VBA Problems with wordwrapping textboxes and text limits of WordAr

[kraves]

(I posted this over at VBAex - so apologies for those who read both forums)

Hi, I've been been trying to make a Ticker equivalent in powerpoint.
A single slide (that auto loops) with a ticker crawling across bottom. It
updates from a single line text file.

I started with a textbox, got it working fine, except it will always
wordwrap at around 67 characters even with wordwrap false. Here's a code
snippet
I was trying. There's more tags than needed because I was trying to solve
the wrap problem.

Any Ideas to solve this one? Am I missing a tag somewhere?

---------------------
Sub UpdateTickerText()

Dim oShp, oNewShp As Shape
Dim Temp
Dim InputBuffer As String
Dim FileNum As Integer
FileNum = FreeFile

'Select Shape with Ticker Text
Set oShp = ActiveWindow.Selection.SlideRange.Shapes("Text Box 10")

If Not TickerFileName <> "" Then SelectTickerTextFile
If Dir$(TickerFileName) <> "" Then ' the file exists, it's safe to
continue
Open TickerFileName For Input As FileNum

While Not EOF(FileNum)
Input #FileNum, InputBuffer

With oShp.TextFrame
'.DeleteText
.TextRange.Text = InputBuffer
.WordWrap = msoFalse
.TextRange.Font.Name = TickerFont
.TextRange.Font.Size = TickerSize
.TextRange.ChangeCase (ppCaseUpper)
.AutoSize = ppAutoSizeNone
.VerticalAnchor = msoAnchorMiddle
.HorizontalAnchor = msoAnchorNone
.TextRange.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ppAlignLeft
.TextRange.ParagraphFormat.WordWrap = msoFalse
End With
Wend
Close FileNum
End If
End Sub


---------------------
So I moved on to use wordart which is basically working fine until I hit a
199/200 char limit. I'm guessing this is the max length of wordart text.
Here's a snippet:

---------------------
Sub UpdateWordArtTickerText()

Dim oShp As Shape
Dim NewEff As Effect
Dim InputBuffer As String
Dim BufferLen As Single
Dim FileNum As Integer
FileNum = FreeFile

'Delete Ticker Shape if it exists

For Each oShp In ActivePresentation.Slides(1).Shapes
If oShp.AlternativeText = "TICKER" Then oShp.Delete
Next

If Not TickerFileName <> "" Then SelectTickerTextFile
If Dir$(TickerFileName) <> "" Then ' the file exists, it's safe to
continue
Open TickerFileName For Input As FileNum

If Not EOF(FileNum) Then
Input #FileNum, InputBuffer 'Read first line of text
file only

InputBuffer = UCase(InputBuffer) 'to Uppercase
BufferLen = Len(InputBuffer) 'use length to set speed

'Maximum length for wordart is 199, just cut of string at this
stage
If BufferLen > 199 Then
BufferLen = 199
InputBuffer = Mid(InputBuffer, 1, 199)
End If

'Create new Ticker using wordart object
Set oShp =
ActiveWindow.Selection.SlideRange.Shapes.AddTextEffect _
(PresetTextEffect:=msoTextEffect1, Text:=InputBuffer,
FontName:=TickerFont, _
FontSize:=TickerSize, FontBold:=msoFalse, FontItalic:=msoFalse, _
Left:=TickerLeft, Top:=TickerTop)

oShp.Select
With ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange
.Fill.Visible = msoTrue 'Change format
settings
.Fill.Solid
.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = RGB(0, 0, 0)
.Fill.Transparency = 0#
End With
ActiveWindow.Selection.Unselect

oShp.AlternativeText = "TICKER" 'Make it easy to
identify

'Add crawl exit effect to Ticker
Set NewEff =
ActivePresentation.Slides(1).TimeLine.MainSequence.AddEffect(oShp, _
msoAnimEffectCrawl, msoAnimateLevelNone,
msoAnimTriggerWithPrevious)

With NewEff
' .Timing.Duration = TickerSpeed * BufferLen / 20
.EffectParameters.Direction = msoAnimDirectionLeft
.Timing.Duration = 30# 'Duration in seconds
' .Behaviors.Item(1).Timing.Duration = 30#
.Exit = msoTrue 'Make it Exit Effect,
starts off screen
End With

End If
Close FileNum
End If
End Sub
---------------------

Any ideas on getting around the 200 limit?

Also I can't get the 30sec timing to stick, debugging the routine I can
watch it change, but afterwards custom animation still shows the default 5sec
(Very Slow).

My only thought is to create multiple wordarts end to end, group them, then
animate the group.
Alternatively has anyone coded a similar routine and willing to share?


cheers, kraves

 

[Shyam Pillai]

Hi,
Yes, this is a restriction in PPT 2003 and earlier. It does not occur in PPT
2007. How about creating a multiple textboxes and then grouping them as one?


--
Regards,
Shyam Pillai

Image Importer Wizard
http://skp.mvps.org/iiw.htm

 

[kraves]

Thanks Shyam. I was thinking that this approach will be my only way around
this.
Might still use wordart since it will mean less objects due to the 200 char
limit.
I assume it will be a matter of Next Left = Existing Left + Width + maybe a
small margin? I suppose an array of wordart shapes to make it easier to group.

I was going to upgrade to 2007 shortly (looking into the dualboot Mac option
so I can support both platforms and run Impress, Keynote & MacOffice2008).
Problem is most of my conference client will be on 2003 for some time yet.
2007 / 2003 is a challenge in a conference environment due to the large
differences in the interface alone - even if you ignore the new effects etc.

Other option I thought of was to place a IE box inside the slide and using
javascript or similar to build a real ticker. Thought I'd go with the
challenge of making Powerpoint do it natively.

Anyone interested in the code once finished?

Kyle.