Having trouble with PowerPoint slide show and inserted sound file

[rudy45]

I am using PowerPoint 2002, and have created a slide show. It is set up to transition to the next slide every three seconds. So far, so good, everything works.

Now I want to have a sound file on the first slide. It should start playing automatically, and continue playing as the slide show progresses. Here's the problem: once I insert the sound file, and start the slide show, the show never advances. That is, it just stays on the first slide as long as the sound is playing. If I press enter, the next slide in the show does appear, however, the sound stops playing. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Is the problem that you want the same sound to play over several slides? See the last bullet point in step 7 in this procedure:

From PPT 2003 online help:

Add, music, songs, or sound effects

1. Display the slide to which you want to add music or sound effects.
2. On the Insert menu, point to Movies and Sounds, and then do one of the following:
* Insert a sound file: Click Sound from File, locate the folder that contains the file that you want, and then double-click the file.
* Insert a sound clip from Clip Organizer: Click Sound from Clip Organizer, scroll to find the clip that you want, and then click it to add it to the slide.
Note To search for clips in the Clip Organizer, fill in the Search for box, and then click Go. To get more information about finding the clip that you want, including details about finding files by using wildcard characters and about adding your own clips to the Clip Organizer, click Tips for finding clips at the bottom of the task pane.
3. Double-click the sound file that you want to insert.
4. When a message is displayed, do one of the following:
* To play the music or sound automatically when you go to the slide, click Automatically.
* To play the music or sound only when you click the sound icon , click When Clicked.
5. To adjust the settings for when the sound file stops, click the sound icon , right-click, and then click Custom Animation.
6. In the Custom Animation task pane, click the arrow on the selected item in the Custom Animation list, and then click Effect Options.
7. On the Effect tab, under Stop playing, do one of the following:
* To stop the sound file on mouse-click of this slide, select On click (the default).
* To stop the sound file after this slide, select After current slide.
* To keep the sound file playing for several slides, select After, and then set the total number of slides the file should play on.


Tip: If the length of the sound file isn't long enough for continuous play on a slide, click the sound icon , right-click, click Edit Sound Object, and then, in the Sound Options dialog box, select the Loop until stopped check box to repeat the sound continuously.

http://office.microsoft.com/training/training.aspx?AssetID=RC010713231033

[rudy45]

Yup, got it thanks. I had done this before, but had forgotten until now about it.

Related question: Now it works, i.e. the first slide comes up and the sound starts to play, and does so throughout the presentation. However, I find that if I want to review the presentation, I have to do so from the beginning, if I want to hear the sound play the "right way." In other words, if I jump to the middle of the presentation, I don't hear the sound file associated with that point. The sound starts at the beginning even if the slide presentation doesn't.

Is there a way I can do a virtual "recording" of the presentation (like a videotape or DVD) so that no matter where I start the presentation, I will hear the right sound? Thanks.

[LibFreeOrDie]

To answer your first paragraph, PPT doesn't have an audio timeline where you can fine-tune the association of sound and slide. The only way would be to chop up (create several sound files from) your original one - one for each slide.

There are several software products used to create computer-based/Web-based training that can import PPT slides, and which do have audio timelines (such as Adobe Captivate). However, the output would be a Flash file or an EXE, not a PPT.

To answer your second paragraph, Microsoft does have directions on how to "storyboard" a PPT to video/DVD. But it's complicated, and you can't add sounds until AFTER you've futzed with the PPT:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/HA100597371033.aspx?pid=CL100626991033