PPT97: Code to Display the Number of Slides or Shapes Selected

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

SUMMARY

If you hold down the shift key, you can select multiple slides or shapes at the same time. This article contains a sample Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro (Sub procedure) that displays a message box with the number of shapes or slides that are currently selected.

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 HowMany()

      Const StandardMessage As String = "Please select a slide or a" _
      & " shape and run the macro again."

      ' Define a selection object.
      Dim TheSelection As PowerPoint.Selection

      ' String used to create the message box.
      Dim Message As String

      Dim NumberOfObjects As Long

      ' Assign the TheSelection to the current selection.
      Set TheSelection = ActiveWindow.Selection

      ' Determine the type of selection.
      Select Case TheSelection.Type

         ' See whether a selection was made.
         Case ppSelctionNone

            Message = "You don't have anything selected. " _
               & StandardMessage

         ' See whether a slide is selected.
         Case ppSelectionSlides

            ' Get the number of slides selected.
            NumberOfObjects = TheSelection.SlideRange.Count

            If NumberOfObjects = 1 Then
               Message = "You have one slide selected."
            Else
               Message = "You have " & NumberOfObjects _
                  & " slides selected."
            End If

         Case ppSelectionShapes

            ' Get the number of shapes selected.
            NumberOfObjects = TheSelection.ShapeRange.Count
            If NumberOfObjects = 1 Then
               Message = "You have one shape selected."
            Else
               Message = "You have " & NumberOfObjects _
                  & " shapes selected."
            End If

         Case ppSelectionText

            Message = "You have text selected. " & StandardMessage

         Case Else

            MsgBox "Do not recognize your selection.", vbCritical
            End

      End Select

      ' Display the message box.
      MsgBox Message, vbInformation

   End Sub

REFERENCES

For more information about selection types, please see the following article here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q161390
   TITLE     : PPT: Sample Code to Display the Selection Type

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