First I'll give the widely used internet vbscript (.vbs) by @BillP3rd that exports PowerPoint to PDF. This script is different from .SaveAs method as it allows options to PDF rather than just a strict page by page PDF. For example you can have the PDF output show 1,2,3,4,5,6 slides per PDF page. If you just want to do a simple SaveAs to PDF with no options you can find the ahk code here: https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic ... PowerPoint
You can access the different options by paying attention to the Constants (Const) in the vbscript. Constants are simply variables that don't change, but their values are numbers, and so it's easier to use variables for human eyes. The script below creates a PDF of 2 slides per page of all the pages.
To use this code, save the file as ppttopdf.vbs. open up a command prompt and type in cscript //nologo %pathtofolder%\ppttopdf.vbs "%pathandfilenameOfPPTfile%" "%pathtosavetoandfilenametoSaveAsPDF%" replace pathtofolder and pathandfilenameOfPPTfile pathtosavetoandfilenametoSaveAsPDFto your file.
ex. cscript //nologo C:\Test\ppttopdf.vbs "C:\Test\file.PPTX" "C:\Test\file.pdf"
Code: Select all
' Courtesy BillP3rd of superuser.com
Option Explicit
Sub WriteLine ( strLine )
WScript.Stdout.WriteLine strLine
End Sub
' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/aa432714(v=office.12).aspx
Const msoFalse = 0 ' False.
Const msoTrue = -1 ' True.
' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/bb265636(v=office.12).aspx
Const ppFixedFormatIntentScreen = 1 ' Intent is to view exported file on screen.
Const ppFixedFormatIntentPrint = 2 ' Intent is to print exported file.
' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff746754.aspx
Const ppFixedFormatTypeXPS = 1 ' XPS format
Const ppFixedFormatTypePDF = 2 ' PDF format
' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff744564.aspx
Const ppPrintHandoutVerticalFirst = 1 ' Slides are ordered vertically, with the first slide in the upper-left corner and the second slide below it.
Const ppPrintHandoutHorizontalFirst = 2 ' Slides are ordered horizontally, with the first slide in the upper-left corner and the second slide to the right of it.
' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff744185.aspx
Const ppPrintOutputSlides = 1 ' Slides
Const ppPrintOutputTwoSlideHandouts = 2 ' Two Slide Handouts
Const ppPrintOutputThreeSlideHandouts = 3 ' Three Slide Handouts
Const ppPrintOutputSixSlideHandouts = 4 ' Six Slide Handouts
Const ppPrintOutputNotesPages = 5 ' Notes Pages
Const ppPrintOutputOutline = 6 ' Outline
Const ppPrintOutputBuildSlides = 7 ' Build Slides
Const ppPrintOutputFourSlideHandouts = 8 ' Four Slide Handouts
Const ppPrintOutputNineSlideHandouts = 9 ' Nine Slide Handouts
Const ppPrintOutputOneSlideHandouts = 10 ' Single Slide Handouts
' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff745585.aspx
Const ppPrintAll = 1 ' Print all slides in the presentation.
Const ppPrintSelection = 2 ' Print a selection of slides.
Const ppPrintCurrent = 3 ' Print the current slide from the presentation.
Const ppPrintSlideRange = 4 ' Print a range of slides.
Const ppPrintNamedSlideShow = 5 ' Print a named slideshow.
' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff744228.aspx
Const ppShowAll = 1 ' Show all.
Const ppShowNamedSlideShow = 3 ' Show named slideshow.
Const ppShowSlideRange = 2 ' Show slide range.
'
' This is the actual script
'
Dim inputFile
Dim outputFile
Dim objPPT
Dim objPresentation
Dim objPrintOptions
Dim objFso
If WScript.Arguments.Count <> 2 Then
WriteLine "You need to specify input and output files."
WScript.Quit
End If
inputFile = WScript.Arguments(0)
outputFile = WScript.Arguments(1)
Set objFso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
If Not objFso.FileExists( inputFile ) Then
WriteLine "Unable to find your input file " & inputFile
WScript.Quit
End If
If objFso.FileExists( outputFile ) Then
'WriteLine "Your output file (' & outputFile & ') already exists!"
'WScript.Quit
End If
WriteLine "Input File: " & inputFile
WriteLine "Output File: " & outputFile
Set objPPT = CreateObject( "PowerPoint.Application" )
objPPT.Presentations.Open inputFile
Set objPresentation = objPPT.ActivePresentation
Set objPrintOptions = objPresentation.PrintOptions
objPrintOptions.Ranges.Add 1,objPresentation.Slides.Count
objPrintOptions.RangeType = ppShowAll
' Reference for this at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff746080.aspx
objPresentation.ExportAsFixedFormat outputFile, ppFixedFormatTypePDF, ppFixedFormatIntentScreen, msoFalse, ppPrintHandoutVerticalFirst, ppPrintOutputTwoSlideHandouts, msoFalse, objPrintOptions.Ranges(1), ppPrintAll, "Slideshow Name", False, False, False, False, False
objPresentation.Close
ObjPPT.Quit- 1.)ahk does not use Const variables, however in my research @kon on this board came up with a Microsoft Office Const library here: https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic ... nt#p108740 I have not used it so I can't provide insight on it. But for the purposes of this script we won't need it.
