WD2000: Run-Time Error 5 Using Mid(), Left(), or Right() Function

ID: Q201979

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Mid(), Right(), or Left() function, the following error message may appear:

Run-time error '5': "Invalid procedure call or argument"


CAUSE

This problem occurs when the length argument for the statement is negative.

NOTE: In Word 2.0 for Windows, a negative value in the count argument of the Mid$(), Right$(), or Left$() functions is ignored and does not generate an error.

The Mid() function returns a portion of a text string starting at a given character position. The syntax for the command is:


   Mid(<string>, <start> [, <length>])


where <string> is the text string to search, <start> is the character position from which to start, and <length> is the number of characters to return. If no <length> argument is specified, or if there are fewer than <length> characters in the text, the function returns all the characters from the <start> position to the end of the string.

The following sample macro illustrates the error message described in the "Symptoms" section of this article:


   Sub ErrorOccurs()

      Dim Test As String
      Test = Mid("hello", 1, -1)
      MsgBox Test

   End Sub


The following sample macro returns the error because the length of the string variable (Test) minus one is a negative number (0 - 1 = -1):


   Sub ErrorOccurs()

      Dim Test As String
      Dim ReturnText As String
      Test = ""

      ' Empty string, could be passed as an empty dialog
      ' variable, for example.
      ReturnText = Mid(Test, Len(Test) - 1)

   End Sub


NOTE: Word 2.0 for Windows ignores a -1 value for the <length> argument. So in Word 2.0, all the characters from the first character position to the end of the string appear in the message box. In the first example, the string "hello" appears.


RESOLUTION

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/

To keep this error from occurring, first test the length of the string, as in the following example:


   Sub ErrorDoesNotOccur()

      Dim Test As String
      Dim ReturnText As String

      ' Empty string, could be passed as an empty dialog
      ' variable, for example.
      Test = ""

      ' Test the length of the string to ensure
      ' that subtracting 1 from the length leaves
      ' at least 1 character.
      If Len(Test) - 1 > 0 then
         ReturnText = Mid(Test, Len(Test) - 1)
      End If

   End Sub


MORE INFORMATION

For more information about Mid, Right, or Left functions, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type "Returning Strings from Functions" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.


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: vb parameter 


Keywords          : kbdta kbdtacode OffVBA kbmacroexample kbwordvba wd2000 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 13, 1999