MS Word and Photos 1

[WebGodiva]

I have a problem and I'm hoping someone can help. I need to create a report with a large number of photos (2 or 3 to a page, varies). I would like to be able to "merge" the photos into the report without having to go through the insert picture dialog system... is there a simpler way of creating a document that will "merge" the photos into my report? Maybe a macro or another add-in?



"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

[SkipVought]

Hi,

"I would like to be able to "merge" the photos into the report ..."

From WHERE? EVERY pic in a folder? Sure.

Turn on your macro recorder and record adding ONE to your document.

Turn off the recorder, copy the recorded code and post in Forum707 for velp with VBA.


Skip,

_{When a diminutive clarvoyant had disappeared from detention, headlines read...
Small Medium at Large}

 

[fumei]

Or, make them AutoText.

You do not give enough information. Are you doing this once, 200 times? Is this from a template? merge them where?

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[WebGodiva]

I'm sorry about the not providing enough information.

I have about 150 photos (all jpg files) they are all stored in the same directory and are all sized the same. this is something that will occur over and over again in different directories with different documents - i just need to get one set up and running.

I have a word document that will need to have 2 photos per page with the remainder of the page filled with text (paragraphs) - basically a technical report. It is very hard for someone to sit there and constantly have to go through the steps to insert a photo. I was hoping to perform some type of merge where the code would be placed on the page by the person editing and at the end, the photo would be inserted. I know I used to be able to do this with WordPerfect ages ago but since everything has become so "user-friendly" it really isn't anymore.

Basically, i'm trying to create a technical report, the page breaks don't matter - i just need to get the photos on the page in the right location without the user contantly having to go through the many step process of inserting a photo.

this is something we do quite a bit - i've used the photo album in power point but, it will not function like a word processor and the user would have to place text manually.

I tried creating a macro to insert the photo but then you still come up with the issue of having to format the box it places it in manually.

I hope I've provided enough...



"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

[Markus4]

Hi,

I've just tried the following which works fine in Word97:

1) Create a DataSource document which contains at least one* column with the filenames of the photos in your folder.
- if all of your photos are in the same folder, it is sufficient that this column contains only the filenames, else you must add the path
- to generate this file automatically, you
. use the DOS command "DIR *.JPG > Test.doc"
. open Test.doc in Word,
. put text in column and
. give it a column header, e.g. "FName"

2) Create a MailMerge document, of type catalogue**, and link it to the DataSource document.

3) In the MailMerge document insert a photo from your folder. Doing this be absolutely sure to:
- tick: link to document**
- untick: save with document
- untick: above text

4) Press Alt+F9. A field
{InsertGraphic "C:\\Folder\\Photo.jpg" \* Mergeformat \d}
should appear.

5) Instead of "Photo.jpg" in this field put: {Mergefield FName} or whatever you named the column with the filenames of your photos.

Because photos are in the text layer of the catalogue it is not necessary to apply special formats. The user can just move the photos around by putting text before or after them at his own will.

Markus
_____________________________
* Depending on your task you might want to add a second column with a header or an explanation for each photo which could appear above or below the photo
** This was tested in a German Word97, so I might not give the exact English names.

 

[fumei]

I tried creating a macro to insert the photo but then you still come up with the issue of having to format the box it places it in manually."

And indeed you will.

I am having a hard time following this. What, exactly, would your macro do? Can you answer a couple of questions?

Are they all going to be the same photos, in a number of documents?

Are you using a template?

I have asked these already, but I will try again.

A macro that insert a photo has to have a name of th ephoto. What are you doing about that? What is different with a macro, compared to just inserting the photo?

But agin, is this a one-off, or something you are going to repeat?

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[WebGodiva]

Fumei

this is something i am going to replicate over and over with many different photos.

I am not using a template.
They are going to be all different photos (in the same directory)...
basically the structure is this:

directory: P2596\photos

file names: anywhwere from P2596_1.jpg through P2506_150.jpb.

What I'm trying to accomplish is a lot like I used to in the older versions of wordperfect where you had a master document and you could insert other documents, photos/images through links in the document. This seems to be something that has gotten lost in the newer versions of word.

I'm going to try Marcus4's response as it seems close to the old Master document format where you could do this type of editing.

I'm simply trying to make it so the person processing the document does not have to search through a directory looking at photos, all they have to know is the photo name which can be inserted where it needs to be and when complete, they can just merge or send to print with merge set at that time. that is about as simple as i can explain it...

Thanks for your assistance.



"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

[fumei]

Sorry, I guess I am going to have to let this one go, as I am still confused.

If I understand correctly:

1. all the images are in the same folder

and you want:

2. the user doing ONE action - entering the name of the photo. Code will do the "rest"...

Except...what IS the rest?????

If it is just to insert the photo at the Selection, this is EASY.

I have absolutely no idea whatsoever what you mean when you talk about inserting the photo and merging.

