Visual basic runtime error (97)

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I now get a visual basic runtime error ‘424’ – object required message when opening up existing documents in Word 97. Is there any way to get rid of this. If I click ‘end’ it goes away, but it is really annoying.

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Normally VBA code doesn’t run when Word opens, so it sound like you’ve got some kind of global template, or more likely, some third party add-in which is running when Word starts up.

Two places to check:
As soon as Word has launched, go to Tools > Templates & Add-Ins – are there any items with checkmarks next to them under ‘Global Templates and Add-Ins”? – if so, you can determine the location of these by clicking on them in that list – the path should be indicated in the dialog.
If you can’t figure out the full path from that dialog, you can also (with a document open) go to Tools > Options > File Locations, and make note of the directory which is indicated as the Startup directory.

With Word not running, use Windows Explorer to go to the Startup directory, and temporary remove anything that’s in that location. If you remove them one at a time, and restart Word each time, you should be able to determine which add-in is causing the problem.

Once you determine which add-in is causing the problem, contact the manufacture and let them know you are having a problem (unless the add-in is WOPR, in which case you can post a question on the forum for it on this Lounge. )

Gary

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Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. I guess I am stuck with my error message. I went to the Office Startup folder in explorer as you suggested and deleted all items one by one, opening a document after each deletion. Still got that darned message every time I opened the document, so have now restored all items that are in the Template & Add-Ins (one by one). Jillybean

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Hi Jillybean:
Then you may have an AutoExec macro in normal.dot. Also, there are two startup folders–one for Microsoft Office & one for Word. Try this:
1. Go to Start/Run & type
winword.exe /a
This will start Word without any add-ins, libraries, & without normal.dot. See if the problem goes away. If it does, then close Word & rename normal.dot (to say “normal.old”) & restart Word. If that doesn’t help, look in the other startup folder.
Cheers,

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Thanks Phil: It worked perfectly. I did as you suggested and ran Word. Then I renamed the normal.dot and viola! – no more error messages. Thanks for your help everyone.

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Hi jillybean

The ways to get rid of that message are pertty much limited to:
a) correct the vba error that’s causing it; or
delete the offending code.
The solution to choose depends on your ability to correct the vba code -vs- the importance of the affected macro.

HTH

Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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