- 2.)ahk does not Dim variables. Dim is just declaring variables. vbscript needs to know what variables you will use, if you want to use them globally in different subroutines, functions, etc.
- 3.)option explicit in vbscript is related to the Dim command so again, is unnecessary in the ahk script. If there is an equivalent to it in ahk, I do not know what it is.
Run this script like the vbscript. Save this script as PPTtoPDF.ahk %pathtofolder%\PPTtoPDF.ahk "%pathandfilenameOfPPTfile%" "%pathtosavetoandfilenametoSaveAsPDF%" replace pathtofolder and pathandfilenameOfPPTfile pathtosavetoandfilenametoSaveAsPDFto your file.
ex. C:\Test\PPTtoPDF.ahk "C:\Test\file.PPTX" "C:\Test\file.pdf"
Code: Select all
;Option Explicit
;no ahk equivalent and not necessary in ahk
;Sub WriteLine ( strLine )
; WScript.Stdout.WriteLine strLine
;End Sub
; this sub writes messages below to the command line.
; in ahk this is a bit tricky so I am going to use msgbox instead below
; the next section are the constants. You don't need all of the variables in your script. You can just use the variables you want so you don't have so much excess code.
; However, this is a good reference if you want to know your different PDF output options.
;' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/aa432714(v=office.12).aspx
;Const msoFalse = 0 ' False.
;Const msoTrue = -1 ' True.
; these are just true or false variables
msoFalse := 0 ;False.
msoTrue := 1 ; True.
;' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/bb265636(v=office.12).aspx
;Const ppFixedFormatIntentScreen = 1 ' Intent is to view exported file on screen.
;Const ppFixedFormatIntentPrint = 2 ' Intent is to print exported file.
ppFixedFormatIntentScreen := 1 ; Intent is to view exported file on screen.
ppFixedFormatIntentPrint := 2 ; Intent is to print exported file.
;' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff746754.aspx
;Const ppFixedFormatTypeXPS = 1 ' XPS format
;Const ppFixedFormatTypePDF = 2 ' PDF format
ppFixedFormatTypeXPS := 1 ; XPS format
ppFixedFormatTypePDF := 2 ; PDF format
;' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff744564.aspx
;Const ppPrintHandoutVerticalFirst = 1 ' Slides are ordered vertically, with the first slide in the upper-left corner and the second slide below it.
;Const ppPrintHandoutHorizontalFirst = 2 ' Slides are ordered horizontally, with the first slide in the upper-left corner and the second slide to the right of it.
ppPrintHandoutVerticalFirst := 1 ; Slides are ordered vertically, with the first slide in the upper-left corner and the second slide below it.
ppPrintHandoutHorizontalFirst := 2 ; Slides are ordered horizontally, with the first slide in the upper-left corner and the second slide to the right of it.
;' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff744185.aspx
;Const ppPrintOutputSlides = 1 ' Slides
;Const ppPrintOutputTwoSlideHandouts = 2 ' Two Slide Handouts
;Const ppPrintOutputThreeSlideHandouts = 3 ' Three Slide Handouts
;Const ppPrintOutputSixSlideHandouts = 4 ' Six Slide Handouts
;Const ppPrintOutputNotesPages = 5 ' Notes Pages
;Const ppPrintOutputOutline = 6 ' Outline
;Const ppPrintOutputBuildSlides = 7 ' Build Slides
;Const ppPrintOutputFourSlideHandouts = 8 ' Four Slide Handouts
;Const ppPrintOutputNineSlideHandouts = 9 ' Nine Slide Handouts
;Const ppPrintOutputOneSlideHandouts = 10 ' Single Slide Handouts
ppPrintOutputSlides := 1 ; Slides
ppPrintOutputTwoSlideHandouts := 2 ; Two Slide Handouts
ppPrintOutputThreeSlideHandouts := 3 ;Three Slide Handouts
ppPrintOutputSixSlideHandouts := 4 ; Six Slide Handouts
ppPrintOutputNotesPages := 5 ; Notes Pages
ppPrintOutputOutline := 6 ; Outline
ppPrintOutputBuildSlides := 7 ; Build Slides
ppPrintOutputFourSlideHandouts := 8 ; Four Slide Handouts
ppPrintOutputNineSlideHandouts := 9 ; Nine Slide Handouts
ppPrintOutputOneSlideHandouts := 10 ; Single Slide Handouts
;' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff745585.aspx
;Const ppPrintAll = 1 ' Print all slides in the presentation.
