SYMPTOMS
When you run a Visual Basic for Applications macro that modifies or deletes
a specific style, you may receive the following error message:
Run-time error '5841':
The requested member of the collection does not exist.
WORKAROUND
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either
expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of
merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes
that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the
tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can
help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not
modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to
meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may
want to contact a Microsoft Certified Partner or the Microsoft fee-based
consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified
Partners, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:
For more information about the support options that are available and about how to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
The following Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications example code tests
for the presence of a specific style. If the style exists, the macro checks
to see whether the specified style is a built-in style. If it is not a built-in
style, the macro tests whether the style is currently in use. If the style
is in use, the style is deleted.
Sub DoesStyleExist()
Dim styStyle As Style
Dim sMsg As String
Dim sStyleName As String
' The style to delete.
' Note: Character case is utilized with styles.
' For example, "mystyle" is different from "MYSTYLE".
sStyleName = "mystyle"
' Initial message.
sMsg = " style does not exist."
For Each styStyle In ActiveDocument.Styles
' Does the style exist?
If styStyle.NameLocal = sStyleName Then
' Cannot delete a built in style.
If styStyle.BuiltIn = False Then
' Is the style being used?
If styStyle.InUse Then
' Delete the Style
styStyle.Delete
sMsg = " style has been deleted."
Exit For
End If
Else
sMsg = " style is a built-in style."
Exit For
End If
End If
Next
' Display a message indicating the resulting action.
MsgBox sStyleName & sMsg
End Sub
For information about how to do this in earlier versions of Word, please
see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
117826 WD: WordBasic Macro to Test for an Existing Style Name