Displaying and Updating Image Dynamically (ActiveX Image Control?)

Hello thank you for looking at this thread! My workbook simply has multiple columns of data which will be summarized visually in a tag cloud (I have the tag cloud part taken care of already creating either a jpg or png, I simply have to change the extension within a batch file to change between picture formats)

I need to have the tag cloud image display and update depending on which column the user would like to summarize (for now I have simplified the issue by only having one of the data columns in my workbook, and will worry about the user selection of the data column to be summarized later).

My Main Question:

Focusing on the image display and updating now, whether it be an ActiveX Image Control or any other way (open to any ideas advice). I've been playing around manually before I try and code it and I can not get either a jpg or png file to attach to the ActiveX control (both of which cause an Invalid Picture Message).

The file name can stay the same if need be and for now I think/assume that'd be easiest (I have my Tag cloud generator just replacing the previously existing image file of the same name).

Would ActiveX control be the way to go for this dynamically changing image? If not how would you recommend I try and tackle this. Please let me know if I've not been clear and much thanks in advance!

Leith,

Thank you for your response! I've seen the example you've provided and looked at it when i was working on the word cloud generation aspect of my code. Instead I went with an java -jar file IBM published based on the same tech that runs the popular wordle.net.

I have my macro shelling a batch file that contains the java jar file, a configuration .txt file, the text to be visually summarized with the tag cloud in a .txt file, and lastly the output picture file.

I have already written code to save the worksheet to a .txt file (grabs whole worksheet in future would rather have user be able to select which column of data they would like to summarize i.e. which column to save to the .txt file), the shell command also works creating the output picture file in the same folder as the batch file and the java jar file.

I now want to find a way I can display this image file (I've experimented and I can change the format between jpg and png just by changing the extention in the batch if that will help displaying it at all). I was thinking maybe activeX would be the way to go but I've never used those before and wasn't even successful manually attaching either the created jpg or png. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Sorry if I was not clear before Leith!

Still working on this issue if anyone has any input! Thanks a bunch!