XL: "Compile Error" Running Macro That Changes Margins

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

In the versions of Microsoft Excel listed above, if you run a recorded Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro, you may receive the following error message:

   Compile error:
   Argument not optional

   .LeftMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()
   .RightMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()
   .TopMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()
   .BottomMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()
   .HeaderMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()
   .FooterMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()

CAUSE

This problem will occur if, while you are recording a Visual Basic macro, you change the margins in the worksheet by performing the following steps:

1. On the File menu, click Print Preview.

   -or-

   On the Standard toolbar, click the Print Preview button.

2. At the top of the Print Preview window, click Margins.

3. Drag one or more of the margins (top, left, bottom, or right) to a new position.

4. Click Close.

   .LeftMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()

WORKAROUND

If this problem occurs, delete any lines of code in the macro that contain "Application.InchesToPoints()" without a value inside the parentheses. Once you do this, the macro should run correctly.

You can also prevent this problem from occurring by using the Margins tab in the Page Setup dialog box to change margins in a worksheet when you are recording a macro. To do this, click Page Setup on the File menu, and click the Margins tab.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

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 engineers 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

   .LeftMargin = Application.InchesToPoints(0.75)
   .RightMargin = Application.InchesToPoints(0.75)
   .TopMargin = Application.InchesToPoints(1)
   .BottomMargin = Application.InchesToPoints(1)
   .HeaderMargin = Application.InchesToPoints(0.5)
   .FooterMargin = Application.InchesToPoints(0.5)

If you use the Margins button in print preview to change margins, only margins that you change contain a value in the parentheses:

   .LeftMargin = Application.InchesToPoints(0.5)
   .RightMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()
   .TopMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()
   .BottomMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()
   .HeaderMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()
   .FooterMargin = Application.InchesToPoints()

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