ACC: Sample OLE Automation for MS Word and MS Excel

ID: Q123859

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Access version 2.0, 7.0, 97

SUMMARY

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article demonstrates how to activate Microsoft Word version 6.0 for Windows or Microsoft Excel version 5.0 for Windows from a command button on a Microsoft Access form.

This article assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to the "Building Applications" manual.

NOTE: Visual Basic for Applications (used in Microsoft Access version 7.0) is called Access Basic in version 2.0.

MORE INFORMATION

How to Activate Microsoft Word

The following example assumes a Microsoft Access table with an OLE object field called MyOle that contains embedded (not linked) Microsoft Word 6.0 objects. The example demonstrates how to create a command button that will activate Microsoft Word 6.0 in Normal view with the current Microsoft Word 6.0 object:

1. Create a form based on the table containing the MyOle field.

2. Add a bound object frame with the following properties to the form:

      Name: MyOle
      ControlSource: MyOle

3. Add a command button named Button2 to the form. Set the button's

   OnClick property to the following event procedure:

      Sub Button2_Click ()
         Dim Word_Obj As Object
         me!MyOle.verb = -2
         me!MyOle.action = 7
         Set Word_Obj = MyOle.object.application.wordbasic
         Word_Obj.ViewNormal
      End Sub

How to Activate Microsoft Excel

The following example assumes a Microsoft Access table with an OLE object field called My_excel_ole that contains embedded (not linked) Microsoft Excel 5.0 objects. The example demonstrates how to create a command button that will activate Microsoft Excel with the current Microsoft Excel object:

1. Create a form based on the table containing theMy_excel_ole field.

2. Add a bound object frame with the following properties to the form:

      Name: My_excel_ole
      ControlSource: My_excel_ole

3. Add a command button named Button3 to the form. Set the button's

   OnClick property to the following event procedure:

      Sub Button3_Click ()
         My_excel_ole.class = ?Excel.Sheet?
         My_excel_ole.verb = -2
         My_excel_ole.action = 7
      End Sub

REFERENCES

Microsoft Access "Building Applications," version 2.0, Chapter 13, "Communicating with Other Applications," pages 282-297

For additional information about OLE Automation, search for "OLE Automation," and then "Interoperability with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel (Common Questions)" using the Microsoft Access Help menu.

Keywords          : kbole IntpOlea 
Version           : 2.0 7.0
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: June 17, 1998