Microsoft KB Archive/213789

= XL2000: Visual Basic Does Not Signal That an Error Has Occurred =

Article ID: 213789

Article Last Modified on 11/23/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q213789





SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel 2000, when you run a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro that uses Automation objects, Visual Basic may not indicate that the macro has halted when a macro error occurs. In some cases when this behavior occurs, Excel may appear to stop responding (hang).



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:

https://partner.microsoft.com/global/30000104

For more information about the support options that are available and about how to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

The following macro starts Microsoft Excel, inserts a new workbook, and then inserts an ActiveX control on the worksheet. The code produces an error when it attempts to select a drawing shape that does not exist. The On Error statement at the beginning of the macro traps this run-time error message and allows the macro to continue. Sub AddCheckBox

Dim x As Object

' Begin error trapping. On Error GoTo errHandler

' Create the Microsoft Excel Automation object. Set x = CreateObject("Excel.Application.9")

' Make the Excel object visible. x.Visible = True

' Add new workbook. x.Workbooks.Add

' Create ActiveX check box control. x.ActiveSheet.OLEObjects.Add "Forms.CheckBox.1"

' Select cell E10. x.ActiveSheet.Range("E10").Select

' Code will error here. x.ActiveSheet.Shapes(1).Select

' Display message box. MsgBox "Macro Completed" Exit Sub

errHandler:

' Activate this instance of Microsoft Excel, so message is visible. AppActivate Application.Caption

' Display a message that an error has occurred. MsgBox "An Error has occurred" & Chr(10) & _ "RunTime Error " & Err & " " & Error(Err)

' Resume processing of the macro. Resume Next

End Sub



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
In versions of Excel earlier than Excel 97, when you initiate an OLE Automation statement such as CreateObject or GetObject, if a macro error occurs, the host or server program flashes to indicate that an error has taken place. The same behavior is seen in these earlier versions of Excel if a program is made visible and maximized. The only way to determine if the macro has stopped unexpectedly is to switch back to the server program.

