Changing the properties of a Shape/ AutoShape within a cell

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G

Guest

I am so new I squeek
I need to put shapes/ autoshapes and small photos in a cell. Like cell( B:2)
How does one control the autoshape or photo properites using VBA?
 
The easiest way with Excel/VBA is to record a macro (Tools>Macro>Record New
Macro) and see the generated code.
Whilst this code is generally not the most efficient, it gives you a
starting point to see the required syntax/objects to use.

NickHK
 
Thanks Nick ! That helped show of some of the properties!
( I did not think of it because I had a macro on the tree shape already.)

Since I have more than one tree shape i was kinda looking for a name
property... so I could move different "name"d trees from one cell to another
based
on the players movement.

Here is how 2003 Excel indicates I selected the tree.
 
Hit the wrong key and the prev message posted prematurely.

continue:
Here is how 2003 Excel shows I selected the object:
ActiveSheet.Shapes("Tree").Select

I have more than one "tree" in other cells. I would like
to give the trees different names so I can modify only
that object Ie: move it... or assign a rnd macro to it.

I have read help exhaustedly... thanks again!
 
Something like this ?

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
Dim NewTree As Shape
Dim i As Long

For i = 1 To 10
Set NewTree =
ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddShape(msoShapeFlowchartPredefinedProcess, 20 * i,
202.5, 174.75, 84.75)
With NewTree
.Name = "Tree_" & i
End With
Next
End Sub

NickHK
 
You are so close! That code produced 10 rectangles here with two smaller
rectangles off to one side for each object that was produced above the
worksheet. (which made ugly looking trees )
There were 10 of these ufos (unitendified flying objects ) to confirm the
for i = 10


so I did a little digging and
found a tree was an autoshape (not sure if that makes a difference)
and the name according to excel is BD18235.wmf (not sure if that makes
a difference. Your coding is interesting and the minute I saw it I almost
fell over to see the .name = Tree & i could do it.

I looked up
 
continued: hit the wrong key again
I looked up
"msoShapeFlowchartPredefinedProcess" to see what that joy was all about
but neither online of offline help wanted to give me anything.

Trust me, we I get this down I will name a tree after you.
Please dont roll your eyes- haha

wbnTravis
 
I just used that shape, as I didn't waht you meant by "tree". However, try
this. You may have to change the path depending on you installation/version
of Office.

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
Dim NewTree As Picture
Dim i As Long

Const TREEFILE As String = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office
XP\media\office10\AutoShap\BD18253_.wmf"

For i = 1 To 10
Set NewTree = ActiveSheet.Pictures.Insert(TREEFILE)
With NewTree
.Left = Cells(10, i * 2).Left
.Name = "Tree_" & i
End With
Next
End Sub

NickHK
 
Nick!
We are almost there!
You have been a wonderful help. Using a picture was correct and this
routine I will reuse over and over again as what I am making - involves
pictures.

The sub worked fine for one tree before the compiler gave me an error 13
type mismatch. Please see where I remarked the code.


Sub createTrees()

Dim NewTree As Picture
Dim i As Long

'my folder string.... Nick... You were right my folder was different.
Const TREEFILE As String = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\MEDIA\OFFICE11\AUTOSHAP\BD18253_.wmf"

For i = 1 To 10
Set NewTree = ActiveSheet.Pictures.Insert(TREEFILE)
'****** The above line is where I get the type mismatch error 13

With NewTree
.Left = Cells(10, i * 2).Left
.Name = "Tree_" & i
End With
Next

**** Like I said it worked fine to create 1 tree. The tree image is up
 
Yesterday, that code worked for me, but today I get that same error. OK, try
this, with the more modern Shapes collection:

Private Sub CommandButton3_Click()
Dim NewTree As Shape
Dim i As Long

Const TREEFILE As String = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\MEDIA\OFFICE11\AUTOSHAP\BD18253_.wmf"

For i = 1 To 10
Set NewTree = ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddPicture(TREEFILE, False, True, 10,
10, 10, 10)

With NewTree
.Left = Cells(10, i * 2).Left
.Name = "Tree_" & i
End With
Next

End Sub

NickHK
 
HEY NICK
You did it! When I first ran it I thought it was not working.
Only to find it created these real tiny little trees across
the second row. I was estatic. Nick, know that through
this process I have learned a lot and there is much to experiment
on... so I learn even more. A mere thank you is not enough
for all your work. I do thank you... and blessings to your family.

