WD97: Error Message Using WordMail: "This method or property is not available"

Retired KB Content Disclaimer

View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q185232

SYMPTOMS

When you are using WordMail and you try to automate Word from another program, you may encounter problems processing some Word commands. For example, you may receive Automation errors such as "This method or property is not available" or other errors.

This article describes how to check whether WordMail is running when you are using Automation to automate Word from another program.

Back to the top

CAUSE

This problem occurs when all of the following conditions are true:

You use the GetObject function to automate Word from another program.

-and-
You are running WordMail as your e-mail editor.

-and-
There is a current e-mail message open for editing.

The GetObject function allows you to retrieve the current or running instance of Word. However, because WordMail uses a hidden or non-visible instance of Word, GetObject may return the WordMail instance. There is no way to control which instance of Word is returned.

For example, the following Visual Basic for Applications code sample may cause the error

Run-time error '4605': "The Open method or property is not available"

if the current selection is within a WordMail message instead of the Word main document window:



   Dim wdObj As Word.Application
   Set wdObj = GetObject(, "word.application")
   wdObj.Documents.Open "c:\my documents\doc1.doc"

Back to the top

WORKAROUND

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals 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 needs.
If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified Partner or Microsoft Advisory Services. For more information, visit these Microsoft Web sites:

Microsoft Certified Partners - https://partner.microsoft.com/global/30000104 (https://partner.microsoft.com/global/30000104)

Microsoft Advisory Services - http://support.microsoft.com/gp/advisoryservice (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/advisoryservice)

For more information about the support options that are available and about how to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;cntactms)

To determine if the focus is in a WordMail message, use the Selection.Information property together with the FocusInMailHeader property to determine whether a WordMail instance or a Word instance has the focus.

Back to the top

FocusInMailHeader Property

The FocusInMailHeader property returns True if the insertion point is in a WordMail header field (the To field, for example).

Back to the top

Selection.Information Property

Use the Selection.Information property to return information about the specified or current selection.

The syntax of the Selection.Information property is


   Selection.Information(Type)

where Type is a constant specifying the information to return.

Use wdInWordMail as the Type constant to return a value that indicates the WordMail location of the selection, as shown in the following table:

   Value       WordMail Location
   -----------------------------
   0(zero)     The selection or range is not in a WordMail message.

   1           The selection or range is in a WordMail send note.

   2           The selection or range is in a WordMail read note.

Back to the top

Example

The following sample code demonstrates how to use these properties to determine whether WordMail or Word has the current focus:

Sub CheckForWordMail()
   Dim wdObj As Word.Application
   Dim boolWordMail As Boolean
   ' Initialize values.
   boolWordMail = False
   ' If Word is running or a WordMail e-mail
   ' message is open, use GetObject. If Word
   ' or WordMail is not running, an error will occur.
   On Error Resume Next
   Set wdObj = GetObject(, "word.application")
   If Err.Number = 0 Then
      ' If no error has occurred, call isWordMail Function
      ' to see if Word instance is Word or WordMail.
      boolWordMail = isWordMail(wdObj)
   Else
      ' If an error has occurred, create
      ' new instance of Word.
      Set wdObj = CreateObject("word.application")
      wdObj.Documents.Add
   End If
   If boolWordMail Then
      ' <Code to use for WordMail Instance>,
      ' for example:
      MsgBox "Focus in WordMail."
   Else
      ' <Code to use for Word Instance>,
      ' for example:
      MsgBox "Focus in Word."
   End If
   ' Free the object variable in memory.
   Set wdObj = Nothing
End Sub

Function isWordMail(oWord As Word.Application) As Boolean
   ' Is focus in a WordMail Header (To, CC or Subject line)?
   If oWord.Application.FocusInMailHeader Then
      isWordMail = True
      Exit Function
   End If
   ' If not in WordMail Header, is focus in
   ' the body of a WordMail message?
   If oWord.Selection.Information(wdInWordMail) Then
       isWordMail = True
   End If
End Function

For more information about the Information property, in the Visual Basic Editor, click the Office Assistant, type "Information property", click Search, and then click to view "Information Property."

For more information about the FocusInMailHeader property, in the Visual Basic Editor, click the Office Assistant, type "FocusInMailHeader property", click Search, and then click to view "FocusInMailHeader Property."

For more information about the GetObject function, in the Visual Basic Editor, click the Office Assistant, type "GetObject", click Search, and then click to view "GetObject function."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If the Assistant is not able to answer your query, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

176476 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/176476/EN-US/ ) OFF: Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions

Back to the top

REFERENCES

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

173707 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/173707/EN-US/ ) OFF97: How to Run Sample Code from Knowledge Base Articles

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

163435 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/163435/EN-US/ ) VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

Back to the top

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

Back to the top

kbdtacode kbinterop kbprb KB185232

Back to the top

Retired KB Content Disclaimer

This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

Back to the top