Message when starting PPT: "This PPTool will install itself automatically ..."
You start PowerPoint and get a message that reads:
This PPTool will install itself automatically if you simply copy the PPA file to the folder where PPTools is installed and restart PowerPoint. Installing it via Tools, Add-ins or by double-clicking the PPA file won't work. Visit http://www.rdpslides.com/pptools/ for detailed instructions. Thank you.
Why it happens
Normally you only see this if you try to install one of our PPTools add-ins using one of the methods the message box is complaining about, but other things can cause this message to appear:
- Installing or upgrading to Office 2003
- Installing certain other software that includes a PowerPoint addin.
- WebEx online meeting tools. See below for more information.
- TechSmith's Camtasia Office add-in (Camtasia itself causes no problems
- ScanSoft's PaperPort software
WebEx
The conflict with Webex' software occurs when you share a PPT presentation during a meeting. You may see this error message from PowerPoint either then or the next time you start PowerPoint.
We're working directly with Webex to solve the problem. If it occurs, please contact Webex tech support and ask about an upgrade to version 26 or higher of their software.
If the updated software isn't available yet or you can't install it for other reasons, here are two simple workarounds:
- Export your presentation to UCF before starting the meeting, then share the UCF file instead of the PPT.
- Or from the main menu bar, choose PPTools, MasterBar, Prefs. In the resulting Preferences dialog box, click each of the listed PPTools add-ins, then remove the check next to Active. As you deactivate each add-in, its toolbar will disappear. Then start your meeting and share any PPT files you need to. When done with the meeting, use the same dialog box to reactivate your PPTools add-ins.
TechSmith's Camtasia Office Add-in
If you run into conflicts between TechSmith's add-ins and PPTools, check the TechSmith site for an updated version of your software. To the best of our knowledge, TechSmith has solved the problem.
ScanSoft PaperPort
Several PPTools users who've installed ScanSoft's PaperPort software have reported problems. In all cases so far, uninstalling PaperPort's addin and reinstalling the PPTools add-in(s) has solved the problem.
As far as we know, it's not possible to have both the PaperPort PowerPoint add-in and PPTools add-ins installed at the same time. We've attempted to contact ScanSoft about this but so far have received no reply. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Update to Office 2003 or other problems
In most cases, simply re-installing your PPTools add-ins will fix the problem.
Consider this a great opportunity to visit the PPTools Download Page to get the latest version of your PPTools add-ins.
Quit Powerpoint, run the installer for each PPTools add-in you want to install, re-start PowerPoint and you should be good to go.
If that doesn't solve the problem, follow the instructions here: How to uninstall ALL PPTools and then re-install using the new installers.
Check the registry
If you're comfortable working with the Windows registry:
- Open Regedit.
- Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\PowerPoint\AddIns (9.0 is for PowerPoint 2000; substitute 8.0 for PowerPoint 97, 10.0 for 2002/XP, 11.0 for 2003, 12.0 for 2007 and so on).
- Look for any PPTools folders under Addins. There should be none so if you find them ... and you're CERTAIN that they're PPTools addins ... select and delete them.
- Close Regedit
- Start PowerPoint to see if the problem is solved.
If that didn't make perfect sense, don't mess with the registry. Click the Contact link on this page and get in touch with us. We'll help you sort it out from here.
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