XL97: Macro to Open the Most Recently Used File

ID: Q161393

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel 97, if you select the "Recently Used File List" check box on the General tab of the Options dialog box in Microsoft Excel 97, the files you used most recently are listed on the File menu. This article contains a sample macro that you can use to programmatically open the file you used last.

MORE INFORMATION

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/

Sample Macro

Sub Open_Last_Used_File()

    Dim S as String

    'Set the variable S to the path and file name of the most recently used
    'file.
    S = Application.RecentFiles(1).Name

    'Open the file.
    Workbooks.Open S

End Sub

Using the Sample Macro

NOTE: If you do not select the "Recently Used File List" check box and you run a macro that uses the RecentFiles property of the Application object, the following error message appears: 

   Run-time error '9':
   Subscript out of range
To prevent the message from appearing when you run the macro, select the "Recently Used File List" check box on the General tab of the Options dialog box before you run the macro.

To use the sample macro, use the following steps:

1. Create a new workbook in Microsoft Excel 97.

2. Press ALT+F11 to activate the Visual Basic Editor.

3. On the Insert menu, click Module.

4. Type the sample macro code in the module.

5. Press ALT+Q to return to Microsoft Excel.

6. On the Tools menu, point to Macro and click Macros. Click the macro 

   "Open_Last_Used_File" and click Run to run the macro.
When you run the macro it opens the first file in the list of recently used files.

REFERENCES

For information about creating a macro that opens files from the recently used file list in Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q109113
   TITLE     : XL: Macro to Open the Most Recently Used File
Additional query words: XL97 mru 
Keywords          : kbprg kbualink97 kbdta kbdtacode xlloadsave KbVBA 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: May 18, 1999