[Tutor] Planning to write Python scripts and programs (migrating a Basic macro)

[Danny Yoo]

On Wed, 16 Jan 2002, McCarney, James Alexander wrote:

> I have a Word (Basic) macro that I run against images in docs that I
> create to resize them.  I wonder if I could either rewrite it totally
> in Py or have Py open the document file, execute the macro, save the
> file, and quit.

Hi James,

Yes, it's possible to do this.  You may want to look at the book "Python
and Win32 Programming", by Mark Hammond:

    http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/pythonwin32/

I don't have the book with me, but I think the book does cover examples of
making Word dance around with Python.  If you're a Windows user, and you
want to use Python to fiddle around with Windows itself, the book is a
must buy.


> The Basic code is this (shield your eyes or snip it out now, cos it's
> not Py!!!)

Don't worry about it; I think we can handle it.  *grin*


> Sub ReduceTo50()
> '
> ' ReduceTo50 Macro
> ' Macro created 09/12/01 by James Alexander McCarney
> '
> Dim lngX As Long
> On Error Resume Next 'Important or the code may puke
> 
> For lngX = 1 To ActiveDocument.InlineShapes.Count
>     ActiveDocument.InlineShapes(lngX).Select
>     If (ActiveDocument.InlineShapes(lngX).Type = wdInlineShapeLinkedPicture
> Or ActiveDocument.InlineShapes(lngX).Type = wdInlineShapePicture) Then
>         Selection.InlineShapes(1).ScaleHeight = 40  'Set the height to
> whatever you want 50, 40, 30 (for smaller pix)
>         Selection.InlineShapes(1).ScaleWidth = 40   'Set the height to
> whatever you want 50, 40, 30 (for smaller pix)
> 
>     End If
> 
> Next lngX
> 
> End Sub

Hey, that didn't look too bad at all.  Wow, BASIC has changed.  *grin*


I think this function should translate pretty well to Python, but I don't
know well enought the kind of objects we can fool around with.  Oh well,
I'll try guessing.  Here's a very buggy translation --- I'm positive that
it won't work --- but it might help you get started:

###
def ReduceTo50():
    """
    ReduceTo50 Macro
    Macro created 09/12/01 by James Alexander McCarney
    """
    for i in range(1, ActiveDocument.InlineShapes.Count):
        try:
            shape = ActiveDocument.InlineShapes(i)
            shape.Select()
            if shape.Type in (wdInlineShapeLinedPicture, 
                              wdInlineShapePicture):
                selection.InlineShapes(1).ScaleHeight = 40
                selection.InLineShapes(1).ScaleWidth = 40
        except Exception, e:
            ## Do we want to pass errors silently?  Maybe
            ## we should say something to the user to warn them.
            ## For now, let's just pass it.
            pass
###

Since it looks like you're doing a lot of Windows specific stuff, you'll
definitely want to get in contact with the python-win32 mailing list, so
that you can also ask for their expertise too.  You can find them here:

    http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-win32


Best of wishes to you.  Tell us your progress on this; it sounds really
interesting!