XL97: Application.SendKeys Does Not Wait for Key Processing

ID: Q160219

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When you use the SendKeys method to send keystrokes to the active application, and you specify True for the Wait argument so that the keystrokes are processed before control is returned to the macro, the macro continues without waiting for the keystrokes to be processed.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you use the Sendkeys method for the Microsoft Excel Application object instead of the Visual Basic for Applications Sendkeys statement.

MORE INFORMATION

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When you set the Wait argument to True using either of these functions, you expect Microsoft Excel to wait for the keys to be processed before returning control to the macro.

When the following Visual Basic for Applications SendKeys statement is executed, the {Enter} keystroke command is processed before the next line in the macro is executed: 

   SendKeys String:="{Enter}", Wait:=True
However, when the Sendkeys method of the Application object is executed, the {Enter} keystroke command is NOT processed before the next line in the macro is executed: 

   Application.SendKeys Keys:="{Enter}", Wait:=True

RESOLUTION

If you require that the keystrokes be processed before control is returned to your macro, use the Visual Basic for Application SendKeys statement.

STATUS

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

Additional query words: 97 XL97 8.0 8.00 keystroke 

Keywords          : kbprg kbdta kbdtacode xlvbainfo KbVBA 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0a,5.0c,7.0,7.0a,97
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: May 18, 1999