Question

Group ActiveX and Shape objects in Excel 2007

Asked by: Guy2

I have created a group Shape with Excel 2003. This groupShape contains other shapes like a picture, a chart or an ActiveX object.

I would like to keep the same behaviour when opening the file in Excel 2007; but according to the Microsoft documentation (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc179188.aspx, 'Shape' paragraph), usual shapes are converted into Excel 2007 shape object and other shape types are not converted. The documentation warns that converted shapes and non-converted shapes cannot be grouped together.
So, when I open my file with Excel 2007, my objects are not grouped any more (because I have picture (usual shape) grouped with an ActiveX object(not usual shape)).

How can I change my file in order to keep my grouped shapes when opening in Excel 2007?
Several possibility (but I don't know if they are feasible...):
- tell Excel 2007 not to convert usual shapes into new Excel 2007 shape object (instruction, special format)
- transform my picture and chart into non-convertible shape, so that it remains grouped with the activeX object

Other possibilities are welcomed too.


Thanks,
Guy.

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Asked On
2009-05-20 at 09:22:48ID24425021
Tags

Excel 20007

,

group

,

Shape

,

ActiveX

Topic

Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet Software

Participating Experts
1
Points
500
Comments
3

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Answers

 

by: alainbrydenPosted on 2009-06-04 at 14:12:50ID: 24551485

Can you replace your ActiveX object with an equivalent form object?
i.e. Button (Form Control) instead of Command Button (ActiveX Control)

~Alain

 

by: Guy2Posted on 2009-06-22 at 09:07:26ID: 24683860

Hi Alain.

Unfortunately, I cannot replace my ActiveX object as it is the core object of my grouped shape. That's why I must group a chart and this ActiveX together.

 

by: alainbrydenPosted on 2009-06-23 at 07:07:56ID: 24692002

Well the reason they can't be grouped together is because the chart is stored in the Worksheet.shapes, and the activeX stuff is stored in Worksheet.OLE objects. When you group something, it creates a new object of that type and creates child objects for that object(like a tree). You cannot group items of different object types because they cannot have a common parent type.

Therefore, if you can't convert the activeX objects - you might have to do something crazy like a vbscript that moves the chart wherever your activeX object moves.

--
Alain

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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