Microsoft KB Archive/171129

= WD97: Error Message If AutoText String Exceeds 255 Characters =

Article ID: 171129

Article Last Modified on 1/20/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q171129





SYMPTOMS
When you use the AutoTextEntries property to create AutoText entries, you may receive the following Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications error message:

Run-time error '5854': String parameter too long.



CAUSE
By design, this error message occurs when the text string is longer than 255 characters.



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

To work around this problem, modify the macro to insert the text string into the document, select it, add the selection as an AutoText entry, and then remove the text string. The following sample Visual Basic for Applications macro demonstrates this procedure: Sub AutoTextEntryExample Dim sATName As String Dim sATEntry As String Dim sATNewEntry As AutoTextEntry

' Sample AutoText Entry Name. sATName = "ExampleAutoTextEntryName" ' Sample AutoText Entry Text of 500 characters. sATEntry = String(500, "A")

If Documents.Count = 0 Then Documents.Add If Len(sATEntry) < 256 Then ' If the length of the text is less than 256 characters, ' add it as a new AutoText Entry. Selection.Range.Collapse Set sATNewEntry = NormalTemplate.AutoTextEntries.Add _ (Name:=sATName, Range:=Selection.Range) sATNewEntry.Value = sATEntry Else ' If the length of the text is greater than 255 characters, ' insert it into the active document and add it as a new ' AutoText Entry. With Selection.Range .Collapse .Text = sATEntry .Select NormalTemplate.AutoTextEntries.Add _ Name:=sATName, Range:=Selection.Range .Delete End With End If  End Sub



MORE INFORMATION
For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

173707 OFF97: How to Run Sample Code from Knowledge Base Articles

