23.1 Pasting or Embedding Graphs in Other Applications

Paste-Embed-OLE

There are two ways you can include Origin graphs in other application's files -- as a picture or using OLE (Object Linking and Embedding):

• When you include your Origin graph as a picture, it cannot be edited using Origin tools.
• When you include your graph using OLE, the graph can be edited using Origin tools (you can generally edit a picture in a destination application using that application's image editing tools, but this is not the same). When you embed your Origin graph, the destination file contains a copy of the graph object.

When you include your graph in a destination file as an OLE object, Origin acts as an OLE server.

Copy/Paste Graph as Image

Copy grapy to clipboard without using OLE, then the graph will be pasted as a picture in other applications.

To copy graph as an image, you can:

1. Click the Copy Graph as Image... button in the mini toolbar of the graph.
   or
   Select Edit: Copy Graph as Image... in the menu.
   or
   Right-click on the graph, select Copy: Copy Graph as Image... in the context menu.
   or
   Active the graph window, press Ctrl + Alt + J.
   
   
2. In the Copy Graph as Image dialog, you can customize the image format (PNG, EMF, DIB, HTML and JPEG) . And then click the Copy button.

   

   
   
3. In the destination application (such as Microsoft® Word), press Ctrl + V key or click Paste button.

Embed your graph in another application

You can share Origin graphs with OLE-compliant applications by embedding your graph. Once you embed the graphs in other applications, you are allowed to edit the graphs using Origin's tools.

Please be known, when you embed your graph into another application's files, the data are stored in the destination file -- not in the Origin file. Subsequent editing of the graph can be initiated by double-clicking on the graph in the destination file. Chief advantage: This creates a single, self-contained file.

How to Embed Graphs

Origin provides three methods to embed your graph in an OLE-compliant file.

To embed your graph by pasting into another file using the Clipboard:

The graph does not have to be saved to a graph window (*.OGG(U)) or a project (*.OPJ(U)) file (the contents of the current Origin session do not have to be saved).

1. In Origin, select Edit:Copy Page.
2. In the destination application (such as Microsoft® Word), select Edit:Paste Special. In Word, this menu command opens the Paste Special dialog box.
3. Select Origin Graph Object from the As list box.
4. Select the Paste radio button.
5. Click OK.

Your graph displays as an object in the destination file.

See the Copy/Export Page Settings Group documentation for important information on copying and pasting a graph to another application.

OLE embedding is not supported by Origin's Master Page feature. When exporting graphs containing master items to MS Office or other documents, you should insert the graph as an image. For more information, see Adding common elements to an MS Word or PowerPoint file.

Origin 2018 introduced new Unicode-compliant file types, including those for the Origin Project (OPJU) and the Origin Graph (OGGU). If you use Origin 2018 or later to embed an Origin graph in a Word document, then hand that document to a colleague who uses Origin 2017 or earlier, he or she will not be able to edit the Origin graph. See this FAQ for details.

If copying a graph page from an existing OPJU file and then pasting in MS Office e.g. Word, PPT, etc., there is Paste Link option in Paste Special dialog to paste Origin graph as a link to save MS document space. But this doesn't work well with new MS document format (docx, pptx, etc.) When loading such MS document and double clicking Origin graph, multiple instances of Origin will be launched behind the scene and cause slowness. Closing document will not close those hidden Origin sessions either. No such issue with MS document save with old format (doc, ppt, etc.)

To embed your graph window file (*.OGG(U) into another file:

The graph must already be saved to a graph (*.OGG(U)) window file.

1. In the destination application (such as Word), select Insert:Object. In Word, this menu command opens the Object dialog box.
2. Select the Create from File tab.
3. Click Browse. This action opens the Browse dialog box.
4. Select your *.OGG(U) file.
5. Click OK.
6. In the Object dialog box, make sure the Link to File check box is cleared.
7. Click OK.

Your graph displays as an object in the destination file.

To create (and embed) a new Origin graph in another application:

1. In the destination application (such as Word), select Insert:Object. In Word, this menu command opens the Object dialog box.
2. Select the Create New tab.
3. Select Origin Graph from the Object Type list box.
4. Click OK. This action creates a new instance of Origin displaying a graph in a Documentn window.
5. Make this new instance of Origin the active application.
6. Create your graph (in the new program instance).
7. With your graph window active, select File:Update Documentn.
8. Select File:Exit and Return to Documentn. This menu command closes the new instance of Origin and returns activity to the destination application (in this example, Word).

Edit an embedded graph

When an Origin object is embedded in a OLE-compliant file, it is editable using Origin's tools.

• To edit the embedded object in Origin:

1. Double-click the inserted graph.
2. This opens an instance of Origin; the graph window displays in the workspace and is ready for editing.
3. Make changes to the graph.

• To update the embedded object:

1. Select File:Update DestinationApplication.

• To close the instance of Origin and return to the destination application:

1. Select File:Exit and Return to DestinationApplication.

• To edit the embedded graph using in-place activation:

As an alternative, Origin objects inserted into a destination file can be edited without leaving the destination application. This editing method works by in-place activation of a subset of Origin's graph editing tools.

To enable in-place activation:

1. From the Origin menu, select Preferences: Options, and choose the Graph tab.
2. Select the Enable OLE In-place Activation check box.
3. Click OK to close the dialog box (You are prompted to Save as Origin's startup options?).
4. You may close Origin.

• To edit the graph using in-place activation:

1. Double-click on the embedded (not linked) Origin graph in the destination application. The Origin graph is now editable by right-clicking on the selected object and choosing from various Origin shortcut menu commands.