WD97: How to Pass a Parameter to a Macro Using Automation

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This article was previously published under Q185167

SUMMARY

This article discusses a method you can use to pass a parameter to a Microsoft Word Visual Basic for Applications macro when using automation from another application.

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To pass a parameter to a Word Visual Basic for Applications macro using Automation, you need to move your Word macro code to the ThisDocument Object module of the document or template containing the macro you are calling.

To move your macro to the ThisDocument module, follow these steps:

Open the document or template containing the macro you are calling.
Press ALT+F11 to open the Word Visual Basic for Applications Editor.
Select the macro you want to move or copy.
On the Edit menu click Copy to copy your macro or click Cut to move your macro.
In the Project Explorer, double-click the document or template project to view "Microsoft Word Objects."
Double-click "Microsoft Word Objects," and then double-click "ThisDocument."
Click in the "ThisDocument" code window.
On the Edit menu click Paste to paste your code into the ThisDocument Object module. For example, if the following macro existed in Word, paste it into the ThisDocument Object module:
Sub MyWordMacro(strPassedParam As String) MsgBox strPassedParam End Sub

In the application you are using to automate Word, you can use one of the following example macros to call and pass a parameter to your Word macro.

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Accessing Your Word Macro by Directly Opening a Document or Template

Use the following macro to open a document template or a document "based" on a template containing your Word macro.

   Sub AutomateWord_OpenDoc()
      Dim wrdApp As Object
      Dim wrdDoc As Object
      Dim strFileName As String
      Set wrdApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")

      On Error GoTo DocError

      ' Replace the following example string value with the path and
      ' file name of the document or template containing your macro.
      strFileName = "<Path and Filename of document or template>"

      ' Open the document or template and set a variable equal to the
      ' document or template.
      Set wrdDoc = wrdApp.Documents.Open(strFileName)

      ' Run the macro. (Replace "MyWordMacro" with the name of your macro.)
      wrdDoc.MyWordMacro ("This is a test.")

   DocError:
      If Err.Number <> 0 Then Msgbox Err.Description

      ' Quit this instance of Word.
      wrdApp.Quit

      ' Clear variable memory.
      Set wrdApp = Nothing
      Set wrdDoc = Nothing

   End Sub

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Accessing a Document Based on the Template Containing Your Macro

Use the following macro to create a new blank document "based" on a template containing your Word macro.

   Sub AutomateWord_OpenDoc()
      Dim wrdApp As Object
      Dim wrdDoc As Object
      Dim strFileName As String
      Set wrdApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")

      On Error GoTo DocError

      ' Replace the following example string value with the path and
      ' file name of the template containing your macro.
      strFileName = "<Path and Filename of template>"

      ' Open the document and set a variable equal to a new blank
      ' document and its underlying template.
      Set wrdDoc = wrdApp.Documents.Add(strFileName)

      ' Run the macro. (Replace "MyWordMacro" with the name of your macro.)
      wrdDoc.MyWordMacro ("This is a test.")

   DocError:
      If Err.Number <> 0 Then Msgbox Err.Description

      ' Quit this instance of Word.
      wrdApp.Quit

      ' Clear variable memory.
      Set wrdApp = Nothing
      Set wrdDoc = Nothing

   End Sub

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

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REFERENCES

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

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APPLIES TO

Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition

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kbdtacode kbhowto kbnofix KB185167

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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.

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