Mini Guide

There's a lot of tools for this conversion but I'll concentrate only on free tools. (You know why, probably...if you read my previous posts...)

But, Why Would You Ever Want to Convert a Powerpoint Presentation into a Flash File?

Here is a detailed list of the key advantages for converting a PowerPoint presentation into a Flash file. No matter what your final goal is, a Flash-based presentation goes a long way in making your content easily accessible and distributable.

1) Greater Accessibility
Once converted to Flash, anyone can easily view a PowerPoint presentation in any Internet browser. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, Safari, Opera, and others. As more than 98% of all browsers have the Flash plug-in installed. You aren't required to install any special software or tell your audience to do the same.

2) Compatibility
Everyone who has a computer including those on Macs, Linux, Solaris, HP, SGI workstations, PDAs (PocketPCs/Windows Mobile and PalmOS), and handheld devices (with an integrated Flash player) can watch your PowerPoint in Flash. There's no limit in terms of devices or computer operating systems.

3) Reduced Files Size
A PowerPoint presentation converted to Flash can drastically reduce the size up to 1/10th of the original file size.

4) Sound Integration
Flash files can also integrate audio tracks, including music and voice-overs.

5) Display Resolution
Flash files can be played at virtually any resolution and/or screen size, making this file format an ideal way to distribute presentations across many display devices.

6) Internet Distribution
Distributing PowerPoint files on the Internet for other people to see is easier said than done. Not everyone has PowerPoint installed on his PC. But once you upload a Flash file to any server, forum and discussion group, anyone can watch it.

7) Streaming
Flash files use streaming technology that allows online viewers to start watching the presentation without waiting for the entire presentation to download before playback begins.

8) Basic Interaction Controls
Flash files contain optional embedded controls that let the end user control playback, stop and rewind the presentation.

9) More Distribution Options
Flash, for the reasons previously listed, is also an ideal format for distributing PowerPoint presentations on CD-ROMs. It allows multi-platform compatibility while providing a lean and fast performing file. It can also integrate audio and video while displayed on different displays and resolutions.

10) Email-Ready
Even if you want to send a PowerPoint file to someone by email, converting it to Flash may be a better option. The file size is smaller, and it doesn't clog your recipient's inbox. You also retain all of your transitions, animations and effects, while ensuring that the recipient can see the file without loading other software (for example, PowerPoint Viewer, which is 2.7 MB).

11) Secure
Others can edit PowerPoint files if they have PowerPoint installed on their machine. This is not the case for Flash files. However, they allow you to maintain more control over your content, if needed.

12) Firewall Friendliness
Flash-based content has no problem going through firewalls because it's like standard Web content.

PowerPoint to Flash Conversion

http://www.fileformat.info/convert/doc/ppt2swf.htm

PowerPoint to Flash Conversion is a web-based conversion application in which you upload a PowerPoint file that's no larger than 5 MB and the tool converts it to Flash. The application converts the files by using OpenOffice with JooConverter.

Price: Free

AJSoft PPT2SWF

http://www.ajsoftpk.com/ppt2swf.html

Free tool that converts PowerPoint slides into a Flash movie. It can also handle the animation. Compatible with Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP.

Download: http://www.freewareland.com/graphics/3165/

Price: Free

http://www.authorgen.com/authorpoint-lite-free/powerpoint-to-flash-converter.aspx

authorPOINT Lite is a free PowerPoint to Flash converter that quickly and easily converts PowerPoint presentations to Flash. authorPOINT Lite is easy-to-use, and provides fast, accurate and high quality conversions of PowerPoint (.ppt, .pps,.pptx and .ppsx) to Flash (.swf). Once converted, your Flash presentation has the same impact as your PowerPoint presentation retaining its effects, sound, animation, and rehearsed timings etc; plus you have all the benefits of a Flash file like reduced size, secure content, and easy distribution on the Web.

Price: Free

Powerbullet

http://www.powerbullet.com/

Powerbullet is a free tool that allows you to create Flash presentations for business, sales or educational use. No technical expertise is needed with its simple drag and drop interface. If you are familiar with a basic text editor, you should be comfortable with Powerbullet. Add sounds (MP3 or WAV files), images (PNG, GIF, JPEG) and Flash files (SWF). Create animations on any element in the page and add page transitions — entry and exit — with the click of a button.

Type text directly into the layout area and add color, formatting, special effects such as drop shadows and animations. Can also copy text from Word or other programs and paste into Powerbullet while retaining the formatting. Create color effects using transparency, gradients and overlaps.

Powerbullet exports the Flash movie in different modes, depending on your choice: for a standard slide-show, navigation buttons are automatically generated and added to the bottom of each page (or slide). Or select auto-advance mode and have the slides advance according to a timer. You can also synchronize a page the sound attached to it, so the page will wait until the sound has finished before advancing. For kiosk use, select full-screen output mode, which works in all modern Web browsers.

Powerbullet is no longer in production. You can still download it, check out the samples and get help at the user forums.

Price: Free.

Converting PowerPoint files to Flash Using the PPT_FLA Template

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~kurtis/flash/ppt_fla/
http://dmc.umn.edu/objects/ppt_fla/ppt_fla.shtml

Use this Flash Template file and print these instructions to convert PowerPoint presentations to Flash .swf files in a few easy steps. You'll need to have PowerPoint along with Flash MX to use this template. What you need to know: Rudimentary Flash skills... if you have never used Flash, go to the Help menu and select Tutorials. Choose the Introduction option.

With this tool, PowerPoint transitions and animations are not reproduced in Flash. If you are an experienced Flash developer, you can use this template as a starting place and add Flash animations to the presentation.

Download: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~kurtis/flash/ppt_fla/ppt_fla.fla

OpenOffice.org

http://www.openoffice.org/

Convert any of its files including PowerPoint files into Flash files. It's free and has great tool for direct conversion of PowerPoint files to .swf files. You only have to import PowerPoint file to OpenOffice and then export presentation to .swf file. Transitions and animations are not supported.

Price: Free

Known issues and limitations in creating POWERPOINT presentations that are later converted to Flash SWF files.

1. Bullets. All bullets may not properly convert to Flash. With most tools, bullets having an ASCII code lower than 255 work fine.

2. When creating PowerPoint presentations for converting into Flash, all text frames and graphical objects must be within a slide area. Otherwise in the converted slide, text and objects might not be in the right place, which can cause Flash to freeze and stop working.

3. All fonts used in a PowerPoint presentation must be installed on the computer performing the PowerPoint to Flash conversion.

4. All graphics inserted into a presentation must have smaller dimensions and sizes than the slide size (do not resize).

5. ActiveX objects may present problems and compatibilities issues with some PPT2Flash conversion tools.

Source: MasterNewMedia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.