Knowledge Base

WD97: Error Creating Pre-Existing Custom Document Property

Article ID: 163580

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q163580

SYMPTOMS

When you use Visual Basic for Applications to create a new custom document property, the following error message may appear:

Run-time error '-2147467259(80004005):
Automation error

CAUSE

This error is returned if the custom document property you are creating already exists.

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 avoid this error, check the Custom Documents Property collection to see whether the document property already exists. The following sample Visual Basic for Applications macros demonstrate how this can be accomplished. This first macro calls the SetProp subroutine. It is a separate macro so that you can insert the single command line into a larger macro.


Sub SetCustomPropertyName()
   ' **************************************************
   ' This SubRoutine passes the Custom Property Name,
   ' Value and Property Type to the SetProp subroutine.
   ' **************************************************
   ' Set the custom property "MyCustomPropertyName" equal
   ' to "MyCustomValue". The msoPropertyTypeString constant
   ' specifies the type of property, and must be included.
   SetProp "MyCustomPropertyName", "MyCustomValue", _
   msoPropertyTypeString
End Sub

For more information about the Type property, from the Visual Basic for Applications Editor, click the Office Assistant, type "Type Property", click Search, and then click to view "Type Property(Microsoft Office Reference)."

Sub SetProp(CDPName As String, CDPValue As Variant, Optional _
CDPType As Long)
   ' ***********************************************
   ' The SetProp routine checks to see if the Custom
   ' Document Property pre-exists. If it exists, then
   ' it adds the new value. If it does not exist,
   ' it creates the new property and adds the new value.
   ' ***********************************************
   ' Make sure the optional argument CDPType is set.
   ' If it is missing, make it a string value.
   Dim oCDP, oProp, msg
   If IsMissing(CDPType) Then
      CDPType = msoPropertyTypeString
   End If
   Set oCDP = ActiveDocument.CustomDocumentProperties
   ' Compare each custom document property to the
   ' property you want to create to see if it exists.
   For Each oProp In oCDP
      ' If the Custom Property exists...
      If oProp.Name = CDPName Then
         With oProp
            ' ...the custom property Type you are setting
            ' must match the pre-existing custom property.
            If .Type <> CDPType Then
               msg = "The custom property types do not match."
               msg = msg + " Custom property not set."
               MsgBox msg
               ' End the routine.
               Exit Sub
            End If
            .LinkToContent = False
            ' Set the new value.
            .Value = CDPValue
         End With
         ' A match was found, so exit the routine.
         Exit Sub
      End If
   Next oProp
   ' No match was found. Create a new property and value.
   oCDP.Add Name:=CDPName, Value:=CDPValue, Type:=CDPType, _
   LinkToContent:=False
End Sub

For more information about setting custom properties, from the Visual Basic for Applications Editor, click the Office Assistant, type "CustomDocumentProperties", click Search, and then click to view "CustomDocumentProperties Property."

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

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 vba vbe

Keywords: kbprb KB163580

Microsoft KB Archive/163580

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