Interacting with unity through a powerpoint presentation

Unity Engine
1

Hey,

I wish to be able to control a unity application running in powerpoint, by powerpoint controls.

I found the “LiveWeb” powerpoint plugin (LiveWeb - insert and update web pages real-time in PowerPoint), which enables me to add a webpage directlly into powerpoint.
This way, I can actually run a unity web player inside powerpoint.

However I want to be able to control unity using the powerpoint tools. So for instance, is there a way to write a macro which will run when ever I click a button in powerpoint, that will switch the unity scenes?
Could it be done without haveing an access to the plugin code?
Where would I go about learning the basics for macros or this solution in powerpoint?
(I’m a unity, C# and C programmer and have no knowledge in visual studio office tools or vba).

Thanks!

2

Anybody?

3

I had this same issue when writing a VB app. I was able to communicate with the web page from VB, and javascript in the html talked to the Unity player (‘SendMessage’). I think I was going through the page title or something like that, that VB lets you get at.

4

The LiveWeb plugin lets you get events from the web page. There are probably a bunch of ways you could do this, but here’s one set:

To get info out of Unity into Powerpoint:

  1. In unity, use Application.ExternalCall (see docs for how)
  2. In your html wrapper, implement a function for the above. You might have it set the status bar text or change the page title to the value you passed above.
  3. In PPT, View Code on the LiveWeb control, and choose StatusTextChange (or TitleChange) from the dropdown. The value of ‘Text’ will be that of the status bar (or page title). Note that it will be a LOT of different things from the control itself, but it also picks up the text you set. So look for that.

To get info into Unity from Powerpoint:

  1. Follow the instructions for the WebPlayer’s normal HTML->Unity interface (that is, have a function and value you can set in a script)
  2. View Code for the LiveWeb control or make a macro and view that code. Add something like this:

WebBrowser1.Document.getElementById(“unityObject”).object.SendMessage (“your function”, “your value”)

Hope that helps

5

gtidhar,

Did you managed to achive your Power Point and Unity 3D integration objectives?
If, “yes”, can you share your experience with us?

-Kaya

6

Does anyone have any input on this?

If I have a Unity web player app and want users to be able to upload files, can users upload Powerpoint files and have the common functionalities of Powerpoint like clicking to go to the next slide or “build slides”?