Knowledge Base

WD97: Extraneous Characters Returned with ViewFieldCodes On

Article ID: 161691

Article Last Modified on 8/10/2007

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q161691

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Text property of the Range object to return a text string that contains a field, you may receive unpredictable results. For example, with field codes view turned on, the value returned for a text string that contains the Page field is enclosed in pipe (|) characters, like this:

| PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT |

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, use either of the following methods:

Turn off field codes view before you run your macro.

-or-

Use the following Visual Basic for Applications macro. The following macro uses the TextRetrievalMode property to remove the unwanted characters:

Sub GetFieldTextExample()
   Dim MyRange As Object
   Set MyRange = ActiveDocument.Range(Start:=Selection.Range.Start, _
   End:=Selection.Range.End)
   MyRange.TextRetrievalMode.IncludeFieldCodes = False
   MsgBox MyRange.Text
End Sub

NOTE: Some field results cannot be returned at all. For instance, the ListNum field result is displayed as a picture. If you attempt to retrieve the value for ListNum using any Visual Basic for Applications methods or properties, you receive either an unwanted character or an empty result. Currently, there is no workaround for a field type that displays its results as a picture.

STATUS

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

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about TextRetrievalMode, click the Office Assistant while in the Visual Basic Editor, type "TextRetrievalMode," click Search, and then click to view "TextRetrievalMode Property."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If the Assistant is not able to answer your query, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

176476 OFF: Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions

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

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

REFERENCES

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

Additional query words: wordcon vb vbe vba vertical bar

Keywords: kbbug kbdtacode kbmacroexample kbpending KB161691

Microsoft KB Archive/161691

Contents