PRB: WordBasic's CHR$ Function Produces Error in Visual FoxPro (156939)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 3.0
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 3.0b
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 6.0
This article was previously published under Q156939

SYMPTOMS

Visual FoxPro produces one of the following three errors when using the CHR$(11) function to place a newline character in a Microsoft Word 7.0a for Windows 95 document:
OLE IDispatch exception code 5004 from Microsoft Word. Too many or too few arguments.

-or-

OLE error code 0x80002006 Unknown name.

-or-

Syntax Error.
The error varies depending upon the version of Visual FoxPro being run. However, these commands function properly in Visual Basic 4.0.

CAUSE

The dollar sign ($) character is an operator in Visual FoxPro. Therefore, FoxPro expects the dollar sign character to carry out Xbase functionality and not a WordBasic function.

WORKAROUND

Use FoxPro's CHR() function to insert the value into WordBasic. For example, replace one of the following lines: 
   X.Insert(X.CHR$(11))

-or- 

   X.Insert(X.Object.CHR$(11))
with the following line: 
   X.Insert(CHR(11))

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

The WordBasic function Chr$(11) should place a newline character in a Word 95 document. However, when FoxPro sees the dollar sign character, it looks for the two arguments normally required for this function. Usually, Visual FoxPro interprets a dollar sign character to mean search for a value within a string or field. Visual FoxPro does not recognize the Word 95 usage of this character.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

  1. Create a program containing the following code: 
          PUBLIC x
      X=CreateObject("Word.Basic")
      X.FileNew
      X.AppShow
      X.Insert("This is line 1")
      X.Insert(X.CHR$(11))   && <---Or X.Insert(X.Object.CHR$(11))
      X.Insert("This is line 2")
  2. Run the program. The error appears.
  3. Replace the X.Insert(X.CHR$(11)) or X.Insert(X.Object.CHR$(11)) line with X.Insert(CHR(11)). The code now creates a Word document containing two lines of text.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/3/2003
Keywords:KB156939
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.