Invoke Print dilog box from within PPS

[jo]

I've looked through many posts and haven't yet found exactly what I
need.

I would like my users to be able to print a PPS they've downloaded and/
or are viewing (full screen) from a Web site. I'd rather not have it
go automatically to a default printer, but rather, bring up the print
dialog box so they can choose to print whichever slides they want to
whatever printer they want.

I created a macro/button scenario (code below) that worked great for
me ... but only when I went into slide show from the edit mode. It
doesn't work if the file is opened as a PPS.

Sub printout()
'Fires Print dialog to choose the printer
'Works in SlideShow view as well
CommandBars("File").Controls("Print...").Execute
End Sub

I also tried changing the show type to "browse by an individual
(screen)" which gives me options to print, however I do not like that
it isn't full screen and that users are able to page through the
slides (this is an interactive show using hyperlinks to jump around to
various sections.

I'm using v2003.

Thank you for your help!
Jo

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

Jo,

I think you are out of luck. What is happening is not because it is a
PPS vs. a PPT. Rather, it is because the users are running from the Web
or from the PowerPoint Viewer. Neither of these ways of showing a
PowerPint show allow for running macros. The Viewer has limited print
capabilities, and I don't think it allows for brining up a print dialog
box. Getting a PowerPoint that you distribute to a wide range of others
over the Web to run macros is a challenge as the users must have the
full version of PowerPoint and have their macro security set
appropriately.

--David

 

[jo]

Thanks David. It will actually be posted on our company intranet, so
all users will have the full version of PPT. So far I haven't even
uploaded it (but that will be the end result which is why I want to
use PPS). When I save it as PPS and open it myself or send it to
someone (both using full version of ppt), the button does not work.
However, if I have it saved as PPT and view as slide show, it does ...
the macro code seems to kick it back into edit mode and bring up the
print dialog box, which I think is why it's not working in PPS. I
don't know much at all about code other than how to copy/paste it!

The only workaround I've been able to come up with is to provide two
links. One to the interactive PPS and one to a PPT or PDF so they can
print it. I was hoping it could be an all-in-one presentation though.

Any ideas?
Jo

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

Aha. In that case, ignore what I said earlier. I'm wondering if someone
here can help you build your own Print Dialog box that can allow them to
choose a printer. The only printing that I have done via code involves
automatic printing to the default printer with no dialog box.
--David