PowerPoint VBA: “No currently active document window”

Question

I am trying to create a shape on a slide in PowerPoint (2010) VBA

I have created a button and this code:

Private Sub AddShape_Click()

Dim shp As Shape
Dim sld As Slide

Set sld = Application.ActiveWindow.View.Slide
Set shp = sld.Shapes.AddShape(Type:=msoShapeRectangle, _
    Left:=24, Top:=65.6, Width:=672, Height:=26.6)
'No Shape Border
shp.Line.Visible = msoFalse
'Shape Fill Color
shp.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = RGB(137, 143, 75)
shp.Fill.BackColor.RGB = RGB(137, 143, 75)

End Sub

When I run the presentation as a slide show and click the Add Shape button, I get the following error:

Run-time error '-2147188160 (80048240)': Application (unknown member): Invalid request. There is no currently active document window.

Everything I have found online indicates that this code should run OK.
All assistance appreciated!!!

Carolyn

Answer 1

You will get the No Current Active Document Window error if you run your code while the presentation is in Slideshow (fullscreen) mode. Try this, instead:

set sld = Application.ActivePresentation.SlideShowWindow.View.Slide

Answer 2

Things work differently in slide show view, but a couple very simple modifications will get this fixed up. Add this to the project and assign the AddShape_Click as an Action Setting (Run Macro):

Public Sub AddShape_Click(oBtn As Shape)
' It has to be public for the action setting to see it

Dim shp As Shape
Dim sld As Slide

'Set sld = Application.ActiveWindow.View.Slide
Set sld = oBtn.Parent

Set shp = sld.Shapes.AddShape(Type:=msoShapeRectangle, _
    Left:=24, Top:=65.6, Width:=672, Height:=26.6)
'No Shape Border
shp.Line.Visible = msoFalse
'Shape Fill Color
shp.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = RGB(137, 143, 75)
shp.Fill.BackColor.RGB = RGB(137, 143, 75)

End Sub

Answer 3

You can also get this error if PowerPoint recently crashed and is still running in the background. Try killing any such powerpoint processes using task manager and then try again.