Open and insert multiple linked graphs to existing Power Point

Question

I have a load of graphs I in excel, I would like to update to an existing power-point.

For this purpose, I found the excellent code from:

http://www.myengineeringworld.net/2012/11/export-all-excel-charts-to-power-point.html

Which works as charme. Now, I need to simply open an existing power-point and add the graphs (not a new one) and I would also like to post the graphs as linked chart.

This is the original code:

Option Explicit

'Both subs require a reference to Microsoft PowerPoint xx.x Object Library.
'where xx.x is your office version (11.0 = 2003, 12.0 = 2007 and 14.0 = 2010).

'Declaring the necessary Power Point variables (are used in both subs).
Dim pptApp As PowerPoint.Application
Dim pptPres As PowerPoint.Presentation
Dim pptSlide As PowerPoint.Slide
Dim pptSlideCount As Integer

Sub ChartsToPowerPoint()

    'Exports all the chart sheets to a new power point presentation.
    'It also adds a text box with the chart title.

    'By Christos Samaras
    'http://www.myengineeringworld.net

    Dim ws As Worksheet
    Dim intChNum As Integer
    Dim objCh As Object

    'Count the embedded charts.
    For Each ws In ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets
        intChNum = intChNum + ws.ChartObjects.Count
    Next ws

    'Check if there are chart (embedded or not) in the active workbook.
    If intChNum + ActiveWorkbook.Charts.Count < 1 Then
        MsgBox "Sorry, there are no charts to export!", vbCritical, "Ops"
        Exit Sub
    End If

    'Open PowerPoint and create a new presentation.
    Set pptApp = New PowerPoint.Application
    Set pptPres = pptApp.Presentations.Add

    'Loop through all the embedded charts in all worksheets.
    For Each ws In ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets
        For Each objCh In ws.ChartObjects
            Call pptFormat(objCh.Chart)
        Next objCh
    Next ws

    'Loop through all the chart sheets.
    For Each objCh In ActiveWorkbook.Charts
        Call pptFormat(objCh)
    Next objCh

    'Show the power point.
    pptApp.Visible = True

    'Cleanup the objects.
    Set pptSlide = Nothing
    Set pptPres = Nothing
    Set pptApp = Nothing

    'Infrom the user that the macro finished.
    MsgBox "The charts were copied successfully to the new presentation!", vbInformation, "Done"

End Sub

Private Sub pptFormat(xlCh As Chart)

    'Formats the charts/pictures and the chart titles/textboxes.

    'By Christos Samaras
    'http://www.myengineeringworld.net

    Dim chTitle As String
    Dim j As Integer

    On Error Resume Next
   'Get the chart title and copy the chart area.
    chTitle = xlCh.ChartTitle.Text
    xlCh.ChartArea.Copy

    'Count the slides and add a new one after the last slide.
    pptSlideCount = pptPres.Slides.Count
    Set pptSlide = pptPres.Slides.Add(pptSlideCount + 1, ppLayoutBlank)

    'Paste the chart and create a new textbox.
    pptSlide.Shapes.PasteSpecial ppPasteJPG
    If chTitle <> "" Then
        pptSlide.Shapes.AddTextbox msoTextOrientationHorizontal, 12.5, 20, 694.75, 55.25
    End If

    'Format the picture and the textbox.
    For j = 1 To pptSlide.Shapes.Count
        With pptSlide.Shapes(j)
            'Picture position.
            If .Type = msoPicture Then
                .Top = 87.84976
                .Left = 33.98417
                .Height = 422.7964
                .Width = 646.5262
            End If
            'Text box position and formamt.
            If .Type = msoTextBox Then
                With .TextFrame.TextRange
                    .ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ppAlignCenter
                    .Text = chTitle
                    .Font.Name = "Tahoma (Headings)"
                    .Font.Size = 28
                    .Font.Bold = msoTrue
                End With
            End If
        End With
    Next j

End Sub

First, I simply can't figure out how to change this part of the code:

 'Open PowerPoint and create a new presentation.
        Set pptApp = New PowerPoint.Application
        Set pptPres = pptApp.Presentations.Add

So I just open my existing presentation, I've tried lots of variations of

Set pptApp = New PowerPoint.Application
    pptApp.Visible = True
    pptApp.Presentations.Open("filelocation.pptx")

And many more, but I can't seem to get the system to either capture an already open power point file, or just to open it directly from a link.

