WD97: IPF Viewing Name or Path Property on Linked Floating Picture (170873)

SYMPTOMS

When you insert a linked, floating picture into a Microsoft Word 97 document, select it, and then try to view the SourcePath and SourceName properties in Visual Basic for Applications, you may receive the following error message:

This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.

If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

Clicking the Details button gives the following message:

WINWORD caused an invalid page fault in module MSO97.DLL.

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, install Microsoft Word 97 Service Release 1 (SR-1).

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Use a Different Visual Basic for Applications Command

Instead of using the following two commands

?Selection.ShapeRange(1).linkformat.sourcepath
?Selection.ShapeRange(1).linkformat.sourcename

use the following single command to return both the source name and the source path:

?Selection.ShapeRange(1).linkformat.SourceFullName

Method 2: Change the Type of Picture

Change the pictures from floating to inline or framed before running the Visual Basic for Applications code to view the SourceName or SourcePath properties.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Word 97 for Windows. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Word 97 SR-1.

For additional information about SR-1, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

172475 OFF97: How to Obtain and Install MS Office 97 SR-1

MORE INFORMATION

The problem occurs when you insert a linked, floating picture and then try to view the path and name information through Visual Basic for Applications. This can be done by inserting and selecting the linked, floating, starting the Visual Basic editor, and using the Immediate window to enter the following commands:

?Selection.ShapeRange(1).linkformat.sourcepath
?Selection.ShapeRange(1).linkformat.sourcename

Immediately after you execute the second Visual Basic for Applications command you will receive the Invalid Page Fault (IPF). Executing only one command will not generate the IPF. The order in which you execute the commands has no effect on the IPF.

REFERENCES

For more information about floating objects, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

161692 WD97: Problems With Float Over Text Objects

155804 WD97: Inserted Picture or Drawing Object Moves Down Page

167738 WD97: Can't See or Manipulate Objects (and Other Odd Behavior)

155802 WD97: Word Doesn't Find "Float Over Text" Objects