What is Object Packager?

Object Packager is a tool you can use to create a package and then insert it into a document.

The Object Packager window is split into two smaller windows:  the Appearance window displays the icon that will represent the package you insert, and the Content window displays the name of the document that contains the information you want to insert.

To create a package, you copy the contents of the Appearance and Content windows, and then use the Paste command to insert the information into a document. The package appears in the document as an icon.

To activate a package icon, you double-click it. Depending on the contents of the package, one of two things can happen when you activate it:

If the package contains a sound or animation file, the sound or animation will play.

If the package contains a picture, text, or spreadsheet, the program associated with that file type will open, displaying the information. For example, if the package contains a bitmap, Paint opens, displaying the picture.

Note

You can only insert a package into Windows-based programs that support drag-and-drop functions for OLE.


A package is an icon that represents embedded or linked information. That information may consist of a complete document, such as a Paint bitmap, or part of a document, such as a spreadsheet cell.

Linked information updates when you change the original; embedded information does not.


Rules for creating a package

You can create a package by using either Object Packager or Windows NT Explorer. The requirements for each method are as follows:

If you want to package only a part of a document, you must use Object Packager, and the document must have been created by using a program that supports drag-and-drop functions for OLE.

If you want to package a complete document, you can use either Object Packager or Windows NT Explorer. The contents of the package can be created by using any program.

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To insert an icon

1	In the Appearance window, click Insert Icon.

2	In the File Name box, type the name and the path of the program whose icon you want to use (for example, C:\windows\paint.exe).

3	Click OK to place the icon in the Appearance window.

Note

If you don't know the name of the program, you can find it by clicking Browse.


To change an icon label

1	On the Edit menu in Object Packager, click Label.

2	Type the text for the new label.

Notes

You can only change an icon label if an icon is displayed in the Appearance window.

Custom icons you create do not have labels.

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To create your own icon

1	In Paint or other drawing program, create a drawing, or open the drawing you want to use for the icon.

2	Use the selection tool to select the part of the drawing you want for your icon.

3	On the Edit menu, click Copy.

4	In Object Packager, click anywhere in the Appearance window.

5	On the Edit menu, click Paste.

Note

Custom icons you create do not have labels.


To create a package that contains a complete document

1	On the File menu in Object Packager, click Import.

2	Click the icon for the document you want to package, and then click OK.

3	On the Edit menu, click Copy Package.

4	Open the document in which you want to insert the information, and then click where you want to insert it.

5	On the Edit menu, click Paste.

In some programs, the package is automatically placed in the upper-left corner of the window.

Notes

You can import any document into Object Packager, regardless of whether the program used to create it supports drag-and-drop functions for OLE.

You can only insert a package into a document that has been created by using a Windows-based program that supports drag-and-drop functions for OLE.

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To create a package that contains part of a document

1	In the document that contains the information you want to package, select the information.

2	On the File menu, click Copy.

3	In Object Packager, click anywhere in the Content window.

4	On the Edit menu, click Paste to embed the information into Object Packager, or click Paste Link to link it.

5	On the Edit menu, click Copy Package.

6	Open the document into which you want to insert the package, and then click where you want to insert it.

7	On the Edit menu, click Paste.

In some programs, the package is automatically placed in the upper-left corner of the document window.

Note

Both the original document, which contains the information you selected, and the destination document must have been created by using programs that support drag-and-drop functions for OLE.

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To edit embedded information

1	In the document that contains the information you want to edit, click the package.

2	On the Edit menu, point to Package Object, and then click Edit Package Object.

3	In the Content window of Object Packager, double-click the text description or picture.

4	Make changes to the information.

5	When you are finished editing, click the File menu in Object Packager, and then click Update to apply your changes.

6	On the File menu of the program window, click Exit & Return To (name of document), to continue working.


To edit linked information

1	In the document that contains the information you want to edit, click the package.

2	On the Edit menu, point to Package Object, and then click Edit Package Object.

3	In the Content window of Object Packager, double-click the text description or picture.

4	Make changes to the information.

5	On the File menu, click Save.

6	On the File menu, click Exit to return to the document.

Note

When you make changes to linked information, those changes appear in every other document that contains a link to that information. If the linked information is set to update manually, you must use the Links dialog box to update the link, in order to see your changes.

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To insert an MS-DOS command into a document

1	On the Edit menu in Object Packager, click Command Line.

2	In the Command box, type an MS-DOS command (including any options or parameters). If you are typing the name of a program, include the full path and filename extension.

3	Click OK to place the MS-DOS command in the Content window.

4	Insert an icon in the Appearance window.

5	On the Edit menu, click Copy Package.

6	In the document that contains the information you want to edit, click where you want to insert it.

7	On the Edit menu, click Paste.

In some programs, the package is automatically placed in the upper-left corner of the document window.

8	To carry out the MS-DOS command, double-click the package.

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To switch between Description and Picture view

1	Click in the Content window of Object Packager.

2	Click the appropriate button to view either a description or picture of the package contents:

Description view displays the name of the file in the package.

Picture view displays a snapshot view of the package contents and is only available if the packaged information was created by using a program that supports drag-and-drop functions for OLE.


To manually update linked information

1	In the document that contains the linked information, click the Edit menu, and then click Links.

2	Click Update Now.


To insert a package by dragging

1	Open the document that contains the information you want to edit.

2	In Windows NT Explorer, find the file that you want to insert.

3	Drag the file icon into the document window.

To insert a package that contains a linked document, press SHIFT+CTRL while you drag the icon.

Note

You can only insert a package into a document that has been created by using a Windows-based program that supports drag-and-drop functions for OLE, regardless of the package contents.


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