Powerpoint toolbars explode after importing Excel data

[andrew.conkling]

So I've noticed a strange quirk in PowerPoint 2000. It seems that when
I edit imported Excel data, the toolbars start moving around and can't
be fixed without closing PowerPoint.

When I first open it up, I see my Menu Bar and the Standard and
Formatting toolbars at the top. I start a blank presentation, insert a
blank slide, and go to Insert | Object, select From File and import an
Excel spreadsheet (not a link). I double-click on my Excel object (the
Excel toolbar pops up at the top), then click on a blank area of the
slide (the Excel toolbar disappears). Oddly, however, there's an inch
or so of grey toolbar space between the title bar and the menu bar. If
I repeat the process (clicking into and out of the Excel data), the
grey space increases, eventually taking over my screen.

Has anyone seen this before? A search on MS's KB and on Google availed
me nothing, but I doubt I'm the first to see this.

Kind regards,
Andrew Conkling

 

[Echo S]

Yes, I've seen this behavior, and I don't know how to fix it reliably --
except by closing PPT.

You might close PPT and dump your *.PCB file(s) (your PPT toolbar) and let
PPT recreate it the next time it opens.

 

[andrew.conkling]

No, no addins at all.

 

[andrew.conkling]

Well, actually, now that you mention it, msodraa9.ShapeSelect shows up
(under COM add-ins). I hadn't realized that was loaded (nor do I know
what it is). Might that cause a problem?

 

[andrew.conkling]

Oh, gosh. I feel sheepish. I meant to mention that this didn't happen
on a fresh 2000 install, but only when I ran the round of current
updates for Office. So it seems like the same thing that other Word
users are reporting, if I understand you right.

 

[andrew.conkling]

OK, I checked with my admin and I can't remove the update. I'll try
removing the add-in, but I'm not really hopeul. :-/