How to use command-line switches for PowerPoint 2002 and PowerPoint 2003 (291872)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 2002
This article was previously published under Q291872
For a Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 version of this article, see 254011.

SUMMARY

When you run Microsoft PowerPoint from the Start menu or a from a shortcut, you can use command-line switches to modify the startup process. For example, you can open a particular presentation, print a presentation, or run a slide show automatically.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft PowerPoint recognizes the following command-line switches:

Syntax: "drive\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Powerpnt.exe" [/s] [/p] "filename.ppt"

   -or-

"drive\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Powerpnt.exe" /n "template_name.pot"
  • drive: This is the drive where you installed Microsoft Office/PowerPoint.
  • [/s] (optional): Open the presentation directly into a slide show window.
  • [/p] (optional): Print the presentation by using the default settings.
  • filename.ppt: The presentation that you want to open or print.
  • /n "template_name.pot": Create a new presentation based on the template file that you specified, template_name.pot.
  • /c: Starts a new instance of PowerPoint with no presentation open.
The two switches /s and /p are optional. Use them only to either open a presentation directly into a slide show, or to print the presentation. For example, you can do the following:
  1. On the Start menu, click Run.
  2. In the Run dialog box, type the following:

    "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Powerpnt.exe" /s "C:\MyPres\Presentation1.ppt"

  3. Click OK.

    PowerPoint opens Presentation1.ppt directly into a slide show.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/3/2004
Keywords:kbstartprogram kbhowto KB291872 kbAudEndUser
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