PPPTools Example — Gear Wheel

Created: 2026-05-29 · Updated: 2026-05-29

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Parameterized gear wheel with selectable tooth count, size, tooth depth, hub opening, fill and border color. Created through three consecutive Boolean operations.

ppptools Methods Used

Parameters

Result

Full Code

// @help https://ppptools.happy-pc.ch/help/en/helper-example-gearwheel
// @param enum   Zaehne      "Tooth count"        options="4|5|6|7|8|10|12|16|24|32"  default="8"
// @param float  Groesse     "Size (points)"      default=200  min=50  max=500
// @param float  Zahntiefe   "Tooth depth (1=std)" default=1.0  min=0.5 max=2.0
// @param float  Nabe        "Hub opening (%)"    default=31.4 min=10  max=55
// @param color  Fuellfarbe  "Fill color"         default=#8264DC
// @param color  Rahmenfarbe "Border color"       default=#5A3CB4
// @param bool   ShowBorder  "Show border"        default=true

string tooths      = Params.GetString("Zaehne",     "8");
float  size        = (float)Params.GetFloat("Groesse",   200.0);
float  zahnFaktor  = (float)Params.GetFloat("Zahntiefe", 1.0);
float  nabeProz    = (float)Params.GetFloat("Nabe",      31.4);
var    fillColor   = Params.GetColor("Fuellfarbe",  System.Drawing.Color.FromArgb(130, 100, 220));
var    lineColor   = Params.GetColor("Rahmenfarbe", System.Drawing.Color.FromArgb( 90,  60, 180));
bool   showBorder  = Params.GetBool("ShowBorder", true);

int fillRgb = System.Drawing.ColorTranslator.ToOle(fillColor);
int lineRgb = System.Drawing.ColorTranslator.ToOle(lineColor);

// ── Center on slide ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
float left = (ppptools.SlideWidth  - size) / 2f;
float top  = (ppptools.SlideHeight - size) / 2f;
float cx   = left + size / 2f;
float cy   = top  + size / 2f;

float sizeSmall = size * 0.5713f;
float sizeBig   = size * 0.7143f;
float sizeHole  = size * (nabeProz / 100f);

// ── Local helper for consistent styling ───────────────────────────────
void ApplyStyle(dynamic sh)
{
    sh.Fill.ForeColor.RGB = fillRgb;
    sh.Fill.Transparency  = 0f;
    if (showBorder)
    {
        sh.Line.Visible        = MsoTriState.msoTrue;
        sh.Line.Weight         = 1.5f;
        sh.Line.ForeColor.RGB  = lineRgb;
        sh.Line.Transparency   = 0f;
        sh.Line.DashStyle      = MsoLineDashStyle.msoLineSolid;
        sh.Line.Style          = MsoLineStyle.msoLineSingle;
    }
    else
    {
        sh.Line.Visible = MsoTriState.msoFalse;
    }
}

// ── Star type and calibrated adjustment value ─────────────────────────
MsoAutoShapeType starType;
float adjKalibriert;
switch (tooths)
{
    case  "4": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape4pointStar;  adjKalibriert = 0.25f;    break;
    case  "5": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape5pointStar;  adjKalibriert = 0.25f;    break;
    case  "6": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape6pointStar;  adjKalibriert = 0.25f;    break;
    case  "7": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape7pointStar;  adjKalibriert = 0.25f;    break;
    case  "8": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape8pointStar;  adjKalibriert = 0.22781f; break;
    case "10": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape10pointStar; adjKalibriert = 0.23f;    break;
    case "12": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape12pointStar; adjKalibriert = 0.21753f; break;
    case "16": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape16pointStar; adjKalibriert = 0.22f;    break;
    case "24": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape24pointStar; adjKalibriert = 0.21f;    break;
    case "32": starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape32pointStar; adjKalibriert = 0.20f;    break;
    default:   starType = MsoAutoShapeType.msoShape12pointStar; adjKalibriert = 0.21753f; break;
}
float adj = adjKalibriert * zahnFaktor;

// ── 1. Star ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
var oStar = ppptools.AddShape(starType, cx - size/2f, cy - size/2f, size, size);
oStar.Adjustments[1] = adj;
ApplyStyle(oStar);

// ── 2. Small circle + Union → round tooth tips ────────────────────────
var oSmall = ppptools.AddOval(cx - sizeSmall/2f, cy - sizeSmall/2f, sizeSmall, sizeSmall);
ApplyStyle(oSmall);
oStar.Select(MsoTriState.msoTrue);
oSmall.Select(MsoTriState.msoFalse);
ppptools.Union();
dynamic oUnion = ppptools.GetSelected();

// ── 3. Large circle + Intersect → clip outer contour ─────────────────
var oBig = ppptools.AddOval(cx - sizeBig/2f, cy - sizeBig/2f, sizeBig, sizeBig);
ApplyStyle(oBig);
oUnion.Select(MsoTriState.msoTrue);
oBig.Select(MsoTriState.msoFalse);
ppptools.Intersect();
dynamic oIntersect = ppptools.GetSelected();

// ── 4. Hole circle + Combine → punch center ───────────────────────────
var oHole = ppptools.AddOval(cx - sizeHole/2f, cy - sizeHole/2f, sizeHole, sizeHole);
ApplyStyle(oHole);
oIntersect.Select(MsoTriState.msoTrue);
oHole.Select(MsoTriState.msoFalse);
ppptools.Combine();

// ── Done: name and style ──────────────────────────────────────────────
foreach (dynamic sh in ppptools.GetSelectedRange())
{
    sh.Name = "GearWheel_" + tooths;
    ApplyStyle(sh);
}

Step by Step

1. Centering with ppptools.SlideWidth/Height

ppptools.SlideWidth and ppptools.SlideHeight return the slide dimensions in points. No access to aPowerPoint.ActivePresentation.PageSetup.* needed.

2. Inserting shapes with ppptools.AddShape and ppptools.AddOval

ppptools.AddOval is shorthand for ppptools.AddShape(MsoAutoShapeType.msoShapeOval, ...). The star shape requires the full MsoAutoShapeType enum value.

3. Boolean operations and ppptools.GetSelected()

After each Boolean op, PowerPoint consumes the input shapes — they no longer exist. ppptools.GetSelected() retrieves the result immediately before the next selection overwrites it.

4. Naming shapes with ppptools.GetSelectedRange()

foreach (dynamic sh in ppptools.GetSelectedRange())
{
    sh.Name = "GearWheel_" + tooths;
}

ppptools.GetSelectedRange() returns the full ShapeRange object of the current selection.

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