What merge? If the photo is inserted, then it is inserted...so what the heck is being merged?

all they have to know is the photo name which can be inserted where it needs to be and when complete, they can just merge or send to print with merge set at that time. that is about as simple as i can explain it...

This tells me absolutely nothing, at all, about where it needs to be.


A rather interesting and important point, don't you think?

So I will let this go, because I must be very dense, as this does not seem a simple explanation to me. Somewhere, "something" knows where it "needs to be".

Shrug.

OK.

I will repeat though, if what you want is something that allows the user to enter "P2596_1.jpg", and have that image inserted at the current selection point...this is EASY.

Although you must have fantastically bright users to know (without ever looking) what P2596_1.jpg actually is....

I wouldn't mind users like that.

It would be a snap to have the user do this:

type "P2596" (no quotes)
press F3

Voila, P2596_1.jpg is inserted.

But I guess I really am dense, because I am not seeing this well at all.

you could insert other documents, photos/images through links in the document. This seems to be something that has gotten lost in the newer versions of word.

Absolutely NOT correct. INCLUDEPICTURE is a field and is still very much alive in Word. It could easily be another possible alternative to what you want to do, if I really understood what you want to do, which I don't.

Anyway, I am sure you will work it out. Good luck.

Oh, using a template would make it easier as well, but I mentioned that already I guess.

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[Markus4]

fumei:

I am thinking the same; but I remembered:

an engineering bureau used to do photographical documentations of the surroundings of a building site. The employees had a project number which corresponded to the name of the photos. They needed all the photos in one document, where they were described and commented.
The building contractor needed this photo-documentation to fend of claim for damages which were already there when he started his work.

I just assumed that WebGodiva has a similar problem. I am curious what it will turn out to be.

M.

 

[WebGodiva]

Marcus4,

you are correct in assuming what i was trying to accomplish. We have photos for each project - they would correspond with text in the main document and need to be placed where they are referenced. I was tyring to find an easier way for the person preparing the document to place the photos - just by utilizing the file name (which cooresponds to a photo log)... they could simply type the name in a as a field and merge all at the end. The photos are sized properly and ready to go, it is just so cumbersome doing the insert photo, locate directory, locate photo commands - it takes forever.

I will attempt your solution and hopefully it will work. I'm sorry if i caused any confusion with my description of what i was trying to accomplish - it seemed so plain in my mind and i was describing the best i knew how...

Again, many thanks...



"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

[Markus4]

WebGodiva: I still do not get whether you need many pictures in your document or only one.

My above suggestion puts all photos in one new blank document.

If you want just one or two photos in an existing document you might try this:
1) Insert an ASK-field {Ask Fname "Which photo to insert?"}
2) Let an INCLUDEGRAPHIC-field show what the user answered (Ref FName):
{IncludeGraphic "C:\\Programme\\Microsoft Office\\Clipart\\Populaer\\{Ref FName}" \*Mergeformat \d}

Markus
----------------------
For me it feels crazy that in Word97 you can put a reference to a bookmark - a field - into a field code.

 

[WebGodiva]

Pretty much, if there are 40 photos in the directory, all 40 will be inserted somewhere in the document.

each project will have a varying number of photos, but, whichever number are in the directory will be the number ending up in the word document.

Thanks again for your help... it is very much appreciated.



"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

[JohnOB]

I used to have an application called Scansoft PDF convertor, and you could highlite all pictures in a folder and create a PDF from them, it would be one PDf file with pictures inserted. Also with the PDF software you could open PDFs in Word for editing, so in theory you could create your PDF this way, then open it in word and Add your text.

I don't have the software any more to try this out but perhaps you could download a trial version and see if it worked.

"Stupid isn't not knowing the answer, it's not asking the question

 

[Markus4]

WebGodiva: you are still not being specific at all. My solution just puts all of the photoes in one folder in one new document.
But would your users get along with that? The way you describe your problem your users would prefer to have an easy way to insert a photo of their choice into an existing document.

Please, would you just describe in a few words what your users do and how they do it?
I'm getting more and more confusend reading your posts.

 

[WebGodiva]

I am so sorry for the confusion - KISS is my middle name at work i'm not sure how this got so confusing:

1. user a has 100 photos (photo_100.jpg through photo_200.jpg) in directory b and a 100 page report completed in work. they need to add 1 photo per page to each page in the document form directory b.

2. user c has 50 photos in directory b (photo2.jpg through photo 52.jpg) and a 25 page report not yet typed(different report). user c needs to add 2 photos per page to their current 25 page report as they type from directory b.

in the end, i have two users (a and c) who have 2 different reports which include photos from directory b.

a technical report, with text and photos is the end product.

i don't think i can make it any easier... again, sorry for the confusion - i truly thought and still think i've explained it as best i can...





"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow." Ralph Waldo Emerson