How do I identify slides?

Question

I know they have numbers but understand that this is not reliable if slides are reorganized.  I hear that they

should be named but do not see how.  I would like to use code to direct the user to specific slides depending

on the answer to multiple choice questions.

Answer 1

As JohnW suggests, SlideID is one way.   You can also use "tags" to identify slides.

Example:

With ActivePresentation.Slides(1)

   .Tags.Add "SlideName", "Slide One"  

End With

The tag value can be any string and you can add pretty much as many tags to each slide (or each shape on the slide, or each presentation) as you like.

Then you can use a function to retrieve the slide you're after:

Function SlideTaggedWith(sTagName as String, sTagValue as String) as Slide

   Dim oSl as Slide

   For Each oSl in ActivePresentation.Slides

      If oSl.Tags(sTagName) = sTagValue Then ' found ii!

          Set SlideTaggedWith = oSl

          Exit Function

      End If

   Next

End Function

Answer 2

To someone with a moderate amount of experience with VBA, John's answer is all that's needed.

To someone with less experience, more detail would be necessary but it's tough to evaluate a person's skill level from a simple question here.  

So we're faced with a decision:  

Write a book-length answer that covers everything a VBA novice would need to accomplish the goal (knowing that the person who's asked the question may never even return to read the answer), or provide the basics and wait to see if they ask for more information as a followup question.  

So did you need to know more about using SlideID?  

Depending on your PPT version, it may be enough to type SlideID into a bit of code in the VBA editor and press F1 for Help.  Or type SlideID into the search text box at upper right of the VBA editor.

Answer 3

Here's VBA I use to set slide namess and a second utility to get the existing names.

Sub SetSlideName()

  Dim SlideName$

  On Error GoTo AbortNameSlide

  If ActiveWindow.Selection.SlideRange.Count = 0 Then

    MsgBox "No Slides Selected"

    Exit Sub

  End If

  SlideName$ = ActiveWindow.Selection.SlideRange(1).Name

  SlideName$ = InputBox$("Give this slide a name", "Slide Name", SlideName$)

  If SlideName$ <> "" Then

    ActiveWindow.Selection.SlideRange(1).Name = SlideName$

  End If

  Exit Sub

AbortNameSlide:

  MsgBox Err.Description

End Sub

Sub GetSlideName()

  Dim SlideName$

  SlideName$ = ActiveWindow.Selection.SlideRange(1).Name

  MsgBox SlideName$

End Sub

Answer 4

Use the SlideID which is usually unchanged by moving slides and the FindBySlideID method.

Wow, is it my imagination or are answers here geared to only the least amount of information possible? This thread caught my eye and I see that there is no indication in how to find or use this "slideID".....

Answer 5

Use the SlideID which is usually unchanged by moving slides and the FindBySlideID method.