How To Embed SWF In Microsoft Office 2007 Document
I wrote two posts of this topic using Microsoft Word 2007 and Microsoft Excel 2007 as the example, complemented with screenshots and screencasts posted to WalkerNews Channel @ YouTube.
However, I find mess in both posts because of mistake made in the steps. In addition, Microsoft Word 2007 and 2003 disable the embedded Shockwave flash game if using Word 2007 to save it in *.doc format and the option to run ActiveX / Macros is disabled with / without notification.
On the other hand, Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2003 is able to initialize and play the embedded SWF game regardless the worksheet is saved in *.xlsx or *.xls format, even if the “disable all macros with notification” in Trust Center is enabled.
I guess that’s why I received most of the SWF games embedded in Microsoft Excel and lesser in Microsoft Word. Thus, the Microsoft Excel 2007 SP2 is used as a reference of this “revised” guide.
Embed SWF game in Microsoft Excel 2007 SP2
1) Turn on or show the Developer tab in Ribbon bar, if it’s not already there.
2) Go to Developer tab, click the Insert button in Controls group, followed by More Controls icon.
3) In the More Controls dialog box, select Shockwave Flash Object and click OK button.
4) As soon as after clicking OK, use the mouse pointer to draw a box on the worksheet (big or small, rectangle or square, is up to you). Right click on the envelope-alike box and select Properties from the Context menu.
5) In the Properties dialog box, configure those key properties of Shockwave Flash Object (as those highlighted in screenshot):
6) Close the Properties dialog box, by clicking the X button or press ALT+F4 when the dialog box is in focus.
7) Save the worksheet into *.xls or *.xlsx format (*.xls is compatible with Excel 97-2003 while *.xlsx is only compatible with Excel 2007 or above).
8) Open the saved worksheet and confirm the embedded Shockwave flash works correctly.
Now what? The saved worksheet is ready for distribution, in which the recipients are able to play the embedded Shockwave game (except those who don’t use Microsoft Excel).
On the other hand, Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2003 is able to initialize and play the embedded SWF game regardless the worksheet is saved in *.xlsx or *.xls format, even if the “disable all macros with notification” in Trust Center is enabled.
I guess that’s why I received most of the SWF games embedded in Microsoft Excel and lesser in Microsoft Word. Thus, the Microsoft Excel 2007 SP2 is used as a reference of this “revised” guide.
Embed SWF game in Microsoft Excel 2007 SP2
1) Turn on or show the Developer tab in Ribbon bar, if it’s not already there.
2) Go to Developer tab, click the Insert button in Controls group, followed by More Controls icon.
3) In the More Controls dialog box, select Shockwave Flash Object and click OK button.
4) As soon as after clicking OK, use the mouse pointer to draw a box on the worksheet (big or small, rectangle or square, is up to you). Right click on the envelope-alike box and select Properties from the Context menu.
5) In the Properties dialog box, configure those key properties of Shockwave Flash Object (as those highlighted in screenshot):
- EmbedMovie set to True; otherwise, the SWF file is not truly embedded in the Excel worksheet.
- Movie – specify the absolute / full path of the SWF file in question. Microsoft Excel refers to this path to embed the SWF file when the worksheet is saved.
- FlashVars is optional, e.g. if you want the embedded SWF game starts automatically upon opening the worksheet, specify
autostart=yeshere.
6) Close the Properties dialog box, by clicking the X button or press ALT+F4 when the dialog box is in focus.
7) Save the worksheet into *.xls or *.xlsx format (*.xls is compatible with Excel 97-2003 while *.xlsx is only compatible with Excel 2007 or above).
8) Open the saved worksheet and confirm the embedded Shockwave flash works correctly.
Now what? The saved worksheet is ready for distribution, in which the recipients are able to play the embedded Shockwave game (except those who don’t use Microsoft Excel).
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2010 •
Hi I followed the guide here and it works well. Thank you so much.
But, somehow, when i enter the autostart=yes and press enter, it disappear.
Thus, the swf file doesn’t start automatically.
Hope you can enlighten me. Thanks.
Hi….
Actually in my Microsoft Excel 2007, there is not any Developer tab where i have to add flash file embeded…….
Can u sugest me any other option……..
@Vaibhav, please see the earlier post on how to turn on or enable Developer Tab in Office 2007.
Cheers m8 thanks for the two guides on how to show the dev tab and how to embed swf’s :)
This is awesome, but what if I want to remove the embedded swf file and save it to my desktop. If I try to remove it, it becomes scrap
this was just what i am looking for! Thanks alot!
however…
I too had the same problem as Nisha did.
the autostart=yes just disapears. any ideas?
Hi . This work . Thank you
Thank you , works fine
Hi,
Excellent. U’ve guided so good here. Thanks again 4 saving my time.