OFF97: Exception Error When You Reference Application Object on a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0-based Computer

When you reference the Application object of an Automation server, such as Microsoft Access 97, Microsoft Excel 97, or Microsoft Word 97, you may receive the following Dr. Watson error message on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Service Pack 1: The error message includes a reference to the executable file for the application that was running the Automation code, in this instance, Msaccess.exe.

In Microsoft PowerPoint 97, you may receive the following error message:

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft NT version 4.0, Service Pack 1.

This problem occurs only on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Service Pack 1. To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: NOTE: If you intend to install the Service Release for Office 97, you must first upgrade your system to Windows NT Service Pack 2 or later.

To temporarily work around this problem, change your code to use late binding. Late binding occurs when you declare a variable as an object rather than as an application, for example:

This error occurs when you use the New keyword to create an instance of an Office 97 application, or you try to use early binding to an Office 97 application. Early binding declares a variable as a Programmatic Identifier (ProgID) rather than as an Object or a Variant.

Steps to Reproduce Problem

WARNING: Following these steps will cause an exception error on your computer. Make sure you save and close any open work on your computer before following these steps.

1. Start Microsoft Access 97 on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1.
2. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.
3. Create a module, and then type the following procedure:

   Sub XLTest()
   
      Dim xlAppj as New Excel.Application
      xlApp.Visible = True
      xlApp.Workbooks.Open "c:\Program Files\Microsoft " _
         & "Office"\Office\Examples\Samples.xls"
   
   End Sub
   					

4. In Design view of the module, click References on the Tools menu.
5. Click to select the Microsoft Excel 8.0 Object Library check box in the Available References dialog box, and then click OK. If Microsoft Excel 8.0 Object Library is not in the list, click Browse, and then search your hard disk for the Excel8.olb file.
6. To test this procedure, type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

   XLTest
   						

   Note that you receive the exception error.
7. The following code uses early binding, which creates the error:

   Sub XLTest()
   
      Dim xlAppj as Excel.Application
      Set xlApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
      xlApp.Visible = True
      xlApp.Workbooks.Open "c:\Program Files\Microsoft " _
         & "Office"\Office\Examples\Samples.xls"
   
   End Sub
   					

For more information about creating Automation objects, click Contents and Index on the Help menu, click the Index tab in Help, type the following text
and then double-click the selected text to go to the "CreateObject function" topic. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.


For more information about Office Automation, please visit the Office Development support site at the following Microsoft Web site: