Thanks Peter. I was using a For Each loop to delete the photos for the
scrolling feature. I like your batch delete method better.

I did a brief experiment with the Shapes.AddPicture method and found it did
not behave the same. Initializing the photos had no affect, but this was only
a very brief experiment.

If I go the route of using Shapes.AddPicture then (apparently) I'll need to
add functionality that allows the user to specify the height/width ratio. In
my case, all the photos for a given survey will be the same size but the size
may change between surveys (i.e. cameras or camera settings may change). I
keep wondering if I'm missing something because it seems everyone should be
bitching about this problem: If you don't know the correct proportionality
for the photos, then they will be distorted if you specify incorrect values
for the width and height arguments. As you may have noticed in my code, I
currently insert the photos using Pictures.Insert and test for the height and
width and obtain the proportionality this way. I then change the size to suit.

Regards,
Greg

"Peter T" wrote:

Hi Greg,

I have some routines that add large numbers of pictures from file, resized
and placed to suit. Like you, I find the first time in a session of Excel I
add a picture is significantly slower than subsequently. Strangely, normally
(but not always) it's only slow for the first inserted picture assuming all
in the same folder, Unlike you I don't find resizing & placing is relevant
as regards time.

I don't find any reason to use an InitializePhotos routine such as yours.
The "extra" time is same if inserted & deleted to a dummy sheet or as & when
required. Instead I add direct to the active sheet. I don't disable
screenupdating but I ensure I scroll well away both from the active cell
(where the picture will first be inserted) and less importantly away from
where any will be moved after resizing. Then I scroll or "Goto" back.

If I know all the original picture H/W proportions are identical, instead of
insert pictures, sizing & placing, I use the AddPicture method and do all in
one go.

FWIW, to delete ALL pictures on a sheet simply:
..Pictures.Delete

Regards,
Peter T

Hi Greg,

I don't think AddPicture vs Insert.Picture will make any difference as
regards the main issue that the first time to add/insert is slower. Also as
you say, the first time the picture is ever drawn it can flicker, perhaps
only noticeable with very large image files. Anyway it's two separate delays
that one way or another are not going to be avoided, at least I don't think
so.

If interested I can send a stripped down version of a few things from my xls
image browser.
Insert Next or Previous image in current folder
optionally change size, fade in rate
or
Insert all images from current folder
optionally change size, gap width

change current folder with GetOpenFileName

It does not disable screenupdating nor preload images yet I think reasonably
smooth. What might be of interest to you is all insert & resizing is done
outside the visible range before moving into it.

Regards,
Peter T
email: pmbthornton gmail com

"Greg Wilson" wrote in message
...
Thanks Peter. I was using a For Each loop to delete the photos for the
scrolling feature. I like your batch delete method better.

I did a brief experiment with the Shapes.AddPicture method and found it
did
not behave the same. Initializing the photos had no affect, but this was
only
a very brief experiment.

If I go the route of using Shapes.AddPicture then (apparently) I'll need
to
add functionality that allows the user to specify the height/width ratio.
In
my case, all the photos for a given survey will be the same size but the
size
may change between surveys (i.e. cameras or camera settings may change). I
keep wondering if I'm missing something because it seems everyone should
be
bitching about this problem: If you don't know the correct proportionality
for the photos, then they will be distorted if you specify incorrect
values
for the width and height arguments. As you may have noticed in my code, I
currently insert the photos using Pictures.Insert and test for the height
and
width and obtain the proportionality this way. I then change the size to
suit.

Regards,
Greg

"Peter T" wrote:

Hi Greg,

I have some routines that add large numbers of pictures from file,
resized
and placed to suit. Like you, I find the first time in a session of
Excel I
add a picture is significantly slower than subsequently. Strangely,
normally
(but not always) it's only slow for the first inserted picture assuming
all
in the same folder, Unlike you I don't find resizing & placing is
relevant
as regards time.

I don't find any reason to use an InitializePhotos routine such as
yours.
The "extra" time is same if inserted & deleted to a dummy sheet or as &
when
required. Instead I add direct to the active sheet. I don't disable
screenupdating but I ensure I scroll well away both from the active cell
(where the picture will first be inserted) and less importantly away
from
where any will be moved after resizing. Then I scroll or "Goto" back.

If I know all the original picture H/W proportions are identical,
instead of
insert pictures, sizing & placing, I use the AddPicture method and do
all in
one go.

FWIW, to delete ALL pictures on a sheet simply:
..Pictures.Delete

Regards,
Peter T

Thanks for the offer Peter.

