want sound icon to activate only on direct click

[Beegirl]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)

I don't think there is a work-around here, so I hope I'm wrong.
Here's what I can do in PPT 03 Windows and NOT in PPT 08 Mac.
I am a music teacher who uses linked sound files in slides allllllll the time. A typical use is to have (legal) lyrics on a slide and have two sound links on slide 1. When I click the first link, the accompaniment with voices is set to play throughout the presentation. When I click the other link, a different sound file (with no voices) plays throughout, as planned.

I also like to have a single slide with many sound files linked so I have easy access to many sound files throughout my teaching day, all reposing on a single slide, each activated ONLY when I directly click the sound icon.

In 2008, I can't do this.

When I click on a slide, the music starts. I said "the slide".... I only want the sound to start when I click the sound icon!!

Then if/when I click again to change the slide to the next page, the second icon starts. Uh.... not good.

I have inserted and activated and animated and messed around with this a LOT. I've done massive online searches for answers. I know my ppt 03 very well, but ppt 08 has me stumped.

I want to be the master of the sound and PPT 08 Mac is just not letting me.

Help?!? Thanks in advance.
(This is another reason I hate PPT 08.)

 

[Jeff Chapman]

I've tried inserting music (an MP3 file) using the
Insert - Sound and Music - From File... option,
and then when it asks me "How do you want the
sound to start in the slide show?", I click
"When Clicked", not "Automatically".

When I click on the icon using this method, the
music starts. It won't start just by beginning the
slide show.

This is without using animation or any other tricks.
Using the bread-and-butter insertion technique here
for MP3s seems to work okay for me.

I'm on PowerPoint 2008, version 12.1.3, Leopard
OS X 10.5.5.

I'm wondering what is different on your software
configuration and with your work method that prevents
you from getting it to work right.
Try just creating a new presentation with a blank slide,
insert a sound file using the above technique, and
see how it works for you. I have a feeling that you may
be getting hung up with all the animation sequences -
perhaps one of your animations are set to trigger the
sound.

Jeff

 

[Beegirl]

Thanks, Jeff.
That's how I do it, too. But there's more to the story than a single mp3 file and a single slide.

Here's what I'd like you to try and then tell me what happens.

Insert TWO different sound files on a slide; insert several slides following; mark both sound files to play over the standard 999 slides.

I want to be able to do three things:
activate the sound icon when I choose and then click to the next slide(s) with music of my choice continuing;
OR click to the next slide(s) without music p;aying at all if that be my choice that time;
OR click on the icon and then move to the next slide(s) with only that one sound file activated without activating the second sound file as well.

Apparently, somewhere in this config, things foul up.

I really do appreciate the assistance.

 

[Jeff Chapman]

To be honest with you, Beegirl, I think that's a pretty
tall order. Not only in terms of what you expect the software to
do, but what you are asking me to do. It seems you're asking me to
troubleshoot a pretty complex animation and setting
configuration and come up with a rabbit out of my hat.
Unfortunately, I don't have a rabbit... and I ain't got no hat

PowerPoint is basically a slideshow authoring tool, not a
jukebox. If you want to play sound files, use iTunes, RealPlayer,
or just open up a Finder window with all of the sound files you
might need, and play them at the time you need them.
You could use a primary monitor for your slide show,
and a secondary monitor for your own use that the audience
or classroom cannot see, to call up sound files as you need them.
IMO, THAT is the most elegant solution, separating the sound playback
component from the slide show, especially considering all of the
manual triggering you want to achieve.

If you really want to spend your time fooling around with PowerPoint
to try and get it to do everything all at once, it's your time to spend
as you like.
But in the scenario you're talking about, I personally wouldn't
use PowerPoint to house all the sound files I use for playback,
while simultaneously triggering alternating music. It's just too much
fooling around.

One more thing: while I think people appreciate your feedback and
comments on other issues, I think you are being a little unreasonable
when it comes to your attitude towards software in general.
Just because PowerPoint for Mac doesn't do something, does
not mean that it's supposed to do it and therefore should be lambasted.
There's a Japanese saying, "Isogaba maware", which means
"If you're in a hurry, take the long way around." I'm not telling you to
do more work than you should. What I'm saying is that expecting
everything out of one box is not the best thing, for your sanity or
for anyone else's. There are other options to explore.
If you just say "I hate PowerPoint", as a few of your previous posts
have, you're not solving anyone's problem -
you're just showing us that you're being intolerant. Hopefully you don't
mean it that way, but I personally would appreciate a little more
humility from you, Beegirl. We already answered one of your questions
on removing hyperlinks - hopefully your "I hate PowerPoint for Mac"
quotient is steadily going down.

Jeff

 

[Beegirl]

I apologize for not being able to respond sooner - the Mac with 08 is at school and not available for me to use on the weekend.

Jeff, it appears that I have pushed your button. Sorry - not trying to.

My angst is not caused by asking too much of the program. I have been able to do for years with 03 exactly what I've asked you to try to replicate. I was assuming and hoping that the mock-up process would be very easy to do, since you seem conversant with the program, and that you would be able to make it work, and then tell my your magic trick. I am so sorry that I failed to word it so that my intent was understood. I'm wondering if you tried it and what was your result.

This particular scenario which I've is used by music teachers all over the country, exactly as I've outlined. So the scenario is completely valid and works perfectly well and is indeed amazing efficient for our purposes. I do national and state workshops with/about it. So I'm not just someone fooling around..... I have street cred here. I do not need to do it the slow way. I CAN do it the old way; I was hoping to do it with new software.

Perhaps you will understand my frustration with 08. I LOVE PPT - A LOT. I use it in ways that you may have never even considered. It's 08 that's stalling my progress. My colleagues will be coming to me with questions on how to fix this situation and I have nothing to give them.

I continue to seek and welcome any information that will make the scenario I mentioned work in 08. Otherwise, I join the ranks of those who will not upgrade on our home machines and will insist on a down-grade to 2004 on my school machine. As they say, this is a deal-breaker for me. No further discussion of intolerance and humility is really necessary.

 

[Beegirl]

Sigh..... since there has been no more activity, I am going to just have to operate on the assumption that what used to be possible is no longer possible.

Thanks for trying.