;Const ppPrintSelection = 2 ' Print a selection of slides.
;Const ppPrintCurrent = 3 ' Print the current slide from the presentation.
;Const ppPrintSlideRange = 4 ' Print a range of slides.
;Const ppPrintNamedSlideShow = 5 ' Print a named slideshow.
ppPrintAll := 1 ; Print all slides in the presentation.
ppPrintSelection := 2 ; Print a selection of slides.
ppPrintCurrent := 3 ; Print the current slide from the presentation.
ppPrintSlideRange := 4 ; Print a range of slides.
ppPrintNamedSlideShow := 5 ; Print a named slideshow.
;' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff744228.aspx
;Const ppShowAll = 1 ' Show all.
;Const ppShowNamedSlideShow = 3 ' Show named slideshow.
;Const ppShowSlideRange = 2 ' Show slide range.
ppShowAll = 1 ; Show all.
ppShowNamedSlideShow = 3 ; Show named slideshow.
ppShowSlideRange = 2 ; Show slide range.
;'
;' This is the actual script
;'
;Dim inputFile
;Dim outputFile
;Dim objPPT
;Dim objPresentation
;Dim objPrintOptions
;Dim objFso
;Dim statements are unnecessary in ahk.
;If WScript.Arguments.Count <> 2 Then
; WriteLine "You need to specify input and output files."
; WScript.Quit
;End If
;inputFile = WScript.Arguments(0)
;outputFile = WScript.Arguments(1)
args = %0%
if (args > 2)
{
msgbox, You need to specify input and output files. Exiting.
ExitApp
}
inputFile = %1%
outputFile = %2%
; Set objFso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
; not necessary in ahk
;If Not objFso.FileExists( inputFile ) Then
; WriteLine "Unable to find your input file " & inputFile
; WScript.Quit
;End If
IfNotExist, %inputFile%
{
msgbox, Unable to find your input file %inputFile% .. Exiting.
ExitApp
}
;If objFso.FileExists( outputFile ) Then
; 'WriteLine "Your output file (' & outputFile & ') already exists!"
; 'WScript.Quit
;End If
IfExist, %outputFile%
{
Msgbox, Your output file %outputFile% already exists! .. Exiting
ExitApp
}
;WriteLine "Input File: " & inputFile
;WriteLine "Output File: " & outputFile
msgbox, Input File: %inputFile%
msgbox, Output File: %outputFile%
;Set objPPT = CreateObject( "PowerPoint.Application" )
ObjPPT := ComObjCreate("PowerPoint.Application")
;objPPT.Presentations.Open inputFile
ObjPPT.Presentations.Open(inputFile)
;Set objPresentation = objPPT.ActivePresentation
objPresentation := ObjPPT.ActivePresentation
;Set objPrintOptions = objPresentation.PrintOptions
objPrintOptions := objPresentation.PrintOptions
;objPrintOptions.Ranges.Add 1,objPresentation.Slides.Count
;this vb line above says I want to print slides 1 to the last slide.
; a clever way to get the last slide number of the presentation by counting all the slides
; the objPresentation.Slides.Count can be written as a separate expression if it makes things easier to understand
; it would look like this LastSlideofPresentation := objPresentation.Slides.Count
; then the line below would be objPrintOptions.Ranges.Add(1, LastSlideofPresentation)
objPrintOptions.Ranges.Add(1, objPresentation.Slides.Count)
;objPrintOptions.RangeType = ppShowAll
objPrintOptions.RangeType := ppShowAll
;' Reference for this at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff746080.aspx
;objPresentation.ExportAsFixedFormat outputFile, ppFixedFormatTypePDF, ppFixedFormatIntentScreen, msoFalse, ppPrintHandoutVerticalFirst, ppPrintOutputTwoSlideHandouts, msoFalse, objPrintOptions.Ranges(1), ppPrintAll, "Slideshow Name", False, False, False, False, False
objPresentation.ExportAsFixedFormat( outputFile, ppFixedFormatTypePDF, ppFixedFormatIntentScreen, msoFalse, ppPrintHandoutVerticalFirst, ppPrintOutputTwoSlideHandouts, msoFalse, objPrintOptions.Ranges(1), ppPrintAll, "Slideshow Name", False, False, False, False, False)
;objPresentation.Close
objPresentation.Close
;ObjPPT.Quit
ObjPPT.Quit
; below is not in vbscript but is needed in ahk to fully close out of PowerPoint.
ObjPPT := ""