Today I revamped a copy of my project to use Shapes.AddPicture instead of
Pictures.Insert. I found that I was mistaken in my comment that it behaved
differently. It in fact behaves exactly the same as far as I can tell.

My project requires me to be able to handle potentially several hundred
photos and to be able to scroll through them with no difficulties. That's why
I use the technique of systematic deletion and reimportation for my scrolling
feature. This way, the file size stays small. However, as I mentioned, the
file names get copied to a hidden worksheet and the layout of the names
models the actual picture layout: X names (photos) long by Y names (photos)
wide. I use nested loops to retrieve the names during the scrolling process
which slows things down explaining why I'm more affected than you. There is
also a lot of code for other features in the project.

The delay isn't that bad but I want the scrolling feature to be really
slick. Imagine scrolling through photos that encompass a complete bridge. You
need to scroll from one end to the other before Excel has seen all the photos
and the problem goes away.

You might want to reconsider the IntializePhotos approach. It only takes a
few seconds to cycle through a couple hundred photos, after which there is
virtually no delay with my scroll feature. It appears to be the case that
unless the photos are within the visible range they don't get drawn which
explains why it doesn't work otherwise. Of course, don't do this unless there
is a need.

I very much appreciate your offer but the functionalities you mention that I
would need have already been created and the project is quite complex. It
would require a great deal of work to revamp. I've adapted your suggestion of
ws.Pictures.Delete instead of using a loop. I also assign macros to the
photos for another situation and use ws.Pictures.OnAction = "XYZ" which batch
assigns the macros.

Best regards,
Greg

"Peter T" wrote:

Hi Greg,

I don't think AddPicture vs Insert.Picture will make any difference as
regards the main issue that the first time to add/insert is slower. Also as
you say, the first time the picture is ever drawn it can flicker, perhaps
only noticeable with very large image files. Anyway it's two separate delays
that one way or another are not going to be avoided, at least I don't think
so.

If interested I can send a stripped down version of a few things from my xls
image browser.
Insert Next or Previous image in current folder
optionally change size, fade in rate
or
Insert all images from current folder
optionally change size, gap width

change current folder with GetOpenFileName

It does not disable screenupdating nor preload images yet I think reasonably
smooth. What might be of interest to you is all insert & resizing is done
outside the visible range before moving into it.

Regards,
Peter T
email: pmbthornton gmail com

"Greg Wilson" wrote in message
...
Thanks Peter. I was using a For Each loop to delete the photos for the
scrolling feature. I like your batch delete method better.

I did a brief experiment with the Shapes.AddPicture method and found it
did
not behave the same. Initializing the photos had no affect, but this was
only
a very brief experiment.

If I go the route of using Shapes.AddPicture then (apparently) I'll need
to
add functionality that allows the user to specify the height/width ratio.
In
my case, all the photos for a given survey will be the same size but the
size
may change between surveys (i.e. cameras or camera settings may change). I
keep wondering if I'm missing something because it seems everyone should
be
bitching about this problem: If you don't know the correct proportionality
for the photos, then they will be distorted if you specify incorrect
values
for the width and height arguments. As you may have noticed in my code, I
currently insert the photos using Pictures.Insert and test for the height
and
width and obtain the proportionality this way. I then change the size to
suit.

Regards,
Greg

"Peter T" wrote:

Hi Greg,

I have some routines that add large numbers of pictures from file,
resized
and placed to suit. Like you, I find the first time in a session of
Excel I
add a picture is significantly slower than subsequently. Strangely,
normally
(but not always) it's only slow for the first inserted picture assuming
all
in the same folder, Unlike you I don't find resizing & placing is
relevant
as regards time.

I don't find any reason to use an InitializePhotos routine such as
yours.
The "extra" time is same if inserted & deleted to a dummy sheet or as &
when
required. Instead I add direct to the active sheet. I don't disable
screenupdating but I ensure I scroll well away both from the active cell
(where the picture will first be inserted) and less importantly away
from
where any will be moved after resizing. Then I scroll or "Goto" back.

If I know all the original picture H/W proportions are identical,
instead of
insert pictures, sizing & placing, I use the AddPicture method and do
all in
one go.

FWIW, to delete ALL pictures on a sheet simply:
..Pictures.Delete

Regards,
Peter T

Hi, Greg,

Appreciate the detailed explanation of what you're doing, sounds like an
interesting project.

I use nested loops to retrieve the names during the scrolling process
which slows things down explaining why I'm more affected than you.

I'm surprised looping a string array of 500 would slow things relative to
anything to do with manipulating pictures. Perhaps maintaining an index
system might avoid any looping at all.

