Microsoft KB Archive/161253

= ACC: Automation Object Disappears When Code Finishes Executing =

Article ID: 161253

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q161253



Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.



SYMPTOMS
When you use Automation to control another application, such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel, the application quits as soon as your procedure finishes running.

This article assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to your version of the "Building Applications with Microsoft Access" manual.



CAUSE
The application quits because its object variable loses scope.



RESOLUTION
If you do not want the Automation server application to close when your code finishes running, use one of the following methods.

Method 1
Declare the object variable in the Declarations section of your code module:  Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.  Create a module and type the following line in the Declarations section: Dim xlApp as Object   Type the following procedure: Sub LeaveXLOpen1 Set xlApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application") xlApp.Visible = True End Sub  To test this function, type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

LeaveXLOpen1



Note that Microsoft Excel starts and remains visible after the procedure stops running. Microsoft Excel quits automatically when you close your database because that is when the object variable loses scope.

NOTE: If you declare your object variable in the Declarations section of a form or report module, Microsoft Excel remains open only as long as the form or report remains open.

Method 2
Declare the object variable as a Static variable at the procedure level:  Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.</li>  Create a module and type the following procedure: Sub LeaveXLOpen2 Static xlApp as Object Set xlApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application") xlApp.Visible = True End Sub </li> To test this function, type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

LeaveXLOpen2

</li></ol>

Note that Microsoft Excel starts and remains visible after the procedure stops running. Microsoft Excel quits automatically when you close your database because that is when the object variable loses scope.

NOTE: If you declare the Static variable as part of a procedure in a form or report module, Microsoft Excel remains open only as long as the form or report remains open.

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MORE INFORMATION
Where and how you declare a variable in a code module determines its scope and its lifetime. Scope is defined as the availability of a variable, constant, or procedure for use by another procedure. Lifetime is defined as the time during which a variable retains its value.

When you declare an object variable within a procedure, the variable only retains its value as long as the procedure is running, as shown in the example in the "Steps to Reproduce Behavior" section.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
 Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.</li>  Create a module and type the following procedure: Sub OpenAndClose Dim xlApp as Object Set xlApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application") xlApp.Visible = True End Sub </li> To test this function, type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

OpenAndClose

Note that Microsoft Excel starts and then quits. That is because its object variable, xlApp, loses scope as soon as the procedure stops running.</li></ol>

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