PPT: Sample Code to Get Input From an Office Assistant Balloon

• Microsoft PowerPoint 98 Macintosh Edition
• Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article contains a sample Microsoft Visual for Applications macro (Sub procedure) that brings up the Office Assistant and then prompts you to make a selection. Five different animation choices are available. Once a radio button is clicked, the Assistant performs the animation. This code can be used as a starting point for creating Help systems with Microsoft Office.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/default.asp

Sample Visual Basic Procedure

   Sub GetInput()

      ' Declare variables.
      Dim AssistantName As String
      Dim IsVisible As Boolean
      Dim Result As Byte
      Dim ball as Balloon

      ' For error trapping.
      On Error Resume Next
      Err.Clear

      ' Get the name of the current assistant.
      AssistantName = Assistant.Name

      ' If the Assistant is not visible make visible.
      If Assistant.Visible = False Then
         Assistant.Visible = True
         IsVisible = False
      Else
         IsVisible = True
      End If

      ' Create a balloon for the assistant.
      Set Ball = Assistant.NewBalloon

      With Ball

         ' Add heading and question.
         .Heading = "Hi! I Am " & AssistantName
         .text = "Which Animation would you like me to perform?"

         ' Add radio button choices for animation selection.
         .Labels(1).text = "Appear"
         .Labels(2).text = "Disappear"
         .Labels(3).text = "Empty Trash"
         .Labels(4).text = "Artsy"
         .Labels(5).text = "Thinking"

         ' Sets the BalloonType Property.
         .BalloonType = msoBalloonTypeButtons

         ' Make the balloon modal, this is the default.
         .Mode = msoModeModal

         ' Add a cancel button to the balloon, OK is default.
         .Button = msoButtonSetCancel

      End With

      ' Loop until cancel is selected.
      Do

         ' Show the Balloon
         Result = Ball.Show

         ' If Cancel button selected, end the macro.
         If Err <> 0 Then

            ' If the assistant was not visible close the assistant.
            If IsVisible = False Then
               Assistant.Visible = False
            Else
               ' Set to idle.
               Assistant.Animation = msoAnimationIdle
            End If

            End
         End If

         ' Perform the animation.
         Select Case Result
            Case 1
               Assistant.Animation = msoAnimationAppear
            Case 2
               Assistant.Animation = msoAnimationDisappear
            Case 3
               Assistant.Animation = msoAnimationEmptyTrash
            Case 4
               Assistant.Animation = msoAnimationGetArtsy
            Case 5
               Assistant.Animation = msoAnimationThinking
            Case Else
               MsgBox "An Error Occurred"
               End
         End Select

         ' Update the heading.
         Ball.Heading = "Please Make a Selection"

      Loop

   End Sub

REFERENCES

For more information about creating Visual Basic for Applications macros, click the Office Assistant in Microsoft PowerPoint, type "how to create a macro," click Search, and then click to view "Create a macro in Visual Basic Editor."

For more information about running Visual Basic for Applications macros, click the Office Assistant in Microsoft PowerPoint, type "how to run a macro," click Search, and then click to view "Run a macro."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If the Assistant is not able to answer your query, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q176476
   TITLE     : OFF: Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions

   ARTICLE-ID: Q163435
   TITLE     : VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for
               Applications