Install a daily countdown in PowerPoint

[Frasier]

How do I install a countdown clock that automatically changes each time I
open the briefing. For example, I would like to count down to a specific
event in the future by how many days to go. The script or inserted object
should allow for a customized event date subtract the current date to get
"how many days until" date.

 

[David M. Marcovitz]

The details will depend on exactly how you want to display the answer.
Something like this will pop up a message box with the number of days
from now until January 14.

Sub DaysToGo()
MsgBox #1/14/2008# - Date
End Sub

Just change the date between the #s to whatever the deadline is.

--David

 

[Frasier]

Where in the slideshow do I insert this script?

The details will depend on exactly how you want to display the answer.
Something like this will pop up a message box with the number of days
from now until January 14.

Sub DaysToGo()
MsgBox #1/14/2008# - Date
End Sub

Just change the date between the #s to whatever the deadline is.

--David

--
David M. Marcovitz
Microsoft PowerPoint MVP
Author of _Powerful PowerPoint for Educators_
http://www.PowerfulPowerPoint.com/

 

[Frasier]

I want to display this as a number on every slide in the slideshow at the
bottom of each slide. Basically the boss wants everyone to know how many
days until the merger with another company. So I thought I could
automatically count down rather than have to change the number on the slide
every morning.

Something like "100 Days Until The Merger" in a 16 point font at the bottom
center of every slide.

Thanks.

 

[Glen (TD DTP)]

Frasier,
1. Do the equation below in excel.
=DATE(YYYY,MM,DD) - TODAY() & " Days Until The Merger"
2. Format the cell to look how you want (note make the cell borders white,
or invisable)
3. Paste "Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet Object"

This should update each day... please get back to me if it does not.
Note: DATE(YYYY,MM,DD) needs to me the target date for the merger.

 

[Brian Reilly, MVP]

Good for you David, I always use Now(), but this code works just
great.

Create a new text box on the Slide Master and figure out how to get
the shape name in VBA. Then change the shape name from "Text Box 7" to
whatever and insert this in a VBA module.

Option Explicit

Sub DaysToGo()
Dim strDaysTill As String 'This gets the number of days.

'The & is the code to concatenate.
strDaysTill = "There are " & #1/14/2008# - Date & " more days till the
event."

'You want to add add text box to the Slide Master. It will be called
something different so you will want to rename it.
'This takes the value of the calculation and the text and places it in
the text box.
ActivePresentation.SlideMaster.Shapes("text box
7").TextFrame.TextRange.Text = strDaysTill

End Sub

Now, you'll just have to figure out how to fire the code, and there
are simple ways and more complex ways. Sounds like simple is what you
want, which would be to set up the SlideShow to run in Kiosk mode and
draw a full screen autoshape on the first page and assign it to run
this macro. Then turn the autoshape into No Fill, No lines. not
bulletproof but simple.

Brian Reilly, MVP

 

[Glen (TD DTP)]

Powerpoint does not haddle equations hence the formulas
=DATE(2008,1,20) - TODAY() & " Days Until The Merger"
is not much use, even if pasted in as a link (or embedded) from excel.
(without the use of macros)... it starts to get a bit complicated.

Try this link, it seem to work well (use will need to adjust the VBA code)
http://skp.mvps.org/ppt00021.htm

If I think of another way to do it I will post later.

 

[Glen Millar]

Hi,

Not the other Aussie Glen from PowerPoint Live who is now in Toronto?

--

Regards,
Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP

Please tell us your PowerPoint version

Tutorials and PowerPoint animations at
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glen at pptworkbench dot com