VueZigZagBE

This tool automates the generation of zig-zag filled PowerPoint presentations for use in UCI MIND research. It streamlines patient record presentation, supports research consistency, and reduces manual slide creation.

The system integrates a Visual Basic Script (VBS) for dynamic PowerPoint manipulation, a Python FastAPI backend for orchestration, and connects to a Microsoft SQL Server database to fetch patient data like ID and Subject Health Identifier (SHI).

Features

• Automatically generates zig-zag visual layouts in PowerPoint
• Accepts patient data via REST API
• Triggers and controls VBS execution from the FastAPI backend
• Maintains logs/records of generated presentations
• Customizable templates for consistent research formatting

Use Cases

• Streamlined presentation generation for cognitive or memory trials
• Automatic documentation of patient sessions or study outcomes
• Standardized slide creation for multi-participant research studies

connection_string.txt set up

Dev environment set up

1. Create a virtual environment for developing this app (example with PowerShell on Windows 11):

# Navigate to this repository's root folder

# Create a Python virtual environment (only need to do this once):
python -m venv .venv

# Activate the virtual environment:
.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
# On Windows: .ps1 for PowerShell or .bat for Command Prompt

# If using PowerShell and "running scripts is disabled on this system", need to
# enable running external scripts. Open PowerShell as admin and use this command:
set-executionpolicy remotesigned
# (only need to do this once)

# While in the virtual env, update pip and install packages (only need to do this once):
python -m pip install --upgrade pip
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Run the script: develop, debug, etc.
python main.py

# Press CTRL+C to close the development server

# Deactivate when done
deactivate

connection_string.txt set up

In development, if your UCI MIND account has access to the database, you can use this string instead.

"DRIVER={SQL Server};Provider=SQLOLEDB;Server=____;Database=____;Integrated Security=SSPI;DataTypeCompatibility=80;MARS Connection=True;"

In production, please replace the underscores with the correct information of the database server and user.

"DRIVER={SQL Server};Provider=SQLOLEDB;Server=____.uci.edu;Database=____;User Id=____;Password=____;DataTypeCompatibility=80;MARS Connection=True;"

For research use at UCI MIND only.