[v7 General Discussion] PowerPoint process freezes
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Hi,
We just upgraded to EW7 and experienced this issue of not being able to transition to a pptx presentation until I exited EW, killed the PPT process and then restarted EW. Unfortunately it happened right as I was trying to showcase the new EW7 to our pastor and he proceeded to ask if we had already paid for the SW, to which I replied I had. On the bright side it didn't happen during the actual service, though I was nervous.
So apparently this is still a problem? Are there any known workarounds? We're using Office 2016 with Windows 10. Powerpoint integration is a critical feature for us. Thanks.
- Richard
We just upgraded to EW7 and experienced this issue of not being able to transition to a pptx presentation until I exited EW, killed the PPT process and then restarted EW. Unfortunately it happened right as I was trying to showcase the new EW7 to our pastor and he proceeded to ask if we had already paid for the SW, to which I replied I had. On the bright side it didn't happen during the actual service, though I was nervous.
So apparently this is still a problem? Are there any known workarounds? We're using Office 2016 with Windows 10. Powerpoint integration is a critical feature for us. Thanks.
- Richard
We experienced a couple of PPT crashes this week and killing the PPT processes fixed the issue. But its a bit of an issue when you only find out just when you go live... and you get nothing...
We were receiving PPT's for presentations up to a few mins before going live so no real time to play with it.
Andrew
We were receiving PPT's for presentations up to a few mins before going live so no real time to play with it.
Andrew
Harry, did it go to sleep with EW and the schedule loaded? That has ALWAYS caused problems like you describe for any of our systems since way back in EW 2009. It's one of the reasons I have Sleep and Hibernate disabled on them and replaced the spinning rust hard drives with SSDs.
We had a similar one this Sunday. Sunday morning all worked fine, Sunday evening (and the computer put to sleep, not shut down) the same PowerPoints would not display. They move across to the live area OK but do not display on the preview of screen. Closing EW and reopening didn't help but restart of the computer did - however this takes an embarrassingly long time so we are reluctant to do it in a service.
We have sometimes found that adding a PowerPoint using the "add item" button at the top doesn't work (ppt and pptx). You just get a grey frame which doesn't change to the first page. However adding the same PowerPoint to the Presentation database does work.
The reason we don't always do it this way is that with our weekly notices PowerPoint, we end up with several Presentations with the same name unless we remember to delete the old presentations first!
We use to have a problem when adding PP using the Add Item, but it has been working fine for us for many months. Make sure you have updated to the latest version. If it is a problem, I recommend opening a ticket with support.
We have sometimes found that adding a PowerPoint using the "add item" button at the top doesn't work (ppt and pptx). You just get a grey frame which doesn't change to the first page. However adding the same PowerPoint to the Presentation database does work.
The reason we don't always do it this way is that with our weekly notices PowerPoint, we end up with several Presentations with the same name unless we remember to delete the old presentations first!
The reason we don't always do it this way is that with our weekly notices PowerPoint, we end up with several Presentations with the same name unless we remember to delete the old presentations first!
LibreOffice, which is free also has an excellent PPT clone. Files created in it can easily be saved as PPT and will open just fine in regular PPT and in EW.
An announcement loop type presentation created in PPT can be saved or exported as a video file retaining all of the timings, transitions, and animations from the PPT. PPT 2010 limits you to .WMV files, but 2013 on will also export to .MP4 files.
An announcement loop type presentation created in PPT can be saved or exported as a video file retaining all of the timings, transitions, and animations from the PPT. PPT 2010 limits you to .WMV files, but 2013 on will also export to .MP4 files.
The issue I see with EW and PowerPoint is that everyone has PowerPoint installed on their computers and even on most MAC's. Pretty much only the church AV team and maybe a few others have EW installed and available to make presentations. So, people are going to use the tool they have and supply it to the church for projection. Even though I am a very long time EW user I have actually had no need to use the Presentation tools in EW. All our presentations are supplied as PP files - or JPG's. For pictures I do use the "drag them all to the schedule, then combine them into a presentation function" which is a great/awesome/wonderful addition to EW and we have made good use of that function.
We get lots of PowerPoints to show at church - sadly, many which are less than exciting, but that is the tool they have available - and unfortunately how they choose to build them.
A Keynote to EW converter built in to EW would be great as we do get Keynote files on occasions and of course they cannot be opened on a PC. You have to make sure that the supplier has their laptop so they can convert Keynote to PowerPoint which can then be used in EW.
