Embedding a SWF into PowerPoint

I was embedding multiple SWF files into PowerPoint, unfortunately when I set the ScaleMode to fit to area it would reset the next time I opened the PowerPoint file. A search of the internet did not come up with a solution to my problem. Since I couldn’t find out how to fix it I created a kludge to get the SWF videos to be sized correctly. To do this I created a button on the first slide.

I then created a macro to go along with the button.

Option Explicit

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
    
    Dim oSlide As Slide
    
    For Each oSlide In ActivePresentation.Slides
        SlideShowWindows(1).View.Next
        Dim oShape As Shape
        For Each oShape In oSlide.Shapes
            If oShape.Name = "ShockwaveFlash1" Then
                Dim oShockwave As ShockwaveFlash
                Set oShockwave = oShape.OLEFormat.Object
                oShockwave.ScaleMode = 2
            End If
        Next
    Next
    SlideShowWindows(1).View.First
End Sub

The macro goes through each slide and sees if there is a SWF object named “ShockwaveFlash1”. If there is then the then the ScaleMode is set to 2, which is fit to the viewing area on the slide. If you renamed the SWF control name to something else, or have more than one SWF video on the page, then the code would need to be changed to reflect it. I noticed that the code didn’t work unless the slide was shown on the screen, which caused me to have to go through each slide. The code that moves through each slide is SlideShowWindows(1).View.Next line.

For some reason each Control on a slide is a Shape object. The SWF video is an OLE object. The last line of code before ending the Sub makes sure we go back to the first video.

This short screen cast goes over how to add a SWF to a PowerPoint slide: http://screencast.com/t/35dmmRfsdI

Shhh!

Apparently it’s a secret, but a doctor will see you if you don’t have insurance. It’s just like taking your car into get fixed. There’s even doctors who don’t even take insurance. I just wish TV shows would stop spreading the myth of not being able to see a doctor if you don’t have insurance. After all to see a doctor you need less money than it takes to get a 15,000 mile service at Cole Chrysler Dodge. And just like getting your car fixed you can ask for an estimate of services from the doctor before you go in.

Copy Pspace to Mspace

Some commands in LDT haven’t brought over to Civil 3D. Often it’s because AutoCAD has commands that are up to the task. One of the commands is Copy Pspace to Mspace and vise-versa. We can modify the cui to get the same functionality (I think I didn’t actually try the command in LDD).

1. First create a new command in the cui.
2. Add the following to the command: ^C^C_copybase;0,0;\;pasteclip;0,0;chspace;p;;
3. Add the command to a toolbar or ribbon.

Now you should have the same type of functionality you had in Land Desktop.

Crosshairs @ Grade

I put up a survey request last week regarding my free Civil 3D Reminders Pack. One of the requests was to add “A set cross-hair slope command (like LDT had for profile design). The command would ask you to select the Profile View (for vertical scale determination) and then ask the percent slope you want to set (neg or positive).”

Well I actually opened Land Desktop to see how the command worked. The command basically sets the snap angle of the cursor and turns on Ortho. I’m not good at Lisp or Diesel programming so I’m going basic and cover the steps to get the same functionality. Once the steps are outlined it shouldn’t be that difficult to add a command to the cui to perform the task in Civil 3D.

1. The first thing to do is type SnapAng at the command line.
2. Next click in an area within the profile view you want to have the crosshairs on.
3. Next type ‘PGS at the command line or select Profile Grade Station from the transparent toolbar.
4. Select the Profile View.
5. Specify the Grade.
6. Pick any station.
7. The cursor should now match the grade put in.
8. Lastly press the Ortho button (or F8) to turn Ortho on if it’s not already on.

You should now have the same functionality as you had in Land Desktop. To get back to the starting point make snapang = 0 and turn Ortho off.

Here’s a short video: http://screencast.com/t/lxctOrTOk

Idaho

I got a request to see how Idahoans stack up in the readership of this blog. The information is from the first of the year until today.  Here is the list of cities:

Here’s how they got to the blog: