You receive an "Invalid syntax error" error message when you try to connect to Chat Server in PowerPoint 2000 (226709)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft PowerPoint 2000
This article was previously published under Q226709
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

If you are running a presentation broadcast with Chat enabled, you might receive the following Internet Explorer 5.x error:
Invalid syntax error

The page cannot be displayed

The page you are looking for might have been removed or had its name changed.

CAUSE

This is caused when the wrong syntax is used in the ChatURL registry key. You cannot use the Chat URL "irc/chat_server/chat_room" or "irc/chat_server/%23chat_room".

Where Chatserver is the name of the Chat server and Chatroom is the name of your Chat room.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Setting the ChatURL

To set the ChatURL, follow these steps:
  1. Start Registry Editor.
  2. Locate the ChatURL value under the following key in the registry:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Powerpoint\Broadcast
  3. On the Edit menu, click String. Type the following: mic://Chatserver/%23Chatroom, and then click OK.

    For example, if the Chat server is MyServer and the Chat room is #NewChatRoom, then the value for the string should be:

    mic://myserver/%23newchatroom

    NOTE: The "%23" represents the "#" or number sign character.
  4. Quit Registry Editor.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the <I>Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit</I>, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/

And for specific information on setting the ChartURL registry key, please see the following location on the Microsoft World Wide Web site:

Installing Presentation Broadcasting and Scheduling Broadcasts

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/10/2004
Keywords:kbprb kbopenfile kberrmsg kbtshoot kbconf kbnofix kbweb KB226709
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