Activate Word Document (vba)

Hi. How to write to a Word document which is open already?

I want to paste from Excel to Word, and the file may already exist or not. By searching existing threads I have solved this for creating a new file, for newly opening an existing file, but I don´t succeed when the document is opened by Word already.

Here´s some simplified code:

Sub wdTest()


Dim WordApp As Object


' same behaviour if defined:
'Dim WordApp As Word.Application


Dim WDoc As String
Dim myDoc As String


myDoc = "myTest"


WDoc = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\" & myDoc & ".doc"


a = MsgBox("Doc already opened?", vbYesNo)
If a = vbYes Then


' this gives an error
    Set WordApp = GetObject(WDoc, "Word.Application")
Else


' this works fine
    Set WordApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
    WordApp.Documents.Open WDoc
End If


WordApp.Visible = True


End Sub

So the name WDoc of the document seems to be o.k. as it works with Open - but it does not work with GetObject.
Any ideas?

Thanks a lot.
Dasha.

Re: Activate Word Document (vba)

Hi Andy.

Thanks for the fast reply - it works "nearly". Also pasting to the document is o.k.

Quote from Andy Pope

[vba]
WDoc = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\" & myDoc & ".doc.docx"

WordApp.Visible = True
End Sub[/vba]

I did remove the ".docx" - will this be necessary for Excel 2007 or why did you put it?

I moved the "Visible" to the end, but the behaviour is "strange". When the document is newly opened, a window comes up but stays in the back behind other windows open. When the document was open before, no window appears at all. How can I get the window with the Word document to the front in any case? (this was what happened when I tested before)

Thanks and kind regards.
Dasha.

Re: Activate Word Document (vba)

Hi Andy - thanks again. It was a good step forward, though the last one was missing. It needs one more line:

WordApp.Activate


WordApp.Windows(wrdDoc).WindowState = wdWindowStateNormal

Now it´s o.k. - and thanks also for making me aware that for delivering this to Excel 2007 users I have to add another extension when creating a new file (if you don´t mind to answer: is this true or would xls still be accepted?).

Anyhow: great help. Thanks again.
Best regards.
Dasha.

Re: Activate Word Document (vba)

Hi Andy - thanks a lot for the reply. It´s really important for me: I´m developing an application which has to run on all systems from Excel 2000 to 2007.

Quote from Andy Pope

If the file format is the new 2007 version it will be .docx
You can however save to the old 2003 format from 2007 in which case it will be a .doc

With my fat figures I tested a 2007 format and saved the file as mytest.doc and word helpfully add the 2007 format extension of .docx

So, as you know, in my code I have to check for a full file name, so it makes a difference whether Excel 2007 saves it as .doc or .docx. Would you rather check for the Excel version inside the code (how?) and use the appropriate extension, or can I force Excel 2007 to save as .doc?

Quote from Andy Pope

So whilst my double extension is not incorrect it is sloppy and I should have sorted it out.

I´m very happy you didn´t.
Thanks and best regards.
Dasha.

P.S.: Maybe I should upload my final procedure for pasting a selected area from Excel to Word in this forum? Excel file and/or just code? How and where to?

Re: Activate Word Document (vba)

Hi Andy - thanks again.

Quote from Andy Pope

So when saving files save them in xl2000 format. Depending on what is in the files xl2003 may be enough.

So far I thought that from xl2000 to xl2003 the format is the same, just some functionality (like rotation for shapes) will not work in xl2000. Where´s the difference really? (when searching the forum I found a link for saving tricks, but it didn´t work anymore)

Quote from Andy Pope

You can attach files to a post. There is a size restriction so if your files are large zip them first.

O.K., I´ll add the code for the version and a bit more and then post it.

Thanks again for your support which is really helpful for me.
Kind regards.
Dasha.