Know from what you taught me, I am able to test and experiment
with other things and I will learn at a faster rate!

Thanks again
Travis
 
Hi Nick,

That clipart wmf is not a Picture but an autoshape type of drawing with a
yellow handle , so it setting it to an object declared 'As Picture' would
fail.

If the OP wants to load the wmf to original size could use your Insert
method but declare NewTree As Object (or As Rectangle for this particular
wmf type but less safe), or to size to needs on load use the Shape method.

Regards,
Peter T
 
Thanks Peter T
It works just fine here. I only needed the routine once to load the drawing
and
the real issue was trying to get a name to an autoshape which I found
missing in every help file I explored. This whole issue was a big lesson
in itself...

This whole exercise taught me many things that now make a lot of
sense when i read the help files.

Nick was also showing me how to load a regular photo o/s of excel as well.
In the actual application I found a bizarre happening where the "trees"
drawing were named but when I asked excel to select a certain tree, the order
was not the same when I copied them over to the application. One by one I
sorted the 10 "trees" by the name based on excel's .select method.

I am wondering now how I can change tree_10 to another name.
(or any tree name) This is another exercise in itself.

I do not mind changing the trees drawings by name, one by one as I am not
sure what name I will give them anyway. In the game, I am writing,
the trees have powers, ( given to it by a macro) which affects
the characters.
 
I am wondering now how I can change tree_10 to another name.
(or any tree name) This is another exercise in itself.
Click to expand...

Sub Test()
Dim nResult As Long

nResult = RenameShape("Tree_10", "Tree_20", ActiveSheet)

If nResult = 1 Then
MsgBox "A shape already exists with new name"
ElseIf nResult = 2 Then
MsgBox "No shape exists with old name"
End If

End Sub

Function RenameShape(sOld As String, sNew As String, _
Optional ws As Worksheet) As Long
Dim shp As Shape

If ws Is Nothing Then
Set ws = ActiveSheet ' assumes not a chart sheet
End If

On Error Resume Next

'ensure no shape exists with new name
'and a shape does exist with old name

Set shp = ws.Shapes(sNew)
If Not shp Is Nothing Then
RenameShape = 1
Else
Set shp = ws.Shapes(sOld)
If Not shp Is Nothing Then
shp.Name = sNew
Else
RenameShape = 2
End If
End If

End Function


Regards,
Peter T
 
Peter,
Thanks for the clarification.
It did seem strange, as I had assumed that a picture was a Picture.
Any idea how you tell a .wmf is not a Picture ?

NickHK
 
Peter,
Also, the code using
ActiveSheet.Pictures.Insert(TREEFILE)
worked on the day I posted it, as I tested it, but failed the next day when
the OP said it failed.
Weird.

NickHK
 
Hi Nick,

I don't fully understand wmf's (Windows Meta File). They seem to be either a
vector drawing (not a picture), or can support an embedded raster image (a
picture). I guess there must be something in the header file that determines
what it is.

As for testing if a wmf is a drawing or a picture once loaded, and if
already referenced as a Shape -

myShape.Type, 13 (msoPicture) or 1 (msoAutoShape)
TypeName(myShape.DrawingObject), "Picture" or "Rectangle"

or Brute force
Dim pic as Picture
On error resume next
Set pic = myShape.DrawingObject
or
Set pic = myShape.Parent.Pictures(myShape.Name) ' assumes no punctuation in
name
If not pic is Nothing Then

The nice thing about wmf drawings is you can reformat fill and line formats.

Regards,
Peter T
 
Indeed strange why it originally worked for you. When I tried your code with
that particular wmf it loaded fine then failed attempting to set the 'As
Picture' reference. However I can set 'As Picture' with other types of wmf.

Any possibility you might have removed an Error handler before posting, or
any
difference in XL version between testings.

Regards,
Peter T
 
Peter,
Yes, metafiles are good for many applications.
Just that I was surprised that a wmf was not considered a picture although
it is obviously a format that Excel supports.
I can insert it using Insert>Picture>From File however the assignment to a
Picture variable fails.
Other (non-AutoShape) wmf behave as expected.

One of things I guess. It's not vital to mean, just a curiosity.

NickHK
 
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