PowerPoint and Flash - Working Together

Explore how PowerPoint and Flash works together.

Date Created: June 25th 2008
Last Updated: March 3rd 2009

Note: We also have a separate site called FlashPPT that provides updated content on using PowerPoint and Flash together

Inserting Flash
From PowerPoint To Flash
Playing Director Movies
Flash Within QuickTime
Convert Flash to AVI
Related Links

Inserting Flash In PowerPoint

Look here for the actual procedure: Inserting PowerPoint Into Flash

Among the easiest ways to insert Flash elements into a PowerPoint presentation is to use Shyam's ToolBox - an assortment of little tasks that help a long way. One of the tasks is 'Insert Flash' : a wizard based interface guides you all the way. Also available from the same site is a free PowerPoint addin called FlashBack - this simplifies the task of rewinding Flash movies after playback. Both add-ins are highly recommended.

rChart puts the insert Flash capability in its trial version - and you can insert any Flash file - the trial for its insert Flash routine never expires.

The official Adobe way of getting Flash into PowerPoint is well explained in a step-by-step way at the Adobe site - Using Flash movies in PowerPoint 2000 -- do notice that PowerPoint 2000 is a very old version -- and Adobe has not updated the content. The latest update on this topic can always be found at FlashPPT's Insert Flash in PowerPoint page.

Microsoft's Knowledge Base on PowerPoint lists techniques on using Flash within PowerPoint:
How to add a Shockwave Flash control to a slide in PowerPoint
How to control a Shockwave Flash Control on a slide in PowerPoint

FlashGeek - about getting Flash into PowerPoint and PowerPoint into Flash.

Ellen Finkelstein details a step-by-step procedure for inserting Flash animations within PowerPoint.

The BitBetter site has the whole procedure detailed in a presentation you can download from their Tips And Tricks page.

SWF Point Player is a PowerPoint add-in that allows you to insert Flash content into PowerPoint - it even include a free Flash player.

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From PowerPoint To Flash

Rick Turoczy shows you how to go the other way in - How do I get my PowerPoint content into Flash?

For a completely automated solution, you could try Articulate, Presedia (now Macromedia Breeze) or PowerCONVERTER. There are full reviews, elsewhere on Indezine:

Articulate
Macromedia Breeze
PowerCONVERTER

Discontinued/Merged Programs

MeetingPlace iCreate
Presedia

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Playing Director Movies in PowerPoint

Macromedia Director is Flash's big brother - with abilities surpassing anything offered by either Flash or PowerPoint. Director has its own web output format as well - with a DCR extension, which has its own ActiveX control.

Read more about inputting Director movies in PowerPoint at:

PowerPoint And Director

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Flash Movies Within QuickTime

Newer versions of Flash can output Flash movies in the new QuickTime format. Unfortunately, PowerPoint doesn't accept newer QuickTime formats (version 3, 4 and 5) from the Insert | Movies & Sounds | Movie from File command.

Fortunately, the professional version of QuickTime can convert most Flash and QuickTime movies to the default Windows AVI format. More information on QuickTime can be found at:

PowerPoint and QuickTime

You can also learn more about QuickTime limitations in PowerPoint by reading Austin Myers excellent treatise on PowerPoint and Multimedia, mirrored on this site:

PowerPoint And Multimedia

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Convert Flash to AVI

Another often-overlooked option is to convert an entire Flash movie to the AVI format.

Almost all versions of Flash can export to the AVI format. Once the movie has been rendered to the AVI format, you can insert it using the Insert |Movies & Sounds | Movie from File route.

This works best only with movies that have no interactivity.

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