RE: viewing MS powerpoint files from dired

[Drew Adams]

> How can I teach dired to launch powerpoint on files with extension ppt
> (that is on MS Windows)?

Are you on Windows?  If so, then load `w32-browser.el' and maybe bind some keys
like these (these are from `dired+.el'):

(when (featurep 'w32-browser)
  (define-key dired-mode-map [(control return)] 'dired-w32-browser)
  (define-key dired-mode-map [(meta return)] 'dired-w32explore)
  (define-key diredp-menu-bar-immediate-menu [dired-w32-browser]
    '(menu-item "Open Associated Windows App" dired-w32-browser
      :help "Open file using the Windows app associated with its file type"))
  (define-key diredp-menu-bar-immediate-menu [dired-w32explore]
    '(menu-item "Open in Windows Explorer" dired-w32explore
      :help "Open file in Windows Explorer"))
  (define-key dired-mode-map [mouse-2] 'dired-mouse-w32-browser)
  (define-key diredp-menu-bar-operate-menu [dired-multiple-w32-browser]
    '(menu-item "Open Associated Windows Apps" dired-multiple-w32-browser
      :help "Open files using the Windows apps associated with their file
types")))

This lets you use Windows file associations in Dired.

w32-browser.el and dired+.el are here:
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/w32-browser.el
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/dired%2b.el