PPT97: How to Auto Load a PowerPoint Add-In

• Microsoft PowerPoint 97 For Windows

SUMMARY

When you load a Microsoft PowerPoint add-in by using the Add-Ins dialog box, the add-in remains loaded until you exit PowerPoint. However, PowerPoint does not automatically load that add-in every time you start PowerPoint.

This article describes several ways you can create registry entries for a PowerPoint add-in or wizard so that it loads automatically when you start PowerPoint.

MORE INFORMATION

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http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

Method 1: Use the AutoLoad Property to Register the Add-in in HKEY_CURRENT_USER

   Sub Auto_Open()

      ' Get a reference to your add-in.
      With Addins(Addins.Count)

         ' Create the registry key in HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
         .Registered = msoTrue

         ' Set the AutoLoad value in the registry. 
         .AutoLoad = msoTrue

         ' Makes sure that the add-in is loaded.
         .Loaded = msoTrue

      End With

   End Sub 

Method 2: Use the Registry API to Register the Add-in in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

   ' **********************************************************************
   '
   '  FUNCTION:
   '     RegisterAddin()
   '
   '  PURPOSE:
   '     The function registers an add-in in the registry.
   '
   '  ARGUMENTS:
   '     strBranch - This is the branch of the registry in which you 
   '       want to register the PowerPoint add-in. This value can be LOCAL

   '       or L(for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) or CURRENT or C    '       (for
HKEY_CURRENT_USER).
   '
   '     strAddinName - This is the name of your add-in.
   '
   '     strAddinPath - This is the full path to your add-in.
   '
   '     fAutoLoad - This is a boolean value you can use to set the
   '        AutoLoad  property. If you specify TRUE, your add-in
   '        automatically loads every time PowerPoint is started.
   '
   ' RETURNS:
   '   True - If the function worked.
   '   False - If the function failed for any reason.
   '
   ' **********************************************************************
   Function RegisterAddin( _
      strBranch As String, _
      strAddinName As String, _
      strAddinPath, _

      fAutoLoad As Boolean) As Boolean

      ' Turn on error trapping.
      On Error GoTo RegAddinError
      Err.Clear

      ' Create the variable used in the call to RegCreateKeyEx().
      Dim lhkeyHive As Long
      Dim strSubKey As String
      Dim lhkey As Long
      Dim lDisp As Long
      Dim lReturnVal As Long

      ' Make the branch string all caps.
      strBranch = UCase(strBranch)

      ' Determine which branch of the registry to use.
      Select Case strBranch
         Case Is = "LOCAL"
            lhkeyHive = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
         Case Is = "L"
            lhkeyHive = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
         Case Is = "CURRENT"
            lhkeyHive = HKEY_CURRENT_USER
         Case Is = "C"
            lhkeyHive = HKEY_CURRENT_USER
         Case Else
            ' Passed in the wrong parameter, so use HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
            lhkeyHive = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
      End Select

      ' Create the SubKey string.
      strSubKey = "Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\PowerPoint\AddIns\" & _
         strAddinName

      ' Create or open the registry key.
      lReturnVal = RegCreateKeyEx( _
         lhkeyHive, _
         strSubKey, _
         0, _
         "", _
         REG_OPTION_NON_VOLATILE, _
         KEY_ALL_ACCESS, _
         vbNullString, _
         lhkey, _
         lDisp)

      ' See if error occurred when opening key.
      If (lReturnVal <> ERROR_SUCCESS Or lhkey = 0) Then
         RegisterAddin = False
         Exit Function
      End If

      'Add the path to the add-in to the registry.
      lReturnVal = RegSetValueEx( _
         lhkey, _
         "Path", _
         0&, _
         REG_SZ, _
         strAddinPath, _
         Len(strAddinPath))

      ' See if an error occurred when writing the registry key.
      If (lReturnVal <> ERROR_SUCCESS) Then
         RegisterAddin = False
         Exit Function
      End If

      ' Add the AutoLoad key if needed.
      If fAutoLoad = True Then

         'Add the path to the add-in to the registry.
         lReturnVal = RegSetDwordValueEx( _
            lhkey, _
            "AutoLoad", _
            0, _
            REG_DWORD, _
            &HFFFFFFFF, _
            4)

            ' See if an error occurred when writing the registry key.
            If (lReturnVal <> ERROR_SUCCESS) Then
               RegisterAddin = False
               Exit Function
            End If

      End If

      ' Close the registry key.
      lReturnVal = RegCloseKey(lhkey)

      ' See if error occurred when closing the registry key.
      If (lReturnVal <> ERROR_SUCCESS) Then
         RegisterAddin = False
         Exit Function
      End If

      ' All is well, so return true.
      RegisterAddin = True

      ' Exit the sub so that the code does not flow into
      ' the error handler.
      Exit Function

   ' Handle an add-in registration error.
   RegAddinError:
      RegisterAddin = False

      ' Close the registry key if it is still open.
      If lhkey <> 0 Then
         RegCloseKey lhkey
      End If

   End Function

Use the following syntax when calling the RegisterAddin() function:

   If (RegisterAddin("l", "AddIn", "c:\Path", True) = True) Then
      MsgBox "It worked"
   Else
      MsgBox "it did not work"
   End If 

Method 3: Create a Registration (.Reg) File for Your Add-In

    REGEDIT4

   [<key>\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\PowerPoint\AddIns\MyAddin]
   "Path"="C:\\PPA_PATH\\MYADDIN.PPA"
   "AutoLoad"=dword:ffffffff 

Method 4: Make the Entries in the Registry by Hand

REFERENCES

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

Additional query words: kbmacro vba ppt vbe kbcode win32 auto_open

Keywords : kbcode kbdta kbdtacode OffVBA kbmacroexample kbpptvba
Version : WINDOWS:
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto