MacXL: Run-Time Error When Using DDEInitiate with Word

WORKAROUND

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If you want to programmatically control Word from Excel with a Visual Basic macro, use Automation instead of dynamic data exchange (DDE). The following example for Excel 98 illustrates how to use Automation to start Word and print a file in Word from an Excel macro.

1. Create a new file in Word. Save the file to the hard disk, and name the file Automation.
2. Quit Word.
3. Start Excel.
4. Start the Visual Basic Editor (press OPTION+F11).
5. On the Insert menu, click Module.
6. On the Tools menu, click References. Click to select the "Microsoft Word 8.0 Object Library" check box, and then click OK.
7. Type the following code into the module sheet:

   Sub Automation_to_Word
   
      Dim WordDoc as Word.Application
   
      ' Start Word.
      Set WordDoc = CreateObject("Word.Application.8")
   
      ' Open the document that was created in Step 1. You must supply
      ' the correct path to the document for the FileName argument.
      WordDoc.Documents.Open FileName:="Mac HD:Automation"
   
      ' Print the document.
      WordDoc.application.PrintOut Range:=wdPrintAllDocument, _
         Item:=wdPrintDocumentContent, _
         Copies:=1, PageType:=wdPrintAllPages
   
      ' Close the document.
      WordDoc.Documents("Automation").Close
   
      ' Quit Word.
      WordDoc.Quit
   
      ' Release the memory used by the variable.
      Set WordDoc = Nothing
   
   End Sub
   					

8. Run the macro.

The macro starts Word, opens the document that you created in step 1, prints the document, and then quits Word.