BUG: MoveDown Method Behaves Incorrectly When Word Is Hidden (235876)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Word 2000
  • Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications 6.0
This article was previously published under Q235876

SYMPTOMS

When Microsoft Word is not visible, using the MoveDown method of the Selection object does not behave as expected. This behavior might occur when MoveDown is called either from a Word macro or from another program that is automating Word.

RESOLUTION

There are two possible workarounds:
  • Because the incorrect behavior occurs when Word is not visible, you can make Word visible when using the MoveDown method by setting the Application.Visible property equal to True.
  • Instead of extending the current selection using the MoveDown method, explicitly select the range you want to manipulate.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Word 97 and 2000.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

  1. Start Microsoft Word and create a blank document.
  2. Press the ALT-F11 keys to enter the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor.
  3. Double-click ThisDocument to bring up a code window.
  4. Copy the following code into the code window:
        Sub Macro1()  
                                                                                                                                                                                   
       Dim doc As Document
    
       Application.Visible = False
    
       Set doc = ActiveDocument
    
       'Add a new table
       doc.Tables.Add Range:=Selection.Range, NumRows:=37, _
                   NumColumns:=16
                   
       'Merge the cells in column 1 of rows 1-3
       Selection.MoveDown wdLine, 2, wdExtend
       On Error Resume Next
       Selection.Cells.Merge
       If Err <> 0 Then
           MsgBox "Error #" & Err.Number & vbNewLine _
                & Err.Description
       End If
    
       Application.Visible = True
    End Sub
  5. To run the macro, press the F5 key.
  6. A MessageBox appears with the text:
    Error #4605 This Command is not available.
  7. Go back to the Word window and note that the document now contains a table. Observe that the whole table is currently selected rather than just the first three cells of column 1 as you would expect.

Workaround

To work around the problem, you can modify the code to explicitly select the range rather than using the MoveDown method. Change the following line of code in the above sample: 
Selection.MoveDown wdLine, 2, wdExtend
to: 
doc.Range(Start:=doc.Tables(1).Cell(1, 1).Range.Start, _
                End:=doc.Tables(1).Cell(3, 1).Range.End).Select
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/12/2003
Keywords:kbAutomation kbbug kberrmsg kbnofix KB235876
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