Error message when you use a macro to search for a fill color in Excel: "Run-time error '91'"

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This article was previously published under Q282153

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SYMPTOMS

When you run a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro that searches for a cell that contains a specific fill color in Microsoft Excel, you may receive an error message similar to the following:

Run-time error '91':
Object variable or With block variable not set.

When you click the Debug button on the error message, the line that fails contains the function Cells.Find().

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CAUSE

This behavior can occur when a macro searches for cell containing a specified color, and it also specifies a pattern color after specifying the fill color. The following example illustrates this issue:

With Application.FindFormat.Interior
    .ColorIndex = 6
    .Pattern = xlSolid
    .PatternColorIndex = xlAutomatic
End With
Application.FindFormat.Locked = True
Application.FindFormat.FormulaHidden = False
Cells.Find(What:="", After:=ActiveCell, LookIn:=xlFormulas, LookAt:= _
    xlPart, SearchOrder:=xlByRows, SearchDirection:=xlNext, MatchCase:=False _
    , SearchFormat:=True).Activate

If you record a macro that searches for a fill color, the recorded macro places the lines in this order, causing the error message.

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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 work around this issue, specify the fill color after you specify the pattern color. The macro example in the "Cause" section can be modified to match the following code, and then the macro runs without error:

With Application.FindFormat.Interior
    .Pattern = xlSolid
    .PatternColorIndex = xlAutomatic
    .ColorIndex = 6
End With
Application.FindFormat.Locked = True
Application.FindFormat.FormulaHidden = False
Cells.Find(What:="", After:=ActiveCell, LookIn:=xlFormulas, LookAt:= _
    xlPart, SearchOrder:=xlByRows, SearchDirection:=xlNext, MatchCase:=False _
    , SearchFormat:=True).Activate

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