Interesting to note that Ashampoo Office, which is quite cheap compared to MS Office, has a PowerPoint knock off. When you save it as a PP file it will work fine in EW and from my short evaluation, it has features I liked better than MS PowerPoint!
If you have trouble with a PP file not working in EW, Open the file direct into PP. SAVE AS and choose JPG's. PP will save each slide as a single JPG file into a folder of your choosing. Drag those files onto the EW schedule. Highlight all but the first one, Hold down the CTRL Key and drag the files on top of the first slide. (watch that white line go short before dropping) Bingo! You have an instant slideshow that the preacher/presenter can operate with a remote if needed. You can edit the slide sequence if needed but they will come in in the same order they were in in PP. You will loose any animations and transitions but the show will work otherwise.
We get lots of PowerPoints to show at church - sadly, many which are less than exciting, but that is the tool they have available - and unfortunately how they choose to build them.
A Keynote to EW converter built in to EW would be great as we do get Keynote files on occasions and of course they cannot be opened on a PC. You have to make sure that the supplier has their laptop so they can convert Keynote to PowerPoint which can then be used in EW.
Interesting to note that Ashampoo Office, which is quite cheap compared to MS Office, has a PowerPoint knock off. When you save it as a PP file it will work fine in EW and from my short evaluation, it has features I liked better than MS PowerPoint!
If you have trouble with a PP file not working in EW, Open the file direct into PP. SAVE AS and choose JPG's. PP will save each slide as a single JPG file into a folder of your choosing. Drag those files onto the EW schedule. Highlight all but the first one, Hold down the CTRL Key and drag the files on top of the first slide. (watch that white line go short before dropping) Bingo! You have an instant slideshow that the preacher/presenter can operate with a remote if needed. You can edit the slide sequence if needed but they will come in in the same order they were in in PP. You will loose any animations and transitions but the show will work otherwise.
Have y'all seen the morph feature that is in PowerPoint now? It is really, really powerful/useful/awesome. With morph and all the animations, it will be a long time before we give up PowerPoint.
Glad to know converting PPT to EW presentations is on the radar. I'm guessing that the ability to export EW presentations as PPT presentations would also be on the radar? The beauty of PPT is that (for the most part) you can take the presentation with you to another location (church, etc) and it will work, especially if it is exported via "Package Presentation for CD."
It sounds like for your standard weekly announcements and even sermon slides you could use EasyWorship and have PowerPoint functional in the event someone comes in with a PowerPoint for a funeral or a guest speaker has a PowerPoint. Converting PowerPoints to EW presentations is on our radar. I just wanted to see if there was something specific you needed that was in PowerPoint and not the EasyWorship presentation editor. The EasyWorship 7 presentation editor will do what you are describing.
What features would help me say goodbye to PP?
I am not sure yet, because I am dipping my toes into EW7 for the first time. I was a long time user of EW prior to EW6, so creating EW presentations is not something I have really used. The biggest problem I see is that most people use PP. Most guest speakers are going to arrive with a PP presentation. I could be wrong, but I don't see most pastors installing EW so they can create presentations, when they already have a tool that works for them. I personally don't care to see presentations full of wild transitions and flying text, etc--but others do. (Occasionally those effects can be helpful, however.) Complete control over text placement, size, font, etc. within the presentation, not having to follow a set template would be helpful. When I create a presentation I use blank slides, I don't follow the PP templates.
Thanks for asking.
I am not sure yet, because I am dipping my toes into EW7 for the first time. I was a long time user of EW prior to EW6, so creating EW presentations is not something I have really used. The biggest problem I see is that most people use PP. Most guest speakers are going to arrive with a PP presentation. I could be wrong, but I don't see most pastors installing EW so they can create presentations, when they already have a tool that works for them. I personally don't care to see presentations full of wild transitions and flying text, etc--but others do. (Occasionally those effects can be helpful, however.) Complete control over text placement, size, font, etc. within the presentation, not having to follow a set template would be helpful. When I create a presentation I use blank slides, I don't follow the PP templates.
Thanks for asking.
Animations for one. More and better built in transitions. WordArt. My Church secretary could list another 50 or more things that PPT can do that EW Presentations can't. EW Presentations are fine for something simple. But for a professional, fully developed slide show you need PPT.
So basically the 90% of PowerPoint that isn't available in EW Presentations.
So basically the 90% of PowerPoint that isn't available in EW Presentations.
What PowerPoint features would you need in the EasyWorship Presentation editor to be able to say goodbye to PowerPoint?
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