WD2000: "Run-time Error 424: Object required" Accessing Shapes Collection in WordMail (224762)

SYMPTOMS

When you try to use the Visual Basic for Applications Shapes property or ShapeRanges property with a Microsoft WordMail message, the following error message appears:

Run-time Error 424: Object required

CAUSE

This problem becomes evident in the following scenario:

In Microsoft Outlook 2000, you have selected Use Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages, and you are using Microsoft Outlook Rich Text as your message editor.
In Microsoft Outlook 2000, you create or open a message and then run any Visual Basic for Applications commands that access the Shapes collection or ShapeRanges collection; for example,
```
Msgbox ActiveDocument.Shapes.Count
						
```
and then you close the message.
In Outlook 2000, you create or open another message.
Then you again run any Visual Basic for Applications commands that access the Shapes collection or ShapeRanges collection; for example,
```
Msgbox ActiveDocument.Shapes.Count
						
```

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use HTML as your message editor format.

To set the message format for e-mail messages in Outlook 2000, do the following:

In Outlook 2000, on the Tools menu, click Options.
On the Mail Format tab, select the message format you want to use from the Send in this message format list.
Click OK.

To use Word 2000 to edit e-mail messages, do the following:

In Outlook 2000, on the Tools menu, click Options.
Click to select the Use Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages check box.
Click OK.

MORE INFORMATION