Knowledge Base

XL98: Run-Time Error Using Macro to Add Custom List

Article ID: 178987

Article Last Modified on 6/17/2005

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q178987

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, if you run a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro or procedure that attempts to add a custom list to the application, you may receive the following error message:
Run-time error '1004':
Method 'AddCustomList' of object '_Application' failed

CAUSE

This problem occurs if the following conditions are true:

  • The ListArray argument of the AddCustomList method directly refers to a range of cells in a worksheet, as in the following example: 
          Application.AddCustomList ListArray:=Range("A1:A4")
    -and-

  • The custom list you want to add is identical to an existing custom list. For example, if the range of cells contains the words Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta, and a custom list containing these four words already exists, the problem 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. To prevent this problem from occurring, do not refer directly to the range of cells in the ListArray argument. Instead, use a variable to temporarily hold the values from the cells, and then pass the values from the variable to the custom list.

The following sample macro (Sub procedure) uses a variable to hold the values from the cells, and then passes the values from the variable to the custom list: 
   Sub AddACustomList()

       ' Dimension a variable to hold the values.
       Dim TempArray As Variant

       ' Populate the variable with the values from the range of cells.
       TempArray = Range("A1:A4")

       ' Create the custom list.
       Application.AddCustomList ListArray:=TempArray

   End Sub
Note that adding a custom list when an identical custom list already exists does not result in two identical custom lists. The result is only one custom list containing the items you added.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, you can add custom lists to the application by doing either of the following:

  • On the Tools menu, click Preferences. Select the Custom Lists tab, and then, click Add or Import to add a new custom list to the application. -or-

  • Add a custom list to the application by using the AddCustomList method in a Visual Basic macro.

    The ListArray argument of the AddCustomList method can accept a Reference to a range of cells, as in the following example: 
          Application.AddCustomList ListArray:=Range("A1:A4")
    -or-

    The argument can accept an Array of values, as in the following example: 
          Application.AddCustomList ListArray:=Array("Alpha", "Bravo", _
         "Charlie")
If you use the first method, you receive an error message if the custom list you are creating is identical to an existing custom list. The second method always works correctly.

Additional query words: XL98

Keywords: kbprogramming kbprb kbcode KB178987


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