XL: "Can't Find Project or Library" When You Run a Macro

ID: Q166273

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0, when you attempt to run a Visual Basic for Applications macro to insert a Visual Basic module into a workbook or to record a new macro, you may receive the following error message:

   Can't find project or library

When you click OK, the References dialog box appears. One or both of the following items are listed in the Available References list:

   MISSING: Microsoft Office 8.0 Object Library

   MISSING: OLE Automation

NOTE: When you record a new Visual Basic macro, you may also receive the following error message:

   Unable to record.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when all of the following conditions are true:

The workbook contains a reference either to the Microsoft Office 8.0 Object Library or to the OLE Automation library.
NOTE: If you create the workbook in Microsoft Excel 97 or if you use the References dialog box in Microsoft Excel 97 to create the reference, the workbook may contain such a reference.
```
    -and-
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In Microsoft Excel 97, you saved the workbook in the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook format.
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    -and-
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You opened the workbook in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0 and attempted to run a macro, to insert a Visual Basic module into the workbook, or to record a new macro.
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    -and-
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No Microsoft Office 97 program is installed on the computer on which you are running Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Disable Missing References in the References Dialog Box

If the References dialog box appears when you attempt to run a macro, to insert a macro, or to record a new macro, follow these steps:

1. In the list of Available References, clear any check boxes to the left

   of references that are labeled "MISSING."

2. After you clear all the missing references, click OK.

3. Run the macro, insert or record a new macro.

The References dialog box does not appear.

NOTE: Save the workbook before you close it. Otherwise, the change to the References dialog box may not be saved. For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q114627
   TITLE     : XL: No Prompt to Save Changes After Tools Reference Change

Method 2: Remove References in Microsoft Excel 97

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals 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 needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/

You can prevent the References dialog box from appearing in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0 by removing references that are potentially missing from the workbook while it is open in Microsoft Excel 97. The following sample macro removes references:

   Sub RemoveLibraryReferences()

       On Error Resume Next
       Dim xObject As Object

       Set xObject = ThisWorkbook.VBProject.References.Item("Office")
       ThisWorkbook.VBProject.References.Remove xObject

       Set xObject = ThisWorkbook.VBProject.References.Item("stdole")
       ThisWorkbook.VBProject.References.Remove xObject

   End Sub

When you run the macro, it programmatically removes the reference to the Microsoft Office 8.0 Object Library and OLE Automation from the workbook. You can then save the workbook in the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook format. When you open the workbook in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0, and then run a macro, insert a module, or record a new macro, the error message does not appear.

NOTE: You cannot run this macro in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0. The macro works ONLY in Microsoft Excel 97.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

When you use a workbook that is saved in the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook format in Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0, this problem may occur when the Microsoft Office 8.0 Object Library (Mso97.dll) or OLE Automation (Stdole2.tlb) is unavailable. If you install any of the Microsoft Office 97 programs on your computer, the Mso97.dll and Stdole2.tlb files should be available.

Note that this problem occurs only if the workbook contains a reference to the Microsoft Office 8.0 Object Library or to OLE Automation. In Microsoft Excel 97, you can view references by clicking References on the Tools menu in the Visual Basic Editor. In Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0, you can view references by clicking References on the Tools menu when a Visual Basic module is the active sheet.

REFERENCES

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

   ARTICLE-ID: Q163435
   TITLE     : VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for
               Applications

Additional query words: XL97 XL7 XL5 8.0

Keywords          : kberrmsg kbdta xlvbainfo KbVBA 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c,7.0,7.0a,97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 18, 1999