Placing a Picture in a Comment

@John Robinson
The Tip's procedure still works for me (Excel 365 Version 2303).
My Excel Toolbox includes the PasteImageInComment macro to paste an image from the clipboard or from a file as background in a cell's Unthreaded Comment (Note).
As described in earlier discussion below, My Excel Toolbox also includes the following function to add a background image to an Unthreaded Comment:
=ImageInComment(ImageFile,[Target],[ScaleFactor],[RotateAngle],[NoAuthor])
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/

This stopped working two days ago. Do you have a work around for this? When you get to Select Picture the three options you get From a file, Bing Image Search, and OneDrive now do nothing. This appears to have stopped working this week.

For more discussion of this subject, see:
https://excelribbon.tips.net/T005489_Pasting_Pictures_into_a_Comment.html
https://www.thespreadsheetguru.com/the-code-vault/vba-insert-image-into-cell-comment
https://sites.google.com/view/myexceltoolbox/Comment

It doesn't work. There is no context menu with "format comment" listed on it.

Maybe Excel change his soft recently. Have you heard something about that?

I'm on Mac with Excel 16.53

@J. Woolley: part 3 (edited)

I use the latest version with .Height = IIf(ScaleFactor > 100, ScaleFactor, .Height * ScaleFactor)

Test with Erdbeere.jpg: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/7374/SLK2XR.jpg

(see Figure 1 below) picture replaced with correct one

(see Figure 2 below)

(see Figure 3 below)

@J. Woolley: part 3

I use the latest version with .Height = IIf(ScaleFactor > 100, ScaleFactor, .Height * ScaleFactor)

Test with Erdbeere.jpg: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/7374/SLK2XR.jpg

(see Figure 1 below)

(see Figure 2 below)

(see Figure 3 below)

@J. Woolley: part 2

I use the latest version with .Height = IIf(ScaleFactor > 100, ScaleFactor, .Height * ScaleFactor)

Test with Erdbeere.jpg: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/7374/SLK2XR.jpg

(see Figure 1 below)

(see Figure 2 below)


With ScaleFactor = 1,0 this picture already gets too large:

=ImageInComment("D:/Test/Excel/0-Bilder/Erdbeere-10.jpg";H7;1,0)

The size of the comment (before pasting the image) is: width/heigth = 5,69 cm/6,99 cm.
My image Erdbeere-10.jpg (Erdbeere (german) = strawberry) has the following size: 2592 x 1944 Pixels.
The size of the comment (after pasting the image) is too large: width/heigth = 91,44 cm/68,58 cm.

The image aspect ratio:
height/width = 1944/2592
height/width = 0,75

In my opinion should
- the comment aspect ratio follow the image aspect ratio but
- the image size follow the comment size. The comment size would be in this case: 6,99 cm * 0,75 = 5,25 cm

With ScaleFactor > 1 the picture is not getting smaller but even larger.

Please look at this.

Erdbeere.jpg: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/7374/SLK2XR.jpg

@J. Woolley: part 1

I use the latest version with .Height = IIf(ScaleFactor > 100, ScaleFactor, .Height * ScaleFactor)

Test with Erdbeere.jpg: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/7374/SLK2XR.jpg

(see Figure 1 below)

(see Figure 2 below)

(see Figure 3 below)

@Kurt Müller
I don't think you have the latest version of My Excel Toolbox's ImageInComment which includes the following statement:
.Height = IIf(ScaleFactor > 100, ScaleFactor, .Height * ScaleFactor)
If you want to continue this discussion, I suggest we use
https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/Comment

@ J. Woolley

Thank you very much.

If I put this formula in a worksheet cell, I do not know how to choose the appropriate ScaleFactor in advance, since I do not know the size of the picture after it is pasted. The user needs to make calculations in advance or repeat the process several times.

With ScaleFactor = 1,0 this picture already gets too large:

=ImageInComment("D:/Test/Excel/0-Bilder/Erdbeere-10.jpg";H7;1,0)

The size of the comment (before pasting the image) is: width/heigth = 5,69 cm/6,99 cm.
My image Erdbeere-10.jpg (Erdbeere (german) = strawberry) has the following size: 2592 x 1944 Pixels.
The size of the comment (after pasting the image) is too large: width/heigth = 91,44 cm/68,58 cm.

