Solved: PowerPoint hyperlinks don’t work on other computers

To fit a big flowchart onto a PowerPoint slide, I had to create a separate .PPT file in Portrait mode. I then created hyperlinks to navigate back and forth between the main (landscape) .PPT file and the portrait .PPT file. They work fine...on MY computer. When I send the two files for review, the reviewer gets a pop-up message (“Can’t find specified file”) when he clicks on a hyperlink.

I explained that he needs to save the files to his desktop and put both files in a folder and open it from there, then go into Slideshow mode; he said he did, but the hyperlinks won’t work. What can I do so the hyperlinks will work between these two files on other computers?
thanks!
Paul


Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.2
OS Version: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, Service Pack 1, 64 bit
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU M 520 @ 2.40GHz, Intel64 Family 6 Model 37 Stepping 2
Processor Count: 1
RAM: 1023 Mb
Graphics Card: Parallels Display Adapter (WDDM), 256 Mb
Hard Drives: C: Total - 65433 MB, Free - 20391 MB;
Motherboard: Parallels Software International Inc., Parallels Virtual Platform
Antivirus: AVG AntiVirus Free Edition 2013, Updated and Enabled

 

The problem is that hyperlinks created by Office applications which point to local files use absolute paths, so you must do your work in a directory which is common to most operating systems, and that would be the root of C. So move your working folder there, and then delete and re-create the hyperlink. Now it will point to C:\workfolder\myotherfile. Send the file with the edited hyperlink to your reviewer, direct them to create a folder by the EXACT same name in their root of C and move the files there; your hyperlink should work just fine.

 

To CleaverX -
Thanks for that info. But I’m pretty much an “automatic transmission” computer guy: I can use Word, PowerPoint, etc. and the Internet, but am woefully ignorant of the basics. How do I move my working folder to the 'root of C.’ If that’s the C: drive, I thought when I saved the files to my desktop they automatically were saved there. If you can tell me how to move/save that folder to the root of C, I’ll be grateful.
thanks!

 

Your files are located at: C:\Users\username\Desktop, you need to move them to C:\ then just follow my instructions from the initial reply

 

Did so, and it worked as you said. Contract Manager is happy, and so am I. Thank you very much for you help!!

 

Just for reference this is probably not the way to do it.

Create a FOLDER on the desktop and place all the PowerPoints in that folder and THEN make the hyperlinks. Although PPT seems to make absolute paths it doesn't and the links will work if the user places all the files on their desktop or in a single folder. As long as the files are in a single location and you started with them all in a folde the links are auto remade.

 

That’s exactly the way I’ve always done it, and it has always worked. Which is why it was so frustrating this time when it wouldn’t work on other computers. I did remove the files from the folder and put them on my desktop for convenience as I was creating them (and the hyperlinks). Was that the problem? Just keep them inside the folder, work on them there, create the hyperlinks there, etc.? If so, I’m embarrassed that I actually created this ‘issue’ by removing them from the folder to work on them. Thanks for your help!!

 

Thanks JohnWilson, I did not get a chance to repro so I went for the sure to work solution.
SigPaul, glad your issue is resolved, please mark the thread as: "Solved".