Knowledge Base

Visual Basic Add Method Fails If Object Already Exists

Article ID: 141766

Article Last Modified on 10/10/2006

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q141766

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you create a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro and you attempt to add an object for the second time, the Add method fails and you receive the following error message:
Run time error 1004: Add method of <collection> class failed
Where <collection> is the object collection used.

CAUSE

This error message occurs when the collection object of the same class and name already exists, and you attempt to add it a second time with the same name.

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel, because it eliminates the possibility of having two objects of the same class with the same name.

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. For example, the following macro 
   Sub Add_Style()
      For x = 1 to 2
         ActiveWorkbook.Styles.Add Name:="mystyle"
      Next
   End Sub
produces the following error in the second iteration of the loop:
Run time error 1004: Add method of Styles class failed

REFERENCES

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications


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