Problems opening pptx files

Question

I need users to be able to open a 655mB pptx file stored in a SP library in the browser. I get an error about a problem opening the presentation, try Powerpoint. When I do that nothing happens. Local Ppt seems to freeze. It shows a "downloading..." message. Why is it downloading? It should open from SP.

Also, embedded videos don't appear to play ....

Not being able to open entire files in the browser and/or directly from SP in a local program completely defeats the purpose of using SP.  As far as I know it works with other ppt files. The only reason anyone would choose Msft cloud products is their touted Office compatibility. If that doesn't work reliably for common tasks like this, we may as well just store files in AWS or somewhere that actually works. It's also frustrating that every task we attempt in SP/O365 requires investigation and troubleshooting. Is this service built for enterprises or not? Sure doesn't seem that way.

Answer 1

You "believe"? What are the exact limits of file sizes opening in the browser? This could be a deal  breaker for many companies.

"The best user experience is to quick edit small Office files in Office Online, sync the larger files locally and modify them using Office client. "

No, that's the WORST user experience. First, syncing is generally regarded as a disaster in Sharepoint. And why would I pay for online storage if I have to sync things and keep a local copy? If that's required, why do I need the cloud? You guys have to start getting this thing to work the way you promise, or it's not going to have much of a future.

Answer 2

Hi Webbrewers3,

I believe that the root cause is that the file is too large to open in Office Online, so it requires downloading. Once finished, you should be able to open it in PowerPoint client. In fact, whether we can view and interact with the Office file in a browser window depends on several factors, including how big it is in file size.

The best user experience is to quick edit small Office files in Office Online, sync the larger files locally and modify them using Office client. We would appreciate your understanding.

Thanks,

Jim