WD2000: How to Store and Retrieve Variables in Documents

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This article was previously published under Q209227

SUMMARY

This article describes how to set and retrieve document variables using Microsoft Word.

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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.
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 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/212536/EN-US/ ) OFF2000: How to Run Sample Code from Knowledge Base Articles

You can use the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Variables collection to set and retrieve the contents of a string variable into a Word document or template.

Also, you can use the DocVariable field to retrieve the value of a document variable after it has been set.

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To Set and Retrieve the Value of a Document Variable

The following sample macro uses the Variables property to store and then retrieve the value of a string variable named "FullName" with the current document.

Sub GetSetDocVars()

   Dim fName As String
   fName = "Jeff Smith"
   ' Set contents of variable "fName" in a document using a document
   ' variable called "FullName".
   ActiveDocument.Variables.Add Name:="FullName", Value:=fName
   ' Retrieve the contents of the document variable.
   MsgBox ActiveDocument.Variables("FullName").Value

End Sub

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To Delete a Document Variable

The following sample macro uses the Variables property to first set and retrieve the value of a document variable and then delete the variable from the active document.

Sub GetSetDeleteDocVars()

   Dim fName As String
   fName = "Jeff Smith"
   ' Set contents of variable "fName" in a document using a document
   ' variable called "FullName."
   ActiveDocument.Variables.Add Name:="FullName", Value:=fName
   ' Retrieve the contents of the document variable.
   MsgBox ActiveDocument.Variables("FullName").Value
   ' Delete the variable.
   ActiveDocument.Variables("FullName").Delete

End Sub

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To Retrieve the Value of a Document Variable Using the DocVariable Field

The following sample macro uses the Variables property to set a document variable. Following the sample macro are steps to use the DocVariable field to retrieve the value into the contents of the same document.

Sub GetSetDocVars()

   Dim fName As String
   fName = "Jeff Smith"
   ' Set contents of variable "fName" in a document using a document
   ' variable called "FullName."
   ActiveDocument.Variables.Add Name:="FullName", Value:=fName

End Sub

To use the DocVariable field, do the following:

On the Insert menu, click Field.
In the Categories list, click Document Automation.
In the Field Names list, click DocVariable.
Click in the Field codes box so that the insertion point is one space past the word DocVariable.
In quotation marks, type the name of the document variable.

Example: "FullName"
Click OK.

If you need to preserve a value between sessions of a macro, you can store values using any of the following methods:

Use the PrivateProfileString property to store values to a private settings file.

For more information about the PrivateProfileString property, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type PrivateProfileString Property in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.
Use the Variables property to store values in a document.

For more information about the Variables property, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type Variables property in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.
Use the Visual Basic for Applications Input/Output statements to write to a text file (for example, Write or Print statements).

For more information about writing data to files, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type Writing Data to Files in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.
Use the AutoTextEntry object to store values in an AutoText entry. For more information about the AutoTextEntry object, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type AutoTextEntry object in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

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REFERENCES

For additional information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

212623 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/212623/EN-US/ ) WD2000: Macro Programming Resources

226118 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/226118/EN-US/ ) OFF2000: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

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