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Q163729: WD97: OLE Automation Fails When Using "Word.Basic" Object

Article: Q163729
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbfile kbdta kbdtacode word8 kbwordvba word97
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you use a programming language that calls a Visual Basic for Applications
or WordBasic instruction using OLE Automation, and your calling application (for
example, Microsoft Visual Basic 3.0) cannot use named arguments, the OLE
automation fails.

CAUSE
=====

When you use a programming language that cannot call a Visual Basic for
Applications or WordBasic instruction using named arguments, you must identify
these arguments by position using commas as placeholders.

RESOLUTION
==========

To ensure the correct WordBasic command argument positioning when using OLE
Automation to interact with Visual Basic for Applications, use the Position.hlp
file for Word versions 6.x and 7.x.

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

  Position.exe
  (http://download.microsoft.com/download/word60win/utility3/1/WIN98/EN-US/position.exe)

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click
the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft used the most current virus detection software available on the date of
posting to scan this file for viruses. Once posted, the file is housed on secure
servers that prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Visual Basic for Applications includes a WordBasic Automation object
(Word.Basic) that includes methods for all the WordBasic statements and
functions available in Word versions 6.x, 7.x.

WordBasic statements or functions in Microsoft Word can take named arguments. If
your application does not support named arguments, and you send WordBasic
commands through OLE Automation, your application must specify all the
parameters to a WordBasic function in the proper order. The same call in
WordBasic may only require some of the parameters using named arguments, and
those parameters could be provided in any order.

For most WordBasic statements, the positioning of the arguments is documented in
the WordBasic Help topics or printed reference entries for those statements.
However, the arguments for some statements are not listed in proper order, or
the arguments are irrelevant or have no effect. These arguments are not
documented in WordBasic Help or in the printed reference.

For example, the InsertIndex statement corresponds to the Index tab in the Index
and Tables dialog box. The InsertIndex statement takes a number of arguments
that have to do with other tabs in the dialog box, such as the Table Of Contents
tab. Because these arguments are irrelevant to inserting an index, they are
ignored, and are therefore not documented in WordBasic Help or in the printed
reference. But, as an OLE Automation programmer, you need to be aware of these
arguments so you can correctly specify arguments by position.

NOTE: If your program was written to call WordBasic commands and you are
anticipating interacting with the Microsoft Word Visual Basic for Applications
language for all future development, it is recommended that you convert your
code from WordBasic to Visual Basic for Applications commands for Microsoft
Word.

For a listing of these statements and the correct order of the arguments, look to
the Position.txt text file. This file is included on the disk included with the
Word Developer's Kit (located in the Wrdbasic directory).

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q161547 WD: How to Use OLE Automation with Word 6.0/7.0

  Q105534 WD: OLE: Visual Basic 3.0 Does Not Support Named Arguments

  Q112733 FILE: Help File for VB OLE Automation w/ Word for Windows

  Q163618 WD97: Writing Macro Code for VBA and WordBasic Branching


For information about WordBasic statements and functions, see the "Microsoft Word
Developer's Kit" or WordBasic Help in Word versions 6.x, 7.x.

REFERENCES
==========

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications,
please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

Additional query words: wordcon vb vba vbe fileprint

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbfile kbdta kbdtacode word8 kbwordvba word97 
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbprb

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