The image aspect ratio:
height/width = 1944/2592
height/width = 0,75

In my opinion should
- the comment aspect ratio follow the image aspect ratio but
- the image size follow the comment size. The comment size would be in this case: 6,99 cm * 0,75 = 5,25 cm

With ScaleFactor > 1 the picture is not getting smaller but even larger.

Please look at this.

Erdbeere.jpg: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/7374/SLK2XR.jpg

@Kurt Müller
The latest version of My Excel Toolbox's ImageInComment allows ScaleFactor to be like 0.75 for 75% scale, but if ScaleFactor > 100, then the image's scaled height will be ScaleFactor points (72 points/inch). The comment's width will adjust to match the image's aspect ratio, avoiding distortion.
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/

As described in my earlier comments, ImageInComment is a Function, not a Sub, so it can be used in a cell formula. If you want to use a Function in VBA instead of a cell formula and ignore the returned result, your example with a Call statement will work. The Application.Evaluate shortcut [H7] is OK, but Range("H7") would be better. Here are two other ways to use the Function in VBA:
ImageInComment "D:/Test/Excel/0-Bilder/Erdbeere-10.jpg", Range("H7")
result = ImageInComment("D:/Test/Excel/0-Bilder/Erdbeere-10.jpg", Range("H7"))
Or you could put this formula in a worksheet cell:
=ImageInComment("D:/Test/Excel/0-Bilder/Erdbeere-10.jpg",H7)

@ J. Woolley

I appreciate your work. Thank you very much.

I entered the following macro in a modul by myself:

Sub ImageInComment()
Call ImageInComment("D:/Test/Excel/0-Bilder/Erdbeere-10.jpg", [H7])
End Sub

The size of the comment (before pasting the image) is: width/heigth = 5,69 cm/6,99 cm.
My image Erdbeere-10.jpg (Erdbeere (german) = strawberry) has the following size: 2592 x 1944 Pixels.
The size of the comment (after pasting the image) is too large: width/heigth = 91,44 cm/68,58 cm.

The image aspect ratio:
height/width = 1944/2592
height/width = 0,75

In my opinion should
- the comment aspect ratio follow the image aspect ratio but
- the image size follow the comment size. The comment size would be in this case: 6,99 cm * 0,75 = 5,25 cm

My Excel Toolbox has yet another update of the ImageInComment function described in my earlier comments. Here is the new syntax:
=ImageInComment(ImageFile,[Target],[ScaleFactor],[RotateAngle],[NoAuthor])
If RotateAngle is 90, 180, or 270, it specifies degrees of clockwise image rotation; any other value is ignored. The default value is 0. Notice this new parameter was inserted before NoAuthor, which remains the last parameter.
My Excel Toolbox also includes the new ListImageProperties(ImageFile) function, which returns an array of image properties for ImageFile's ActiveFrame; expect 2 columns and 18 rows. This function is most useful as a dynamic array in newer versions of Excel. You can also use it like this in older versions of Excel that do not support dynamic arrays:
=SpillArray(ListImageProperties(ImageFile))
SpillArray will determine and populate the spill range for its array expression argument, simulating a dynamic array.
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/

Great! Many thanks for your help.

My Excel Toolbox now includes an improved version of the ImageInComment function described in my earlier comment. Here is its syntax:
=ImageInComment(ImageFile,[Target],[ScaleFactor],[NoAuthor])
This will apply the image from ImageFile as Fill Effect in Target's unthreaded Comment (a.k.a. Note). The image's size is adjusted by ScaleFactor, which defaults to 1. If a new comment is necessary and NoAuthor is TRUE, the new comment will have blank text; NoAuthor's default is FALSE. The text of existing comments is never altered.
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/

@Kurt Muller
Please review my recent comment. Test the ImageInComment function. I believe it resolves the issues you raised.

Attention

If the comment does not have the same aspect ratio as the picture, then the picture is distorted.

