Article ID: 201932
Article Last Modified on 6/17/2005
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q201932
SYMPTOMS
When you use Word command-line switches to open a custom template and then run a macro that is stored in the custom template, the macro fails to run and you do not receive an error message.
For example, the following command line will not run the specified macro:
"<Word path>\WinWord.exe" /t"<template path>\<template name>" /m<macroname>
NOTE: The /m<macroname> switch works correctly if the macro is stored in the Normal.dot template instead of the custom template.
WORKAROUND
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers 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 requirements.
NOTE: You cannot create an AutoNew or AutoOpen macro to work around this problem, nor can you place your macro code in the template's document Open or New event procedures. The auto macros and event procedures fail to run.
To work around this problem, use the following method:
Open the Template Directly
Use a command line that opens your custom template, instead of creating a document based on the template, and then runs a macro. In the following example, note the omission of the "/t" switch.
"<Word path>\WinWord.exe" "<template path>\<template>.dot" /m<macroname>
Using the default installation paths for Word 97 and its template folder, the command line would be:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe"<space>
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\MyTemplate.dot"<space>
/mMyMacro
where <space> indicates a space character.
Your macro can issue a command to create a new document based on the custom template and then close your custom template. For example:
Sub MyMacro()
' Create a new document based on your custom template.
Documents.Add (ActiveDocument.AttachedTemplate)
' Close your custom template.
Documents(ActiveDocument.AttachedTemplate).Close
MsgBox "Other code goes here."
End Sub
For more information about how to use the sample code in this article, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
212536 OFF2000: How to Run Sample Code from Knowledge Base Articles
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
MORE INFORMATION
Word has several command-line switches that can control how Word starts. These switches include:
/t<template name> - Starts Word with an alternate template (rather than Normal.dot)
/m<macroname> - Starts Word and runs the specified macro
For example, if you have a template called MyTemplate.dot containing a macro called MyMacro, you would expect the following command line to create a new document based on MyTemplate and then run the macro MyMacro:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe"<space>/t
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\MyTemplate.dot"<space>
/mMyMacro
where <space> indicates a space character.
Word creates the new document based on MyTemplate but does not run the macro.
If you remove the "/t" switch from the command line, Word opens the template rather than creating a new document based on the template. With this method, Word runs the specified macro.
NOTE: Microsoft Word versions 6.x and earlier do not support the "/t" command-line switch.
For more information about startup switches, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type startup switches in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.
REFERENCES
For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
226118 OFF2000: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications
Additional query words: vb vba
Keywords: kbbug kbmacroexample kbdtacode kbpending KB201932
