Creating a PowerPoint Add-in

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To create a Microsoft® PowerPoint® add-in, you create a new presentation and add code and custom toolbars. Then, you save your presentation as both a presentation file (.ppt) and a PowerPoint add-in (.ppa).

To create a PowerPoint add-in

  1. Create a new presentation and add code to its Microsoft® Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA) project, and create any custom toolbars or menu bars.

  2. When you have tested and debugged the code, compile the project by clicking Compile VBAProject on the Debug menu.

  3. If you want, you can protect the project from viewing as described in Securing an Access, Excel, PowerPoint, or Word Add-in's VBA Project.

  4. Save the project as a PowerPoint presentation, with the extension .ppt, and then save the project as a PowerPoint add-in, which has the extension .ppa. By default, PowerPoint add-ins are saved to the same folder as Excel add-ins — ..\Microsoft\Addins subfolder. This folder is where PowerPoint looks for add-ins when you browse for a new add-in in the Add-Ins dialog box (Tools menu).

    Note   When you save the project as a PowerPoint add-in, you can no longer view the VBA project, not even in break mode, nor can you view the slides associated with it. Therefore, you also should save your PowerPoint add-in as a standard presentation, in case you must make changes to it and resave it as an add-in.

See Also

PowerPoint Add-ins | Loading a PowerPoint Add-in | Running Code Automatically When a PowerPoint Add-in Is Loaded or Unloaded