If Lock picture aspect ratio is checked, only a cut of the non distorted picture can be seen.

Lock picture aspect ratio is not available with VBA.

@ShaneS
The following function will add an image to a comment. Here is its syntax:
=ImageInComment(FilePath,[Target])
where FilePath describes the image file and optional Target is the cell to receive the comment. If Target is omitted, the default is the cell with the formula.
Examples:
This formula in cell A1 will put the image from MyImage.jpg in A1's comment:
=ImageInComment("C:/Users/MyName/Documents/MyImage.jpg")
If cell A2 contains C:/Users/MyName/Documents/MyImage.jpg as text, then this formula in cell A1 will put the image from MyImage.jpg in A1's comment:
=ImageInComment(A2)
and this formula in cell A1 will put the image from MyImage.jpg in A3's comment:
=ImageInComment(A2,A3)
Here is the function's VBA:
Function ImageInComment(FilePath As String, _
    Optional Target As Range = Nothing)
    Dim Cell As Range, Addr As String
    Dim WIA As Object, bFail As Boolean
    Const PtPerPx As Single = 72 / 96
    If Target Is Nothing Then
        Set Cell = Application.Caller
    Else
        Set Cell = Target.Cells(1)
    End If
    Set WIA = CreateObject("WIA.ImageFile")
    bFail = (FilePath = "" Or Dir(FilePath) = "")
    If Not bFail Then bFail = WIA.LoadFile(FilePath)
    With Cell
        Addr = .Address(False, False)
        If .Comment Is Nothing Then .AddComment
        With .Comment.Shape
            If bFail Then
                .Fill.Solid
                ImageInComment = "Invalid image FilePath"
            Else
                .LockAspectRatio = False
                .Height = WIA.Height * PtPerPx
                .Width = WIA.Width * PtPerPx
                .LockAspectRatio = True
                .Fill.UserPicture FilePath
                ImageInComment = "See comment @ " & Addr
            End If
        End With
    End With
    Set WIA = Nothing
End Function

Heres a tricky question. Can you somehow cause the picture in the comment to update depending on the content of another cell?
I have a situation where I have a drop-down box, and I would like to add a comment that users can hover over, that shows a picture of whatever they have selected int eh drop-down list.
I don't have the luxury of having a clear cell next to the list which could have the picture displayed, and could change to suit.
I found a VBA code which updates a comment, dependant on another cell, which is half the way there, but it doesn't update a picture.
Can anyone help here?

Hello. Thanks for this tip. But I want to take this further - I have a spreadsheet with the photos in the comments and want to publish it to a website. I can open the file in my browser (from the file stored on OneDrive) and open the note but the picture doesn't show. Is there any way to make the photo show in the note when it is on the web???

Thanks,

Margaret

wow i have to do this process for like 3000 times! though i was looking for a way that you can insert multiple pictures in a comment...

Where do you see the context menu?

I failed to mention that this is in the Excel 2019 Version for Mac
Ron

Hi,
It appears that Microsoft have removed the ability to insert a picture/image in the way above. It may have something to do with copyright/creative commons/licensing, cheers.
Ron

hi,
when i click to insert a picture into comment, it request me to update inter explorer, i try to update but nothing happen

Thank you for the tip.

Very cool. Thanks for this one.

I've found a problem with this method. After saving the file and subsequently opening and closing it a few times, I will get an error stating that there is some problem with the file and that the offending data has been "scrubbed." The next time the file is opened, the pictures that were in the comments are now gone. Haven't been able to figure out how to stop this from happening as it is very irritating after taking the time to add multiple photos to comments in a large file. Apparently this is a known issue as I have found some discussion of the problem in online Excel forums.

Nice!

Now if MS would only make this in-line with how it's done in Word.

First, if you add text to the Comment it sits on top of the picture.

Second, I don't see a way to simplify this process, i.e. create a macro that would eliminate all of the navigation through the dialogues. Recording a macro showed no hint and the object model seems to hide how this is structured.

I'm afraid that trying to teach some of my users how to do this would make their eyes roll all the way back in their heads.

COOL !!

Loved this tip. Just goes to show you can never know enough about Excel :)