WD2000: Application.Help wdHelp Generates Run-Time Error (209256)

SYMPTOMS

When you run a Visual Basic for Applications macro that attempts to display Word Help, using the following command:

   Application.Help wdHelp

the following error message may appear:

Run time error '4605'. This command is not available.

CAUSE

The error message appears 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 Excel is the active program:

   Sub DisplayWordHelp()
      Dim oMSWord As Object
      Set oMSWord = GetObject(Class:="Word.Application")
      oMSWord.Help wdHelp
   End Sub

WORKAROUND

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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

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how to use the sample code in this article, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

212536 OFF2000: How to Run Sample Code from Knowledge Base Articles

REFERENCES

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

ARTICLE-ID: 163435
TITLE : VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications