title: Retrieve excel chart data from powerpoint slide (programmatically)
body: <p><strong><em>background</em></strong> </p>
  
  <p>When working in PowerPoint I always use an Excel spreadsheet that sits directly behind the chart, and links to a source workbook. This method ensures that:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>The data source behind the file is readily identifiable (link to network).</li>
  <li>The PowerPoint file can be edited directly if needed.</li>
  <li>The chart can be updated for a new scenario by re-linking the underlying spreadsheet to the source workbook.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p><strong><em>issue</em></strong></p>
  
  <p>Recently I came across a PowerPoint file that I needed to use the data to create a new chart. Somehow even though the chart had been created using the method I described above, the underlying data could not be accessed. I didn't want my group to have retrieve the data manually so I looked for a method that I could use again if the situation rec-occurred. </p>
  
  <p><strong><em>first approach</em></strong></p>
  
  <p>I ended up following the approach outlined at <a href="http://blog.magicbeanlab.com/data-viz/retrieve-data-from-powerpoint-charts-when-linked-file-not-available/" rel="nofollow">magicbeanlab</a> which involved:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>cutting the PPT file to a single slide (with the chart I wanted). </li>
  <li>renaming the PPT file as a <em>zip</em>.</li>
  <li>navigating to the <code>/ppt/charts/</code> directory to get the chart in <em>xml</em> format.</li>
  <li>opening the <em>xml</em> file provided access to the data, but this was among a seas of other information.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p><strong><em>question</em></strong></p>
  
  <p>What is a better method (automating the XML retrieval) or using VBA to obtain the chart data to use elsewhere?</p>