WD97: Application.Help wdHelp Generates Run-Time Error (168417)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q168417 SYMPTOMS
When you run a Visual Basic for Applications macro that attempts to display
Word Help using the command
Application.Help wdHelp
you may receive the following error message:
Run time error '4605'. This command is not available.
CAUSE
The error message occurs because Word must be the active program when the
Application.Help wdHelp command is run.
For example, you may receive the error message if you run the following
Visual Basic for Applications macro from Microsoft Excel, because Microsoft
Excel is the active program.
Sub DisplayWordHelp()
Dim oMSWord As Object
Set oMSWord = GetObject(Class:="Word.Application")
oMSWord.Help wdHelp
End Sub
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that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the
tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can
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modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to
meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may
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To work around this problem, your code must first open Word as demonstrated
in the following macro:
Sub DisplayWordHelp()
Dim oMSWord As Object
On Error Resume Next
' If Word is already running, use the existing instance.
Set oMSWord = GetObject(Class:="Word.Application")
If Err <> 0 Then
' If Word is NOT already running, create a new instance.
Set oMSWord = CreateObject(Class:="Word.Application")
End If
If oMSWord.Visible = False Then ' Make Word visible.
oMSWord.Visible = True
End If
oMSWord.Activate ' <--- Activate Word application.
oMSWord.Help wdHelp
End Sub
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products
listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem
and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it
becomes available.
REFERENCES
For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications,
please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications
Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 6/17/2005 |
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Keywords: | kbbug kbcode kberrmsg kbmacroexample kbpending kbProgramming KB168417 |
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