Spreadsheet Design:
Object: Picture

Title: Jan's Illustrated Computer Literacy 101
Did you want Working with Numbers: 2007,2010,2013,2016  or españolIcon: Change web

Some programs do not work with embedding and linking. These are usually older programs. To get data from such a program into another program you must resort to brute force - use an image.

There are actually advantages to using a picture of your sheet! Sometimes you actually want a fixed copy of your sheet instead of one that can be changed and updated. A picture cannot be accidentally changed. A picture shows how things were at a particular point in time.


Where you are:
JegsWorks > Lessons > Numbers

Before you start...

Project 1: Excel IntroTo subtopics

Project 2: Excel BasicsTo subtopics    

Project 3: Format & ArrangeTo subtopics

Project 4: Groups & FormulasTo subtopics

Project 5: Design
    Analysis To subtopics
    What If...To subtopics
    Logical TestsTo subtopics
    Sharing Data To subtopics
    FootprintEmbed
    FootprintLink/Icon
    FootprintPicture
    FootprintDocument Properties
    Summary
    Quiz
    ExercisesTo subtopics

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Glossary  
Appendix
Icon Step-by-Step

Step-by-Step: Picture

  Icon Step-by-Step

What you will learn:

 to insert a sheet as a picture
 

Start with: Class disk trips37.xls (saved in previous lesson) and sharedata.doc (saved in previous lesson)

You will continue building your Word document, adding another method of sharing data from Excel.

Picture: Create object

  1. Dialog: Paste Special | Paste - pictureOpen sharedata.doc, if necessary.
     
  2. Put the cursor on the line below the icon. Type  Picture  and press ENTER.
     
  3. Switch to Excel with trips37.xls open and select the Tickets Sold Chart again, and Copy.
     
  4. Switch back to Word and in share data.doc, with the cursor on the line below the word Picture, select  Edit  |  Paste Special  and choose As: Picture (Enhanced Metafile).

    The chart is now an image on your sheet.
     

  5. Resize the picture to about the size of the other two charts so that all will fit on one page. If necessary, drag it below the word Picture.
     
  6. Popup menu: Edit PictureRight-click on this newest chart. The popup menu shows commands about pictures. Choose Edit Picture  .  
     

    Icon: Excel 97Icon: Excel 2000 Word opens a new window and turns the image into a Drawing object made up of lots of separate parts. You can now edit all of the parts.

    Chart as Drawing object

    Icon: Excel 2002Icon: Excel 2003 Excel 2002/2003 allows you to edit the Drawing object in place.


    The screen may blink several times as the picture is converted, redrawn, and framed for editing.

    TipThe picture will remain a Drawing object after you finish. If you look carefully, you can see that the fonts have been changed a bit.

    TipExcel may not be able to turn some images into Drawing objects. If that happens,  you can edit the image only in a graphics program.

     

  7. Chart bar selectedClick on the first bar on the left of the chart. Handles appear around it.

  8. Use Button: Fill the Fill button to change its color to Yellow. Repeat to change alternating bars in the chart.

    Chart with bars alternating yellow and blue
     

  9. Button: Close PictureIcon: Excel 97Icon: Excel 2000 Close the Drawing object window by clicking the Close button.
    Icon: Excel 2002Icon: Excel 2003Click on a blank area of the document.
    Again the screen may flicker and redraw.

     
  10. Popup menu: Edit PictureRight click on the third chart (the one you just edited).
    Icon: Excel 97Icon: Excel 2000 The popup menu has choices for a Object now instead of just a Picture.

    Icon: Excel 2002Icon: Excel 2003 The command  Edit Picture  is grayed out on the popup menu. Click on a part of the chart and you will see that it is still a Drawing object.
     
    These context-sensitive menu are neat, but confusing at times!

    WarningDo not save yet. This file is probably too large to fit on a floppy disk!

     

  11. Preview: 3 charts and 1 iconPrepare to Print: Create a header with your name and the date on the left, the file name [Insert | Field | FileName] in the center, and Excel Project 5 on the right. Spell Check. Print Preview.


     

  12. Print  Print. Your linked object will be updated before printing, under the default Word settings.
     
  13. Class diskTry to Save. [sharedata.doc]

    You should get a message that the disk is full!


     
  14. Save As to the hard drive. [sharedata.doc]

    Your teacher may have set up a special folder for students. If so, use it now. Otherwise, save to the My Documents folder. Remember where you saved so you can delete the file later. Other students may be saving their own sharedata.doc file there, too!

    Next you will look how you can reduce the size of the file, most of the time.