in Explorer.
Pete, if you're permitted, I would be happy to take a look if you'd like to send me a link to a zip of your Articulate package (in PowerPoint, go to File > Save and Send > Articulate Package).
- Steve
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