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QUESTION: There have been several reader questions about Microsoft’s removal of the “Insert Picture From Scanner or Camera” feature in Office 2007. How can the feature be restored?

PC CLUB: Sometimes I’m amazed at how Microsoft does things. Just as we get used to a great feature, it’s eliminated from the latest version. In this case, however, it can be added back without too much effort. It requires the creation of a simple macro, which is a shortcut to a more complex process. 

In Word 2007, access to the macro dialogs has been changed and as installed, is not available. To make them available, you first have to add the developer shortcuts back into Word’s main menu. Do this by following these steps:

1. In Microsoft Office, select the Office “button” in the top left corner, and then select “Word Options,” which appears at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
2. Select “Popular” and add a check mark to box next to the “Show Developer tab in the Ribbon.”
3. The “Developer” option should now show up on Office’s main menu bar at the top.

Now that developer tools are back, you can recreate the Macros to insert images from scanners and cameras. Just select “Developer” at the top and Microsoft Word’s “ribbon” changes to give you new developer options. Select ‘Macros,’ which is the second icon from the far left. The Macros window will open (Click ‘Macros’ window image on right to enlarge.)

Enter a name for the macro in the top box without spaces — I typed in “PictureFromScanner.” Special characters such as the underscore are allowed. Enter a description if you like and click the “Create” button.

When the Editor opens, copy and paste the text below to build your macros. Delete any excess text. You can reopen the macros window at any time, select your macro and click the Edit button to make any changes.

Sub PictureFromScanner()

‘ PictureFromScanner Macro

On Error Resume Next

WordBasic.InsertImagerScan

End Sub

Where you see a line beginning with an apostrophe, it is just a comment. Notice that I named the macro “PictureFromScanner.” I could have just as easily named it “Tommy” but that would have been pointless. You can now close the editor and go back to Word 2007.

Back in Word, click Macros on the Developer Tab and the list of installed macros will appear. Select your newly created macro and click the “Run” button. It’s necessary to have your scanner on and connected to your PC before running the macro. If you have more than one scanner, turn them both on and you will get a choice of which one to use. If one is off, you may get an error but Word will continue on to the second scanner.

If you use this macro a lot, you should add it as a shortcut to your Word toolbar (like I did in the image on the right). Just click the Office button again, then click “Options.” Select the “Customize” entry on the left. In the “Choose commands from” drop-down box, select Macros. You will see your macro listed on the left. Click the “Add” button to move it to the list on the right. Next, click the “Modify” button. Here, you can change the icon and change the name to something meaningful. You can now click OK and see your new button on the Quick Access Toolbar. The new name you gave your macro will only show up when your mouse hovers above it but you’ll recognize the icon you selected.

Some of this material was obtained from Graham Mayer (link: http://bit.ly/10oxZU),  a retired Microsoft junkie. His site is an excellent reference for macros and more. ~Ed Schwartz, NOCCC member. View his blog at www.edwardns.com/blog.

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