WD2000: Unable to Run Macro with Multiple Command-Line Switches (201932)

SYMPTOMS

When you use Word command-line switches to open a custom template and then run a macro that is stored in the custom template, the macro fails to run and you do not receive an error message.

For example, the following command line will not run the specified macro:

   "<Word path>\WinWord.exe" /t"<template path>\<template name>" /m<macroname>

NOTE: The /m<macroname> switch works correctly if the macro is stored in the Normal.dot template instead of the custom template.

WORKAROUND

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NOTE: You cannot create an AutoNew or AutoOpen macro to work around this problem, nor can you place your macro code in the template's document Open or New event procedures. The auto macros and event procedures fail to run.

To work around this problem, use the following method:

Open the Template Directly

Use a command line that opens your custom template, instead of creating a document based on the template, and then runs a macro. In the following example, note the omission of the "/t" switch.

   "<Word path>\WinWord.exe" "<template path>\<template>.dot" /m<macroname>

Using the default installation paths for Word 97 and its template folder, the command line would be:

   "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe"<space>
   "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\MyTemplate.dot"<space>
   /mMyMacro

where <space> indicates a space character.

Your macro can issue a command to create a new document based on the custom template and then close your custom template. For example:

Sub MyMacro()

   ' Create a new document based on your custom template.
   Documents.Add (ActiveDocument.AttachedTemplate)

   ' Close your custom template.
   Documents(ActiveDocument.AttachedTemplate).Close

   MsgBox "Other code goes here."

End Sub

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

MORE INFORMATION

Word has several command-line switches that can control how Word starts. These switches include:

   /t<template name> - Starts Word with an alternate template (rather than Normal.dot)

   /m<macroname> - Starts Word and runs the specified macro

For example, if you have a template called MyTemplate.dot containing a macro called MyMacro, you would expect the following command line to create a new document based on MyTemplate and then run the macro MyMacro:

   "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe"<space>/t
   "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\MyTemplate.dot"<space>
   /mMyMacro

where <space> indicates a space character.

Word creates the new document based on MyTemplate but does not run the macro.

If you remove the "/t" switch from the command line, Word opens the template rather than creating a new document based on the template. With this method, Word runs the specified macro.

NOTE: Microsoft Word versions 6.x and earlier do not support the "/t" command-line switch.

For more information about startup switches, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type startup switches in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.