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Intro

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In order to import multiple rows of data into a presentation, two conditions must be met:

1. The data source must contain multiple rows of data

2. The template must be designed to repeat a list entry, a table row, or an entire slide If both of these conditions are not met, then PowerPointWriter's automatic repeating behavior will not occur.

Data Sources

PowerPointTemplate has a single method for binding data to the data markers that are located in the template: PowerPointTemplate.BindData. Depending on the data source type and the number of rows in the data source, PowerPointWriter will either import a single row of data or import multiple rows by repeating sections of the presentation.

By default, every appearance of a data marker will be populated with the same data. For example, if %%=Header.CompanyLogo(image) appears on multiple slides, each data marker will be populated with the company logo. This behavior can be overwritten using data binding properties.

When importing multiple row of data, the data marker must be placed in a list entry or table row. The list or table will be expanded to contain all of the imported data.

Repeat Slide Behavior

DataBindingProperties

Data binding properties can be used to specify the way data is imported into the presentation.
To set the max number of rows to import onto each slide of the presentation use MaxRowsPerSlide. MaxRowsPerSlide will continue to import more rows of data as long as it can find a data marker with the 'continue' modifier. For more information see Fitting Data on to Multiple Slides

Types of Data Sources

Arrays of objects

Methods:

• [PowerPointTemplate.BindData(Object[],String[],String,DataBindingProperties)]
• [PowerPointTemplate.BindData(Object[][],String[],String,DataBindingProperties)]
• [PowerPointTemplate.BindData(Object,,String[],String,DataBindingProperties)]

Arrays don't have built-in means to store column names. The user must specify the column names in a string array that is passed to PowerPointTemplate.BindData at run time.

PowerPointWriter will import all the rows in a multidimensional array (Object[,]) or a jagged array using built-in repeating behavior.

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Two dimensional array:

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          string[][] twodim = {
               new string[]{"Watertown", "MA", "02472"},
               new string[]{"Washington", "DC", "20036"}
               };
          string[] names = {"City", "State", "Zip"};
          pptt.BindData(twodim,
               names,
               "TwoDimArray",
          pptt.CreateDataBindingProperties());
          pptt.Process();
          pptt.Save(Page.Response,
               "ArrayBinding.pptx",
               false);
        

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          Dim twodim()() As String = New String()() { _
               New String(){"Watertown", "MA", "02472"}, _
               New String(){"Washington", "DC", "20036"}, _
               }
          Dim names As String() = {"City", "State", "Zip"}
          pptt.BindData(twodim, _
               names, _
               "TwoDimArray", _
          pptt.CreateDataBindingProperties())
          pptt.Process()
          pptt.Save(Page.Response, _
              "ArrayBinding.pptx", _
               False)
        

Data Tables

To bind a DataTable to a template data marker call BindData using the following signature:

BindData(DataTable dt, String dataMarkerName, DataBindingPeoperties dataProps);

This signature takes a Datatable, the name of the data marker to which the data source should bind, and a collection Data Binding Properties.

...

     //Create a data table
     DataTable states = new DataTable();
     dt.Columns.Add("State");
     dt.Columns.Add("Population");
     dt.Rows.Add(new object[] { "Connecticut", "3.6 million residents" });
     dt.Rows.Add(new object[] { "Maine", "1.3 million residents" });
     dt.Rows.Add(new object[] { "Massachusetts", "6.6 million residents" });

     //Create DataBindingProperties
     DataBindingProperties dataBindProps = pptt.CreateDataBindingProperties();

     //Bind the data
     pptt.BindData(states, "State Info", dataBindProps);

If the data source only has 1 row or the maximum number of rows to import has been set to 1, then PowerPointWriter will not repeat any part of the presentation.

Repeating a list entry or table row

Template Setup

If a data marker is in a list entry (i.e. bullet point) or table cell, the list entry/table row will be copied for each row of data imported into the presentation.

Data Marker		Output
List entry	Image Added	Image Added
Table Row	Image Added	Image Added

Code

Although no additional code beyond calling BindData is needed, PowerPointWriter will continue to repeat until all of the data in the data source has been imported. There are several ways to prevent data from flowing over the side of your presentation. See Fitting Data on to Multiple Slides for more information.

Repeating an entire slide

Template Setup

When repeating over an entire slide, the data markers do not need to be located in a list entry or table row.

In the notes section of the slide, add %%RepeatSlide. This is the repeat slide marker and it tells PowerPointWriter that you want to repeat the slide after reaching the maximum number of rows for this particular slide.

There can be additional text in the notes section, but %%RepeatSlide must be the first string of characters and must be followed immediately by a space. The marker and white space will be removed in the output file.

Image Added

Code

To set the max number of rows to import onto each copy of the slide, set MaxRowsPerSlide to 1. This will force PowerPointWriter to make a copy of the slide after repeating each row of data. It will continue to make new copies of the slide until all of the data is used.

DataBindingProperties dataProps = ppt.CreateDatabindingProperties(); 
dataProps.MaxRowsPerSlide = 1; 
ppt.BindData(getMailMergeData(), "DataSourceName", dataProps);