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Open KeyNote (or Powerpoint) in Presentation Mode


orius
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Hello all.

 

I have written a signed Java applet for my company that was originally written for Windows. We are now trying to make it work in OS X. This applet helps automate the uploading, previewing, editing, and deleting of powerpoint presentation files for our presenters.

 

Most of the functionality of the applet is now working great on mac. However, there is one part that I am having a little trouble getting to work.

 

This applet has 2 particular buttons that I'd like to discuss: Edit and Preview. Preview launches the ppt (or pps file, we don't do renaming) in presentation mode. Edit opens the file in normal powerpoint mode.

 

On windows we accomplish this functionality by calling the following commands with the Runtime.getRuntime().exec() function:

 

(To Preview): "C:\Location\To\Office\powerpnt.exe /s FileName.ppt"

(To Edit): "C:\Location\To\Office\powerpnt.exe FileName.ppt"

 

Notice the addition of the /s flag in the first string. This causes powerpoint to open in slideshow mode. (no ability to edit)

 

 

Does anyone know how to accomplish something similar for Keynote and/or Powerpoint for Mac? I'm not entirely sure how (or if it's even possible) to pass flags to applications in OS X, or if either of these applications have that particular flag. I've tried searching google for such flags, or some alternative, to no avail.

 

(Note: The Desktop API, with functions open() and edit(), does not work here because both functions open the file in edit mode).

 

Thanks for the help

 

Bryan

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hmm, wouldn't all you need is the switch to open the program itself?

 

but if im getting what you're saying

 

here is the list of operations i think you should program the single API functions to do instead

 

1. Open File with Program

2. Go to Slideshow View

3. Once Slideshow view is closed close program

 

Not sure if that is the operation you can use as it would not allow time for editing, but its still not as seamless as you would want it. I use PowerPoint for Mac and there is a format it has called .pptx, or something i think which is a powerpoint show file with all the music and all embedded into the single file, requires powerpoint 2007 (i think), so why not save separate versions of the file editable and non editable then do the function i specified above, that way its read only so if they want to try to edit it they still wont be able to.

 

 

 

however when in doubt USE GOOGLE, never failed yet trust me

 

Hey Im just saying

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hmm, wouldn't all you need is the switch to open the program itself?

 

Yes, but like I said in my post I have been trying to USE GOOGLE, but have yet to find anything useful.

 

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the response, but I don't appreciate the condescending attitude. I wouldn't have made this post if I could find the answer myself. Sometimes you need an outside opinion on search terms, or somethings other people just know the answer.

 

In terms of your 1, 2, 3 steps, as I also said the first post this is a Java applet. Java applets can't control a program like you are suggesting. I can launch a file and hope for the best, but that's it. Anything further would require user intervention. We are trying to make it automatically launch in presentation mode when Preview is hit and normal when when Edit is hit. This is working great in windows using the /s switch, but I don't know how to use switches in Mac OSX for powerpoint or keynote, or if such switches exist.

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