This also leads to me having trouble getting the graphs in as linked to the excel sheet, so when I change the numbers, they will change as well.

I seem to be struggling with the correct way to assign objects?

Answer 1

I have created a Code that you select an existing PowerPoint using the FileDialog command. Afer you select the PowerPoint file you want to update, it goes to your selected slide, deletes all existing objects that are charts. After it copies all chart objects from a certain worksheet in Excel to this slide.

Here is the piece of code I am using. First you need to call the Main proceudre.

Public Sub Main()

Dim PowerPoint_Selected As String

PowerPoint_Selected = GetFileName(ActiveWorkbook.Path)
Call UpdatePowerPoint(PowerPoint_Selected)

End Sub

This is the function that let's you choose which PowerPoint slide you want to update.

Public Function GetFileName(strPath As String) As String

Dim fDialog                             As FileDialog
Dim result                              As Integer
Dim FileSelected                        As String

Set fDialog = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)

'Optional: FileDialog properties
fDialog.AllowMultiSelect = False
fDialog.Title = "Select a file"
fDialog.InitialFileName = strPath

'Optional: Add filters
fDialog.Filters.Clear
fDialog.Filters.Add "PowerPoint files", "*.ppt*"

 'Show the dialog. -1 means success!
If fDialog.Show = -1 Then
    GetFileName = fDialog.SelectedItems(1)
End If

If GetFileName = "" Then
    MsgBox "No PowerPoint file was selected !", vbExclamation, "Warning"
    End
End If

End Function

And this is the routine that updates all the charts in the PowerPoint slide you want to update. Update the value in SlideNum Variable to whatever slide you want to use.

Public Sub UpdatePowerPoint(PowerPointFile)

 'Add a reference to the Microsoft PowerPoint Library by:
    '1. Go to Tools in the VBA menu
    '2. Click on Reference
    '3. Scroll down to Microsoft PowerPoint X.0 Object Library, check the box, and press Okay

'First we declare the variables we will be using
Dim newPowerPoint                   As PowerPoint.Application
Dim activeSlide                     As PowerPoint.Slide
Dim cht                             As Excel.ChartObject
Dim cht_count                       As Integer
Dim SlideNum                        As Integer
Dim ShapeNum                        As Integer

 ' Open an existing PowerPoint
Set PPT = New PowerPoint.Application
PPT.Presentations.Open Filename:=PowerPointFile


Worksheets("YourSelectedSheetName").Activate
SlideNum = ActiveSheet.Cells(5, 2)

PPT.ActivePresentation.Slides(SlideNum).Select

' loop throughthe PowerPoint Slide shapes and search for the Shape that contains a chart
For i = PPT.ActivePresentation.Slides(SlideNum).Shapes.Count To 1 Step -1
    If PPT.ActivePresentation.Slides(SlideNum).Shapes.Item(i).HasChart Then
        PPT.ActivePresentation.Slides(SlideNum).Shapes.Item(i).Delete
    End If
Next

'Show the PowerPoint
PPT.Visible = True

cht_count = 1

'Loop through each chart in the Excel worksheet and paste them into the PowerPoint
For Each cht In ActiveSheet.ChartObjects
    Set activeSlide = PPT.ActivePresentation.Slides(SlideNum) ' (17)

    'Copy the chart and paste it into the PowerPoint as a Linked object to Excel
    cht.Select
    ActiveChart.ChartArea.Copy
    activeSlide.Shapes.PasteSpecial(ppPasteDefault).Select

    'Adjust the positioning of the Chart on Powerpoint Slide , each inch is 72 points
    Select Case cht_count
        Case 1 ' Timeline Chart
            PPT.ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.Left = 7 ' 0.1"
            PPT.ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.Top = 400 ' 5.55"
        Case 2 ' Man-Hours Chart
            PPT.ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.Left = 400 ' 5.55"
            PPT.ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.Top = 295 ' 4.1"

    End Select
    cht_count = cht_count + 1

Next

With PPT.ActivePresentation.Slides(SlideNum).Shapes
    For i = 1 To .Count
        If .Item(i).HasTable Then
            ShapeNum = i
        End If
    Next
End With

AppActivate ("Microsoft PowerPoint")
Set activeSlide = Nothing
Set newPowerPoint = Nothing

End Sub