OL97: Problems Automating Microsoft Word from VBScript

When automating Microsoft Word from a custom Microsoft Outlook 97 form using Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript), you receive any of the three following errors:

Using the Word.Basic object with Microsoft Word 95: Using the Word.Basic object with Microsoft Word 97: Using the Word.Application object:

These problems are specific to what versions of VBScript and Microsoft Word you are using.

If you are using the Word.Basic object with Microsoft Word 95, either:

• Upgrade to Word 97 and use the Word.Application object (Word 97's native "VBA-based" object model),
  
  -or-
• Use a different method of controlling Word 95. One such alternate method might be to create a Visual Basic 5.0 ActiveX component, automate the component from the Outlook form, and have the component automate Word.

If you are experiencing Type Mismatch errors using the Word.Application object from Word 97, upgrade to the Service Release 1 (SR-1) version of Microsoft Office 97 or Microsoft Word 97.

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

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Using the Word.Basic Object

The following VBScript automation code illustrates the problem using the Word.Basic object. If you receive the "Object doesn't support this property or method" error, first make sure the error is actually related to this general problem. This is a common error and typically occurs if you mistype or use an incorrect object name. For example, if you type ActiveDocument.Select instead of ActiveDocument.Selection.

Using the Word.Application Object

The following VBScript automation code illustrates the problem using the Word.Application object. Problems with the Word.Application object are specific to using VBScript version 3.0 and Word 97 (without the SR-1 update).

Summary of Problems

For more information about creating solutions with Microsoft Outlook 97, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about automating Microsoft Word 95, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: