ActiveCompanionSet xtras for Macromedia DirectorAutomating Microsoft PowerPoint
This sample makes a slide in a new PowerPoint presentation from the current Director frame.
vb = xtra("VbScriptXtra")
-- Create a new instance of PowerPoint
ppt = vb.CreateObject("PowerPoint.Application")
-- Create new presentation
p = ppt.Presentations.Add()
-- Add new slide to the newly created presentation
s = p.Slides.Add( 1, #ppLayoutBlank )
-- Scanning Director's current frame for texts and linked pictures
repeat with i = 1 to the lastChannel
if sprite( i ).type <> 0 then
mem = sprite(i).member
r = sprite(i).rect
case mem.type of
#text:
-- Add text box for a text member
sh = s.shapes.AddTextbox( 1, r[1], r[2], r.width, r.height )
sh.RTF = mem.rtf
#bitmap:
-- if bitmap member is linked
if mem.fileName <> "" then
-- Add picture shape for a bitmap member
sh = s.shapes.AddPicture( mem.fileName, #true, #false, \
r[1], r[2], r.width, r.height )
end if
end case
end if
end repeat
-- Now make PowerPoint visible
ppt.visible = #true
To find out how to save resulting presentation use ObjectBrowser xtra. Right after you get the instance of the Presentation object, call Interface() method.
-- Create new presentation
p = ppt.Presentations.Add()
p.Inteface()
If ObjectBrowser xtra is placed in Director's xtras folder, it will show up with the description of methods and properties available for Presentation object.
"Method: SaveAs
Arguments:
IN String FileName
IN PpSaveAsFileType FileFormat, Optional
IN MsoTriState EmbedTrueTypeFonts, Optional
Returns: VOID
Call syntax:
SaveAs(FileName, FileFormat, EmbedTrueTypeFonts)"
So, since FileFormat and EmbedTrueTypeFonts are optional you may simply specify the new file name to save the presentation with default format.
p.SaveAs( the moviePath & "p.ppt" )
-- or
p.SaveAs( the moviePath & "p.ppt", #ppSaveAsPresentation, #false )
To quit PowerPoint set to VOID all references to PowerPoint objects. Call Quit() method of PowerPoint application object and set it to VOID too.
s = VOID
p = VOID
ppt.Quit()
ppt = VOID
Note: In Macromedia Director (version 7, 8, 8.5) 'quit' was reserved and did not passed to the xtra at all. To workaround this issue VbScriptXtra uses 'underscore handling'. Add one underscore '_' at the beginning of the Quit. VbScriptXtra will automatically remove it and will call real Quit method of the wrapped object.
-- Underscore will be removed by VbScriptXtra internally
ppt._Quit()
Using OLE Embedded PowerPoint Presentation
This sample uses both OLExtra and VbScriptXtra from ActiveCompanionSet.
OLE xtra allows tight integration of Microsoft Office applications and Macromedia Director. For example, it is possible to place Microsoft PowerPoint movie right on stage as Director sprite, make it running and fully control it with scripting support provided by VbScriptXtra.
Simply let OLE xtra handle PowerPoint presentation OLE object. Presentation should be configured to allow playing in Window without displaying scroll bars (otherwise they will appear to the right of the sprite). Presentation may be adjusted for auto advancing by time, effects, transitions etc. If presentation is marked as read only, PowerPoint won't let user changing it, since within Director sprite is actually running the PowerPoint with all its capabilities.
Below is the simple behavior attached to the OLE xtra's actor sprite, that activates the embedded OLE object on begin sprite:
property spriteNum
property pView
on beginSprite me
sprite( spriteNum ).Activate()
mem = sprite( spriteNum ).member
if mem.Failed then
alert mem.LastError
exit
end if
-- Get the scripting interface to the Presentation
p = mem.GetObject()
if mem.Failed then
put mem.LastError
exit
end if
-- Getting the running slide show view
pView = p.SlideShowWindow.View
end
The method below shows how to browse presentation slides by Lingo:
on GoToSlide me, index
-- Moving to the requested slide
pView.GoToSlide( index )
end
on GoNext me -- Moving to the requested slide
pView.Next()
end
In this sample pView is usual VBScriptXtra wrapper. Refer to the VbScriptXtra's documentation for more details. More sophisticated applications can use event handling for controlling operations that user performs with the activated OLE document.
Sample Director movie is available to download. It can load and play PowerPoint presentations.
Note: To play presentation on stage you should adjust its play settings to allow playing in window without showing scrollbars. This is a presentation setting.
Automating Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer
This sample shows how to play PowerPoint presentation with PowerPoint Viewer. it uses
the smart technique (Thanks to Steven Hite) of binding the viewer window to the Stage by making it a child of the Stage with BuddyApi xtra. It solves the problem of the player window hiding behind the Projector's stage window.
