Article ID: 201939
Article Last Modified on 6/17/2005
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q201939
SYMPTOMS
If you have an AutoExec macro designed to work with an add-in program, Word returns an error message that is based on the task the AutoExec macro is attempting to complete. For example, attempting to call a macro stored in an add-in template results in the following error message:
CAUSE
By design, Visual Basic for Applications is asynchronous in operation. This means that while one command is processing, dependent upon the command called, your macro begins processing the next command.
For example, if your code processes a command to print a document, and the next command displays a message box, the message box appears before the document completes printing. In Word, an AutoExec macro is run before any add-ins are loaded; therefore, the call to the macro stored in your add-in fails and an error occurs.
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.
The following sample macro commands provide a means for working around this limitation by using the OnTime method to delay processing of a macro stored in a template add-in.
The When argument of the OnTime method specifies the time at which a macro is to be run. It can be a string that specifies a time (for example, "4:30 pm" or "16:30"), or it can be a serial number returned by a function, such as TimeValue or TimeSerial (for example, TimeValue("2:30 pm") or TimeSerial(14, 30, 00)). You can also include the date (for example, "6/30 4:15 pm" or TimeValue("6/30 4:15 pm")).
Use the sum of the return values of the Now function and either the TimeValue or TimeSerial function to set a timer to run a macro a specified amount of time after the statement is run. For example, use Now+TimeValue("00:05:30") to run a macro 5 minutes and 30 seconds after the statement is run.
The tolerance argument of the OnTime method specifies the maximum time (in seconds) that can elapse before a macro that wasn't run at the time specified by When is canceled. Macros may not always run at the specified time. For example, if a sort operation is under way or a dialog box is being displayed, the macro is delayed until Word has completed the task. If this argument is 0 (zero) or omitted, the macro is run regardless of how much time has elapsed since the time specified by When.
NOTE: The time to wait varies between faster and slower computers and may need to be adjusted appropriately.
Application.OnTime When:=Now() + TimeValue("00:00:3"), _
Name:="MyProject.MyModule.MyMacro", Tolerance:=2
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about OnTime method, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type OnTime Method in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.
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
For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, see the following Knowledge Base article:
226118 OFF2000: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications
Additional query words: vb Run-time error 4633 Unable to run the specified macro
Keywords: kbnofix kbmacroexample kbprb kbdtacode KB201939
