KB135390 - Sample Macro to Open or Activate a Workbook

Article ID: 135390

Article Last Modified on 6/11/2007

Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q135390

SUMMARY

When you activate a workbook with a Visual Basic for Applications procedure, the workbook must first be open. If the workbook is closed, you will receive one of the following error messages:

Run-time error '1004':
Workbook method of Application class failed

- or -

Run-time error '9':
Subscript out of range

The Visual Basic procedure in the "More Information" section of this article will activate Book2.xls if it is already open, or it will open and activate Book2.xls if it is closed.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers 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 requirements. Insert a module sheet and enter the following code:

   Sub ActivateSheet()
          On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
          Workbooks("Book2.xls").Activate
   'The following line will halt the macro before the error handler
   'is reached.
          Exit Sub
   ErrorHandler:
          Workbooks.Open filename:="Book2.xls"
   End Sub

For information about how to do this in Microsoft Excel versions 4.0 and earlier (or for information about how do this with the Microsoft Excel version 4.0 macro language), please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

74694 Macro to Open or Activate a Sheet in Microsoft Excel

Additional query words: 5.00c 8.00 97 XL

Keywords: kbdtacode kberrmsg kbhowto kbprogramming KB135390