7.6. Packaging Presentations for CD File-wise, creating a PowerPoint presentation can get messy fast. You've got your presentation file itself, of course, but depending on which elements and effects you've added to your slides, your presentation file may depend on additional files containing fonts, audio and clips, images, linked content, and so on. And if you've ever tried to make a quick copy of a presentation (for example, on your way out the door to catch a plane) you know how frustratingly hard this theoretically easy task is to pull off in reality. Fortunately, PowerPoint can automate the process. When you package your presentation for CD, you tell PowerPoint to gather up all of the files you need to run your slideshow (complete with a copy of the PowerPoint viewer, if you like, to make sure they have everything they need to run the slideshow) and stick them in a single folder, which you can then store on your computer or, if you happen to have a CD burner connected to your computer, copy directly to disk.
Note: You can save more than one presentation to a CD (or to a named file). If you do, PowerPoint lets you specify what order you want your presentations to run in (page 245).
If you've created additional files such as supporting documentation, electronic brochures , or text scripts, you can tell PowerPoint to add them to the package, too. Supporting documentation helps offset the fact that your audience (and not you) will be running the slideshow. For example, if your slideshow is a tutorial, you can include self-tests, answer keys, instructional drawings, a bibliography, or anything else you want students to be able to refer to after they've worked through the tutorial. To package a presentation for CD: -
Office button  Publish Package for CD. A Package for CD dialog box similar to Figure 7-17 appears.  | Figure 7-17. The Package for CD option is a bit of a misnomer. Yes, you can use it to gather up all your presentation- related files and burn them to a CDbut you can also use it to organize the files in a single folder, an option you may find useful if you're hooked up to a network. Clicking Options displays the dialog box in Figure 7-18. | |  | Figure 7-18. Here's where you customize the way your audience runs your packaged presentation. | | -
In the Name the CD box, type the name you want to give your CD (or, if you're not planning to burn a CD, the name you want to give your presentation's file folder). Your audience will see this name, so make sure it's both meaningful and appropriate. -
If you have supporting files you'd like to add to your CD (or to your folder), click Add Files. In the "File name" box, type the name of the file you want to add (or browse your computer to find the file). Then click Add. The Add Files dialog box disappears, and PowerPoint adds the file to the list of things to burn to your CD. -
Tell PowerPoint how you want your audience to run your packaged presentation. To do so, click Options; then, in the Options dialog box you see in Figure 7-18, set one or more of the following: -
Viewer Package (update file formats to run in PowerPoint Viewer). This popular option tells PowerPoint to include a copy of the PowerPoint viewer in your package, as well as an executable file that launches the viewer preloaded with your presentation as soon as your audience inserts the CD. If you choose this option, PowerPoint also lets you click the down arrow next to "Select how presentations will play in the viewer" and choose one of the following: "Play all presentations automatically in the specified order," "Play only the first presentation automatically," "Let the user select which presentation to view," or "Don't play the CD automatically." -
Archive Package (do not update file formats). Tells PowerPoint to gather up all the original files you need to run your presentation but not to include a copy of the PowerPoint viewer or an executable file that launches it. -
Linked files. Tells PowerPoint to add copies of any files you've linked to your slideshow (for example, voiceover narration audio files) to your package. Turning on the checkbox next to this option helps ensure your links won't break. If there's a chance the files you're linking to are malicious, however (for example, you got them on the Web from a source you don't know, much less trust), consider turning this checkbox off to prevent your audience's computers from potentially being attacked by a virus or worm. -
Embedded True Type fonts. Tells PowerPoint to add any font files you've embedded in your slides to the package it's creating. -
Password to open each presentation. Typing a case-sensitive password into this box restricts the display of your presentation to folks who know the password. -
Password to modify each presentation. Typing a case-sensitive password into this box restricts the editing of your presentation to folks who know the password.
Note: If security is important to you, check out Chapter 15.
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Inspect presentations for inappropriate or private information. When you've finished setting options, click OK to close the Options dialog box. -
In the Package for CD dialog box, choose one of the following: -
Copy to CD. Choose this option if you want to copy your presentation files to a CD. Obviously, this option doesn't work unless you have a CD burner attached to your computer. -
Copy to Folder. Choose this option if you want to copy your presentation files to a named folder on your own computer, or to a computer on your network. PowerPoint pops up a dialog box that lets you type in a name for your folder, as well as where on your computer (or network) you want to store it. -
Click Close. PowerPoint saves your presentation to disk or to your computer. A Compatibility Checker dialog box similar to the one shown in Figure 7-19 appears (unless you've turned it off). For each password you typed, PowerPoint pops up a dialog box asking you to confirm the password (first for opening or running the presentation, and next for editing it).  | Figure 7-19. The Compatibility Checker runs automatically to let you know when you're about to create a folder full of files that people running a pre-2007 version of PowerPoint won't be able to edit. Even if folks can't edit them, however, they'll still be able to run them thanks to the PowerPoint viewer that PowerPoint adds to the package folder. | | -
In the Compatibility Checker dialog box, click Continue. However, if the descriptions you see in the Compatibility Checker dialog box aren't what you want PowerPoint to doif, for example, you want your packaged presentation to be editable by someone running an earlier version of PowerPointclick Cancel to stop the packaging process. Instead, you must save your presentation as a .pptx file (page 46). -
Click Close to dismiss the Package for CD dialog box and resume working with PowerPoint.
Tip: To tell PowerPoint to stop bugging you about this issue the next time you package this presentation, turn off the "Check compatibility when saving this file" checkbox.(If you change your mind, choose Office button Finish Compatibility Checker to turn it back on again.)
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