PPT: "Server Application Cannot Be Found" Error (135261)

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to edit an Organization Chart object in a PowerPoint presentation, you may receive the following error:

The server application, source file, or item cannot be found. Make sure the application is properly installed, and that it has not been deleted, moved, or renamed.

This error occurs under any of the following conditions:

The presentation was created in PowerPoint 7.0, and you are editing it in PowerPoint 4.0.

-or-
You installed PowerPoint 7.0 over PowerPoint 4.0 and selected a Typical installation, or the default Custom installation, without selecting Organization Chart 2.0, which leaves Organization Chart 1.0 intact.

If you try to re-register Microsoft Organization Chart, you still get the error.

CAUSE

There are two possible causes for this problem:

PowerPoint 7.0 uses Organization Chart 2.0 to create organization charts. Saving a PowerPoint 7.0 presentation as a PowerPoint 4.0 presentation does not convert Organization Chart 2.0 objects to Organization Chart 1.0 objects.

If you try to edit this object on a computer that does not have Organization Chart 2.0 installed, you receive the error message.

-or-
PowerPoint 7.0 uses Organization Chart 2.0 and only Organization Chart 1.0 is on your computer, so when PowerPoint tries to access Organization Chart it can not find Organization Chart 2.0.

NOTE: This problem does not occur with Microsoft Graph objects because the 32-bit version of Graph 5.0 that comes with PowerPoint 7.0 is compatible with the 16-bit version of Graph 5.0 that comes with PowerPoint 4.0.

RESOLUTION

The only way to edit this Organization Chart object is to open the presentation on a computer that has Organization Chart 2.0 installed.

To add Organization Chart 2.0 if you are running PowerPoint 7.0, run setup in Maintenance Mode, click Add/Remove, and add Organization Chart 2.0.

NOTE: The following workaround assumes that Organization Chart 2.0 is not installed on the computer where you installed PowerPoint 4.0

To work around this problem, save the file from Organization Chart 2.0. To do this, follow these steps:

Create an Organization Chart in Organization Chart 2.0.
On the File menu, click Save Copy As.
From the Save As Type list, select Organization Chart (OPX).
Click Save.

Insert this file into Microsoft PowerPoint 4.0 using the following steps:

Start PowerPoint 4.0.
On the File menu, click Object.
Click to select the Create From File option.
Click Browse, locate and select the .opx file, and click OK.
Click OK.

The Organization Chart object is inserted on the slide in Organization Chart 1.0 format.

NOTE: If you open and save this file on a computer where you installed Organization Chart 2.0, you will no longer be able to edit the chart in PowerPoint 4.0.