0

I have a PowerPoint Add-in with ppam format. However, in order to deploy it I need a XML file. If this is possible, can you please explain the steps?

Thanks in advance.

If the pptm file is the way to go, please let me know. I could try that too...

Eugene Astafiev
  • 47,483
  • 3
  • 24
  • 45
parisa
  • 21
  • 1
  • Do you want to create add-Ins? Maybe this can help: https://stackoverflow.com/a/37548779/18247317. I followed this advise "While you can manually unzip PPTM/PPTX/PPAM files and add the RibbonX code using any text editor, it's silly to do so. Instead use this free tool: http://openxmldeveloper.org/blog/b/openxmldeveloper/archive/2009/08/07/7293.aspx " and he was definitely right about it. – Oran G. Utan Nov 18 '22 at 17:30
  • 1
    There's no XML equivalent to an add-in file. PPTM files can work under limited circumstances where nothing has to run automatically. You would get better answers if you described the task you're trying to accomplish rather than your (possibly mistaken) technical solution. Tell us the end, we'll give you the means. – John Korchok Nov 18 '22 at 18:46
  • @JohnKorchok thanks for your comment. I already have an add-in. The goal is to publish this add-in through a software centre. But to do that, the file that is being published needs to have manifest XML format. Sorry if I am not making much sense. add-ins and XML files are absolutely new to me. – parisa Nov 19 '22 at 20:02
  • @Parisa, so in that case my competence is definitely not enough, unfortunately. Have you looked already @ https://stackoverflow.com/questions/60376117/openxml-get-add-in-manifests-on-ppt or https://stackoverflow.com/questions/62633216/automate-the-insertion-of-custom-ribbon-in-office-excel-using-openxml-library-vs, I am not sure they can be of any help (I cannot :( ) – Oran G. Utan Nov 19 '22 at 20:02
  • @Bradipo I will look at the links you have shared. I have realised the competence issue too because I am a mechanical eng, so not really my area. But thanks a lot anyways :) – parisa Nov 19 '22 at 20:07
  • The second is actually "Not VBA" so I guess it won't be much useful. – Oran G. Utan Nov 19 '22 at 20:10
  • I removed the VBA tag and added Office.js, because that's what you are developing. Here is Microsoft's page on setting up an XML manifest for your project: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/develop/add-in-manifests?tabs=tabid-1 – John Korchok Nov 19 '22 at 22:16
  • @JohnKorchok I have done some reseach and asked around. I now understand how wrong my original question sounds. However, I still need some help with this task. I hope you can quide me a little further. So I have the .ppam file for an add-in. I assume that I can also access .pptm format in order to have the code behind the add-in. (This add-in enables different buttons in the upper ribbon in PowerPoint). The question is, how can I generate a manifest XML file, to be able to deploy this add-in, to other employers of a company through a particular sofware center? Thank you in advance. – parisa Nov 21 '22 at 14:37
  • So you're actually developing in VBA, not Office.js? A .ppam is a VBA add-in and does not require a manifest. The confusion is not your fault, Microsoft uses the term "add-in" for 3 distinct technologies: VBA, COM and Office.js. If you're creating a VBA add-in, it just has to be installed into the Office Add-ins folder. Here are Microsoft's steps: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-or-load-a-powerpoint-add-in-3de8bbc2-2481-457a-8841-7334cd5b455f – John Korchok Nov 22 '22 at 16:44
  • @JohnKorchok yes. Not only the add-in is already developed in VBA, but it is also onstalled on PwerPoint as explained in the link you have shared. However, that is not what I am looking for... So at the moment, every employee who would like to use this add-in needs to access the file, and do as explained in the link above in order to install it. We wish to have this process (accessing the add-in file and installing it on PowePoint) to happen through our software center. For an add-in to be deployed/shared on the software center, an XML file is the only format that can be used. – parisa Nov 23 '22 at 14:28
  • @JohnKorchok So to summerise, I need an XML file that can be uploaded by the admin and lets employees install the existing add-in on PowerPoint by just one click, the same way, for example, a Google Chrome update can be installed through the software center. (Sorry for such a long discussion and thank you in advance) – parisa Nov 23 '22 at 14:28

0 Answers0