Add a custom slide layout in PowerPoint using Excel VBA? - vba

Question

I have created a PowerPoint with custom slide layouts. I want to be able to create a new slide using one of these custom layouts using Excel VBA, but I cannot figure out the correct syntax.
This is the code I currently have:
Sub runPPT()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Dim wb As Workbook
Set wb = ThisWorkbook
Dim ws As Worksheet
Set ws = wb.Sheets("SG2")
Dim pptName As String
Dim ppt As Object
Dim myPres As Object
Dim slds As Object
Dim sld As Object
MsgBox ("Please choose PowerPoint to open.")
pptName = openDialog()
Set ppt = CreateObject("PowerPoint.Application")
Set myPres = ppt.Presentations.Open(pptName)
Set slds = myPres.Slides
'This is where I want to add my custom layout
'My layouts all have similar names like "Gate 2 Main" if that helps
Set sld = slds.AddSlides(Slides.Count + 1, ActivePresentation.SlideMaster.CustomLayouts(1))
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
Private Function openDialog()
Dim fd As Office.FileDialog
Dim txtFileName As String
Set fd = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
With fd
.AllowMultiSelect = False
' Set the title of the dialog box.
.Title = "Please select the file."
' Clear out the current filters, and add our own.
.Filters.Clear
' Show the dialog box. If the .Show method returns True, the
' user picked at least one file. If the .Show method returns
' False, the user clicked Cancel.
If .Show = True Then
txtFileName = .SelectedItems(1) 'replace txtFileName with your textbox
End If
End With
openDialog = txtFileName
End Function

Answer 1

I was able to fix my issue by changing my code to the following:
Sub runPPT()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Dim wb As Workbook
Set wb = ThisWorkbook
Dim ws As Worksheet
Set ws = wb.Sheets("SG2")
Dim pptName As String
Dim ppt As PowerPoint.Application
Dim myPres As PowerPoint.Presentation
Dim slds As PowerPoint.Slides
Dim sld As PowerPoint.slide
Dim oLayout As CustomLayout
MsgBox ("Please choose PowerPoint to open.")
pptName = openDialog()
Set ppt = CreateObject("PowerPoint.Application")
Set myPres = ppt.Presentations.Open(pptName)
Set slds = myPres.Slides
Set sld = slds.Add(myPres.Slides.Count + 1, ppLayoutBlank)
For Each oLayout In myPres.Designs("Gate Main").SlideMaster.CustomLayouts
If oLayout.Name = "Gate 2 Main" Then
sld.CustomLayout = oLayout
Exit For
End If
Next
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
Private Function openDialog()
Dim fd As Office.FileDialog
Dim txtFileName As String
Set fd = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
With fd
.AllowMultiSelect = False
' Set the title of the dialog box.
.Title = "Please select the file."
' Clear out the current filters, and add our own.
.Filters.Clear
' Show the dialog box. If the .Show method returns True, the
' user picked at least one file. If the .Show method returns
' False, the user clicked Cancel.
If .Show = True Then
txtFileName = .SelectedItems(1) 'replace txtFileName with your textbox
End If
End With
openDialog = txtFileName
End Function