Powerpoint bug: Cannot create linked object

Dave Nadler 1 Reputation point
2021-03-09T21:30:45.027+00:00

I tried to add a linked object to a PowerPoint presentation as follows:
75977-ppt-attempting-spreadsheet-insert.png
I get the spinning wheel of doom for many seconds, followed by this error:
75957-ppt-failing-spreadsheet-insert.png
The server application, source file, or item can't be found, or returned an unknown error. You may need to reinstall the server application

The ODS spreadsheet opens just fine in either Excel or LibreOffice. Because there is no "Help About" in this version of PowerPoint (why? WTF?) , I have no idea which version. Running on Winbloze 10. Is there a work-around for this bug? Thanks!

PowerPoint Management
PowerPoint Management
PowerPoint: A family of Microsoft presentation graphics products that offer tools for creating presentations and adding graphic effects like multimedia objects and special effects with text.Management: The act or process of organizing, handling, directing or controlling something.
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  1. Emily Hua-MSFT 27,546 Reputation points
    2021-03-10T08:50:45.07+00:00

    @Dave Nadler

    • Does this issue occur with other format files inserted in PowerPoint as Objects?
      Or does this issue just occur with the .ods spreadsheets?

    1 If this issue occures with all the .ods spreadsheets, I suggest you go to Start menu > Settings > Apps > Default apps > Choose default apps by file type, ensure Excel is the default app to open .ods spreadsheets.
    Besides, please go to Registry Editor, locate to Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ods, check whether the value of "Default" is pointed to Excel file.
    On my test environment with Microsoft 365 apps installed, the value is Excel.OpenDocumentSpreadsheet.12 as the following image shown.
    76253-capture36.png
    (Please note, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.)

    2 If no matter what format of file is inserted, this error message will pop up, I suggest you go to Control Panel to repair Office.
    I also suggest you compressed files to be .zip, and insert .zip without ticking the box of "Link" for a test.

    • In addition, to check the version of PowerPiont, you may go to Control Panel > Programs and Features, check the version number of Office.

    Any updates, please let me know.

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  2. Dave Nadler 1 Reputation point
    2021-03-11T01:53:45.91+00:00

    I had already figured this out by the time you replied.
    Please confirm you have logged a bug regarding this behavior.
    It is completely, utterly, fantastically unacceptable
    to spin the hourglass wheel of doom for eons,
    and then display an utterly useless cryptic error message.
    Are you clear that this kind of nonsense makes people HATE Microsoft software?
    I've fired plenty of programmers for lesser stupidity...
    Thanks!

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