YouTube Flash Movies in PowerPoint 2007

1. Get Started - The Developer Tab of the Ribbon

1. Click the Office button.
2. Click the PowerPoint Options button.
3. In the PowerPoint Options dialog box, select the Popular option from the list on the left.
4. Make sure the box is checked beside Show Developer tab in the Ribbon.
5. Click OK to apply the option.

2. Insert the Shockwave Flash Object

 Step by Step Walkthrough with Screen Shots

1. Open an existing PowerPoint 2007 presentation or start a new presentation.
2. Navigate to the slide that will contain your Flash movie.
3. Click on the Developer tab of the ribbon.
4. In the Controls section of the ribbon, click on the More Controls button (it looks like a hammer and wrench).
5. In the More Controls dialog box, scroll in the alphabetical list of objects and click on Shockwave Flash Object.
6. Click OK.

3. Draw the YouTube Flash Movie Container

1. Your mouse cursor will change to a + (plus sign) on the slide.
2. Drag your mouse to form a rectangle on the slide. When you let go of the mouse, you will see a box with a large X through the rectangle. This is the container for your YouTube Flash movie. Use the selection handles to resize the box if necessary.
3. Save your presentation and minimize the PowerPoint 2007 window.

4. Navigate to the Folder Containing the YouTube Flash Movie File

1. Navigate to the folder you created in Step 2.
2. DO NOT click on the YouTube Flash movie file in the list of file names. That will cause the movie to open. We only need to know the file name and its location right now.

5. Flash Movie File Name Path

1. In the Address text box, click your mouse at the end of the text. For example - C:\WR Documents\YouTube Flash Movies
2. Type a backslash ( \ )at the end of the current path followed by the actual file name of your YouTube Flash movie. In my example the final product will be C:\WR Documents\YouTube Flash Movies\my_youtube_flash_movie.swf
3. Copy all the text in this text box in preparation for the next step.
4. Close this window.

6. Return to the Shockwave Flash Object

1. Restore the PowerPoint 2007 window to full screen, if necessary.
2. Right click on the large rectangle with the X in the middle (the container for the YouTube Flash movie) and choose Properties from the shortcut menu.
3. When the Properties dialog box opens, click (Custom) at the top of the list.
4. Click on the ... button beside (Custom). This is called the Build button.

Note - If you are missing the (Custom) entry at the top of the Properties dialog box, this article on Problems Inserting Flash Movies in PowerPoint will take you through the steps to make the necessary entries manually. Otherwise proceed to the next step.

7. Insert the Flash Movie URL

1. Paste the path to your .SWF file into the Movie URL text box. This is the file name path you copied in Step 5.
2. Add a check mark beside Embed Movie. Choose any other properties that you would like for your YouTube Flash movie.
3. Click OK.
4. Save your presentation.

Note - The option for Loop is checked by default. However, I did not have any success with this feature. My YouTube Flash movie would only play once, even though I had left this option checked.

8. View the YouTube Flash Movie in PowerPoint 2007

• To test this one slide only
  • Click on the Slide Show tab of the ribbon
  • Select From Current Slide
  • Or press the keyboard shortcut key combination Shift + F5.
  
  
• To run the complete slide show
  • Click on the Slide Show tab of the ribbon
  • Select From Beginning
  • Or press the F5 key on the keyboard.