Power Point® All?in?One Desk Reference For Dummies®

Chapter 5. Automating Tasks with Macros

In This Chapter

• Understanding what a macro is

• Displaying and hiding the Developer tab

• Examining macro security issues

• Running a macro

• Placing a macro button on the Quick Access toolbar

• Installing an add‐in on your computer

This brief chapter explains how macros can make your work a little easier. It describes how to display the Developer tab in the Ribbon and run a macro. It also looks into macro security issues and shows you how to place a macro button on the Quick Access toolbar. You also discover how to install PowerPoint add‐ins on your computer.

What Is a Macro?

A macro is a set of command instructions recorded under a name. When you activate a macro, PowerPoint carries out the instructions in the macro. Macros help automate repetitive and complex tasks. Instead of entering commands yourself, the macro does it for you — and it enters the commands faster and more efficiently. Instead of reaching into several dialog boxes to get the task done, you can run a macro and let the macro do the work.

Not that you necessarily need to know it, but playing a macro involves running command sequences in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), a programming language built into all the major Office applications. Behind the scenes, the application you're working in executes VBA codes when you run a macro.

Unless you want to construct them on your own using VBA code, you can't make your own macros in PowerPoint 2007 (although you can in Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook). ...