---
title: 'From Calvin & Hobbes to Photo Tagging: Excel''s Unexpected Image Capability'
date: "2024-03-26T03:25:30Z"
lastmod: "2024-03-26T03:25:31Z"
categories:
  - coding
  - excel-tips
wp_id: 3529
description: "Excel on Windows can double as a simple image-tagging workstation by swapping pictures as you scroll rows, making bulk annotation surprisingly practical with only VBA and an ActiveX image control."
keywords: ["Excel VBA", "image tagging", "photo annotation", "Windows", "Calvin and Hobbes", "workflow"]
---

In Excel, using Visual Basic, you can change an image as you scroll. This makes it easy to look at each image and annotate it.

This is how I [transcribed every Calvin & Hobbes](/blog/the-calvin-and-hobbes-search-takedown/).

![From Calvin & Hobbes to Photo Tagging: Excel's Unexpected Image Capability](https://files.s-anand.net/images/2024-03-26-calvintag-excel.webp)

I used this technique first when typing out the strips during my train rides from Bandra to Churchgate. I had an opportunity to re-apply it recently when we needed to tag hundreds of photographs based on a set of criteria.

Here's how you can do this. Note: This works **only on Windows**.

**STEP 1**: Create a new Excel workbook and save it as an Excel macro-enabled workbook. (Note: When opening it again, you need to [enable macros](https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/enable-or-disable-macros-in-microsoft-365-files-12b036fd-d140-4e74-b45e-16fed1a7e5c6))

![](/blog/assets/excel-macro-enabled-workbook.webp)

**STEP 2**: Open File > Options (Alt-F-T), go to Customize Ribbon. Under "Customize the Ribbon", enable the "Developer" menu.

![](/blog/assets/developer-ribbon.webp)

**STEP 3**: In Developer > Insert > ActiveX Controls, select Image and draw a rectangle from A1 to J10. (Resize it later.)

![](/blog/assets/image-activex.webp)

**STEP 4**: By default, this will be called `Image1`. In any case, note down the name from the Name box on the top left.

![](/blog/assets/image-name.webp)

**STEP 5**: In cells `A11` onwards, add paths to file names.

![](/blog/assets/filenames.webp)

**STEP 6**: Click Developer > Visual Basic (Alt-F11), go to `ThisWorkbook`, and paste this code:

```visual-basic
Option Explicit

Private Sub Workbook_SheetSelectionChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As Excel.Range)
    Dim img As String
    img = Sh.Cells(Target.Row, 1).Value
    If (img <> "" And img <> "file") Then ActiveSheet.Image1.Picture = LoadPicture(img)
End Sub
```

Replace `ActiveSheet.Image1` with `ActiveSheet.(whatever)` based on your image name in Step 4.

**STEP 7**: Select Developer > Design Mode. Click on Image1. Then select Developer > Properties. In this panel, under `PictureSizeMode`, choose `3 - fmPictureSizeModeZoom` to fit the picture.

![](/blog/assets/resize.webp)

Now scroll through the rows. The images will change.

![](/blog/assets/calvintag-scrolling.webp)

---

## Comments

<!-- wp-comments-start -->

- **[Karthik](http://noenthuda.substack.com)** _26 Mar 2024 9:54 am_:
  Everything okay, but you were able to SIT and work on a laptop on train rides from Bandra to Churchgate??
- **[S Anand](http://www.s-anand.net/)** _26 Mar 2024 12:16 pm_:
  Ah, I took the fast trains that started and ended at Bandra and Churchgate 🙂

<!-- wp-comments-end -->