PPT97: CreateObject Does Not Create New PowerPoint Session

ID: Q161627

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When using the CreateObject function, used to control the Microsoft PowerPoint object model from Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications code, you may notice the following behavior:

If PowerPoint is running, a new instance of PowerPoint is not created.
-or-
If PowerPoint is not running, a new instance is created.

This behavior is normal.

CAUSE

PowerPoint is a single-session program. CreateObject cannot create a new instance of PowerPoint if it is already running. This behavior is similar to the Visual Basic GetObject function.

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/default.asp

The CreateObject function creates new instances of multiple session programs. Microsoft Word is an example of a multiple-session program. The following code sample creates two sessions of Word.

   Sub TwoWordSessions()

      Dim word(2) As Object
      Dim i As Byte

      For i = 1 To 2
         ' Call CreateObject.
         Set word(i) = CreateObject("Word.Application.8")

         ' Make Word visible.
         word(i).Visible = True

      Next i

   End Sub

The same code used with PowerPoint launches one session at most.

NOTE: To use this code with PowerPoint, you must change the string passed to CreateObject, like the following:

   Set word(i) = CreateObject("PowerPoint.Application.8")

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: 97 8.00 kbmacro ppt8 vba vbe mdi sdi

Keywords          : kbcode kbmacro kbprg kbdta kbdtacode kbpptvba 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999