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

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View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q161246

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.

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MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to 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 requirements.

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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

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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:

176476 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/176476/EN-US/ ) OFF: Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions

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

163435 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/163435/EN-US/ ) VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

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APPLIES TO

Microsoft PowerPoint 98 for Macintosh
Microsoft PowerPoint 97 Standard Edition

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kbcode kbdtacode kbhowto kbmacro kbprogramming KB161246

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Retired KB Content Disclaimer

This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

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