global oPPt, oShow, hwndPPtWindow, miawWindow
on OpenPresentation me, theFile, nSlide, theRect
vb = xtra("VbScriptXtra")
-- Create a new instance of PowerPoint
oPPt = vb.CreateObject("PowerPointViewer.Application")
-- Use put oPPt.Interface() to see what else you can do with PowerPoint Viewer
-- Load the specified file
oShow = oPPt.NewShow( theFile, 1, 1 )
-- Find the presentation window handle for windows operations
me.GetPPtWindow()
me.HidePPt()
me.SetRect(theRect)
-- Bind the presentation window to the stage to prevent it from going behind the stage
me.AttachToStage()
nTotalSlides = me.GetTotalSlides()
if voidp(nSlide) then nSlide = 1
me.GotoSlide(nSlide)
me.ShowPPT()
return me.GetCurrentSlide()
End
on GotoSlide me, nSlide
if not objectp(oShow) then return 0
res = oShow.GotoSlide(nSlide,0)
return oShow.SlideNumber
End
on GetCurrentSlide me
if not objectp(oShow) then return 0
return oShow.SlideNumber
end
on GetTotalSlides me
if not objectp(oShow) then return 0
return oShow.SlidesCount()
end
on ClipWindow me
baClipWindow( hwndPPtWindow , 10 , 8 , 10 , 8 , true, true )
end
on hidePPT me
baSetWindowState(hwndPPtWindow, "Hidden" )
end
on attachtostage me
baSetParent(hwndPPtWindow, baStageHandle() )
end
on showPPT me
baSetWindowState(hwndPPtWindow, "Restored" )
end
on SetRect me, theRect
theRect = value(theRect)
if objectp(miawWindow) then
stageWidth = the stage.rect.width*1.0
width = miawWindow.rect.width*1.0
if stageWidth = 0 then
return
end if
ratio = width/stageWidth
theRect = theRect * ratio
end if
l = integer(theRect.left)
t = integer(theRect.top)
w = integer(theRect.width)
h = integer(theRect.height)
baMoveWindow(hwndPPtWindow, l , t , w , h , true )
baSetWindowState(hwndPPtWindow, "StayOnTop" )
end d
on GetPPtWindow me
WndList = baWindowList( "" , "PowerPoint Viewer -" , false )
if WndList [] then
hwndPPtWindow = WndList[1]
return hwndPPtWindow
--
else
return []
end if
End
on ClosePresentation me
if objectp(oShow) then
oShow.exit()
oShow = 0
end if
if objectp(oPPt) then
oPPt.quit()
oPPt = 0
end if
put baWindowList( "" , "Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer" , false ) into thePPViewerWin
if thePPViewerWin = [] then return
put thePPViewerWin[1] into thisWin
if thisWin.ilk = #integer and not voidp(thisWin) and thisWin > 0 and thisWin [] then
res = baCloseWindow(thisWin)
res = baCloseApp(thisWin)
else
nothing
end if
end
Export PowerPoint Slides
This sample shows how to export PowerPoint slides to Jpeg images on disk. Steven Hite's sample also uses BuddyApi xtra for user interaction.
--Handler to export a specified slide from a PowerPoint Presentation
on exportCurrentSlide me, PptFile, theSlide
vb=xtra"VbScriptXtra"
currentFolder = baSysFolder("current")
exportFolder = baGetFolder(currentFolder, "Please select a folder to save to",3, "Select a folder", -1, 0 )
if exportFolder = "" then return
--set the current folder for successive saves to make it easier for the user.
Result = baSetCurrentDir(exportFolder)
--create the PowerPoint object
ppt = vb.CreateObject("PowerPoint.Application")
open presentation
doc = ppt.Presentations.Open( PptFile, false, false, false)
if theSlide < 1 then theSlide = 1
outputpath = exportFolder & "Slide_" & theSlide &".jpg"
_player.cursor(4)
doc.slides[theSlide].Export(outputpath,"JPG",1024,768)
doc.Close()
doc = VOID
ppt.Quit()
ppt = VOID
_player.cursor(-1)
Answer = baMsgBoxEx( "Choose an Option", "Export Option" , "Open File", "Open Folder", "Cancel", "Question" , 1 , "center", "Arial", 12, 4, -1, -1 )
if answer = "Cancel" then return
if answer = "Open File" then
baOpenFile(outputpath,"Normal")
end if
if answer = "open folder" then
baShell("open", "explorer.exe", exportFolder, "", "normal")
end if
end
--Handler to export ALL slides from a PowerPoint Presentation
on exportAllSlides me, pptFile, theSlide
currentFolder = baSysFolder("current")
exportFolder = baGetFolder(currentFolder, "Please select a folder to save to:",3, "Select a folder", -1, 0 )
if exportFolder = "" then return
--set the current folder for successive saves to make it easier for the user.
Result = baSetCurrentDir(exportFolder)
--create the PowerPoint object
ppt = vb.CreateObject("PowerPoint.Application")
open presentation
doc = ppt.Presentations.Open( PptFile, false, false, false)
_player.cursor(4)
doc.Export(exportFolder,"JPG",1024,768)
doc.Close()
doc = VOID
ppt.Quit()
ppt = VOID
_player.cursor(-1)
Answer = baMsgBox( "View folder contents in explorer?", "View Folder Contents?" , "YesNo", "Question" , 1 )--it exists so we need to overwrite it
if answer = "No" then
return 0
else
baShell("open", "explorer.exe",exportFolder, "", "normal")
end if
end
Where to find more info about PPt?
Microsoft PowerPoint contains rather large help system, which contains just everything about PowerPoint. Look at Visual Basic for PowerPoint topics, which describes PowerPoint data model, objects, methods and properties you can use.
Make sure you have installed this part of the help system, since it may not be included in typical installation.
VbScriptXtra provides autodocumentation feature allowing you to see what you can do with particular object instance. Just create a PowerPoint object and type in Messages window:
put interface(ppt)
ObjectBrowser xtra - autodocumentation companion for VbScriptXtra - will show all available PPt interfaces, methods, properties and enumerations.
ObjectBrowser xtra is a part of ActiveCompanionSet. It is available to Download.
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