But that's in passing, sounds like you've got things pretty well optimized.

Regards,
Peter T


"Greg Wilson" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the offer Peter.

Today I revamped a copy of my project to use Shapes.AddPicture instead of
Pictures.Insert. I found that I was mistaken in my comment that it behaved
differently. It in fact behaves exactly the same as far as I can tell.

My project requires me to be able to handle potentially several hundred
photos and to be able to scroll through them with no difficulties. That's
why
I use the technique of systematic deletion and reimportation for my
scrolling
feature. This way, the file size stays small. However, as I mentioned, the
file names get copied to a hidden worksheet and the layout of the names
models the actual picture layout: X names (photos) long by Y names
(photos)
wide. I use nested loops to retrieve the names during the scrolling
process
which slows things down explaining why I'm more affected than you. There
is
also a lot of code for other features in the project.

The delay isn't that bad but I want the scrolling feature to be really
slick. Imagine scrolling through photos that encompass a complete bridge.
You
need to scroll from one end to the other before Excel has seen all the
photos
and the problem goes away.

You might want to reconsider the IntializePhotos approach. It only takes a
few seconds to cycle through a couple hundred photos, after which there is
virtually no delay with my scroll feature. It appears to be the case that
unless the photos are within the visible range they don't get drawn which
explains why it doesn't work otherwise. Of course, don't do this unless
there
is a need.

I very much appreciate your offer but the functionalities you mention that
I
would need have already been created and the project is quite complex. It
would require a great deal of work to revamp. I've adapted your suggestion
of
ws.Pictures.Delete instead of using a loop. I also assign macros to the
photos for another situation and use ws.Pictures.OnAction = "XYZ" which
batch
assigns the macros.

Best regards,
Greg

"Peter T" wrote:

Hi Greg,

I don't think AddPicture vs Insert.Picture will make any difference as
regards the main issue that the first time to add/insert is slower. Also
as
you say, the first time the picture is ever drawn it can flicker,
perhaps
only noticeable with very large image files. Anyway it's two separate
delays
that one way or another are not going to be avoided, at least I don't
think
so.

If interested I can send a stripped down version of a few things from my
xls
image browser.
Insert Next or Previous image in current folder
optionally change size, fade in rate
or
Insert all images from current folder
optionally change size, gap width

change current folder with GetOpenFileName

It does not disable screenupdating nor preload images yet I think
reasonably
smooth. What might be of interest to you is all insert & resizing is
done
outside the visible range before moving into it.

Regards,
Peter T
email: pmbthornton gmail com

"Greg Wilson" wrote in message
...
Thanks Peter. I was using a For Each loop to delete the photos for the
scrolling feature. I like your batch delete method better.

I did a brief experiment with the Shapes.AddPicture method and found
it
did
not behave the same. Initializing the photos had no affect, but this
was
only
a very brief experiment.

If I go the route of using Shapes.AddPicture then (apparently) I'll
need
to
add functionality that allows the user to specify the height/width
ratio.
In
my case, all the photos for a given survey will be the same size but
the
size
may change between surveys (i.e. cameras or camera settings may
change). I
keep wondering if I'm missing something because it seems everyone
should
be
bitching about this problem: If you don't know the correct
proportionality
for the photos, then they will be distorted if you specify incorrect
values
for the width and height arguments. As you may have noticed in my
code, I
currently insert the photos using Pictures.Insert and test for the
height
and
width and obtain the proportionality this way. I then change the size
to
suit.

Regards,
Greg

"Peter T" wrote:

Hi Greg,

I have some routines that add large numbers of pictures from file,
resized
and placed to suit. Like you, I find the first time in a session of
Excel I
add a picture is significantly slower than subsequently. Strangely,
normally
(but not always) it's only slow for the first inserted picture
assuming
all
in the same folder, Unlike you I don't find resizing & placing is
relevant
as regards time.

I don't find any reason to use an InitializePhotos routine such as
yours.
The "extra" time is same if inserted & deleted to a dummy sheet or
as &
when
required. Instead I add direct to the active sheet. I don't disable
screenupdating but I ensure I scroll well away both from the active
cell
(where the picture will first be inserted) and less importantly away
from
where any will be moved after resizing. Then I scroll or "Goto"
back.

If I know all the original picture H/W proportions are identical,
instead of
insert pictures, sizing & placing, I use the AddPicture method and
do
all in
one go.

FWIW, to delete ALL pictures on a sheet simply:
..Pictures.Delete

Regards,
Peter T