Access 2003 Output to PowerPoint Slides

[DeanJW2006]

I generate monthly reports in Access 2003 for various Boards and Executive Committees. The current report format is PDF. However, one entity is taking each page of their report and copying and pasting them into Power Point slides. Unfortunately, they look awful and make our Department look awful. Is there a way through automation to recreate the slides(format in all) directly from Access to Powerpoint.

[twinnyfo]

Dean,

I currently have a DB that generates graphs and charts. Although I don't know of a way to directly output to PowerPoint, I have created separate forms for each "slide" created by the DB, then I copy that graph to the clipboard, and go into PowerPoint and paste the graph as an MS Windows Metafile. This produces very good quality charts in PowerPoint, although it could be time consuming if you have a lot of slides to produce.

I would play around with it and see what you can do....

[DeanJW2006]

My problem with the copy and paste method is that the output is larger than the slide and subsequent reduction makes it look awful. However, I will keep trying that method to see if I can get it to look presentable. Thanks for your help.

[twinnyfo]

Not sure if this will help, but when I create my charts, I create them on a form and make sure they are 9.5 inches wide by about 6 inches high. In the underlying code of the form, I have the following:

    Me.Graph.Requery
    Me.Form.SetFocus
    Me.Repaint
    Me.Graph.Enabled = True
    Me.Graph.SetFocus
    DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdCopy
    Me.cmdNext.SetFocus
    Me.Graph.Enabled = False

Graph is the name of the chart object, and I've found I need every step listed in order to properly copy the chart object to my clipboard.

Then, when I paste them into PowerPoint, I Paste Special... as a "Picture (Windows Metafile)" and they fit my slides perfectly.

Again, not sure if that helps......

[DeanJW2006]

Thank you for your suggestions. I will try it out.

[DeanJW2006]

The biggest problem I have with this approach is the number of pages/forms that are being handled. The whole report is over 70 pages. However, only three divisions are copying and pasting their pdf pages into slides with very poor results.

[twinnyfo]

Yeah, I think MS needs to integrate these two programs a bit more. I know of no way to create PP Presentations from Acces programmaticall y.... 70 Pages is a lot of cut and paste. Mine is only about 20 slides every few months, so the effort is not intense. My apologies for not being able to help more....

[DeanJW2006]

You were very helpful....

[zmbd]

Try this:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/aa159920(v=office.11).aspx

Should work like a charm... and it works!

-z

[edit]

http://www.databaselessons.com/access-data-to-powerpoint-1.php

not sure where part 2 is and I need a nap

(z_z)

-z

[twinnyfo]

Z,

I've been playing with this, and it's kinda cool.... However, I'm having problems doing anything more than updating text boxes....

I am trying to paste a chart into the presentation using the following:

    ppCurrentSlide.Shapes("Graph3").Select
    DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdPaste

I previously put the desired chart onto the clipboard, and it still resides there, as when I Ctrl-C into the open PPT, it does, in fact, paste into the presentation. However, the code says that the command or action 'Paste' isn't available now.

Are there ways to insert objects from Access into PP? If I am not mistaken, this may be more at the heart of the original inquiry.... This solution would save me time, too, so I am no more eager to find an automated solution.....

[zmbd]

A the bottom the MS link in #9 is the following:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;200551

It is supposed to deal with creating charts. I haven't read thru it yet; however, it starts out with the Northwind.mdb so it should help get us back into the ditch on the otherside of the road :) ... been a busy day.
-z

[twinnyfo]

I looked at that, and the bottom line is that the code selects your chart, then edits the datasheet behind it. This will work..... Now, any ideas how to edit/modify tables that may be present on your PowerPoint slides. I am able to identify the ppt table in the slide using this code:

    If OpwrPresent.Shapes(Shpcnt).Type = 19 Then
        Set shpDataTable = OpwrPresent.Shapes(Shpcnt)
        ' Found the data table.
    End If

Then, I set the datatable object I've defined at that shape I have identified:

Set oDataTable = shpDataTable.Table

However, when I try to access or edit the data in the table, even something as simple as this:

Debug.Print oDataTable(1, 1)

I get the error that object doesn't support this property or method. Any ideas on how to update a table in powerpoint based on a query you have built in your current DB?

[zmbd]

once again... I'm flying blind with this; however, you might take a look at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...ffice.11).aspx

-z