WD97: Error Message: Runtime Error 424

SYMPTOMS

When you create a Microsoft Outlook e-mail message, you may receive the following error message:

Runtime error 424 - Object Required

This error occurs if the following conditions are true:

You are using Microsoft Word as your e-mail editor.
Word is using a template to create the e-mail message.
The template contains a macro that uses the Count properties of the Shapes Collection.
```
ActiveDocument.Shapes.Count
```

CAUSE

This problem occurs because when you use Word to create an e-mail message and then close Word, Outlook still contains a reference to Word in memory. When you create a second e-mail message, and then you try to programmatically get the Count properties of the Shapes Collection for the second document, the procedure fails.

This problem has been reproduced by using Microsoft VC Automation, Microsoft Visual Basic ActiveX DLLs, Microsoft Visual Basic ActiveX EXEs and Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

RESOLUTION

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Microsoft Word 97 Service Pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question. The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

   Date        Time  Version    Size      File name    
   ------------------------------------------------------
   24-Nov-1999 00:02 8.0.0.7123 5,333,264 Winword.exe
   24-Nov-1999 00:02 8.0.0.7123 1,158,416 Wwintl32.dll

WD97: Error Message: Runtime Error 424 - Object (246956)

SYMPTOMS

CAUSE

RESOLUTION

STATUS