XL: "DisplayAlerts" Error Running Macro in MS Internet Explorer

ID: Q165435

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.0, when you run a Visual Basic for Applications macro that is in a Microsoft Excel workbook, you may receive the following error message 

   Run-time error '1004':
   Method 'DisplayAlerts' of object '_Application' failed
and the macro halts.

CAUSE

This problem occurs if you set the DisplayAlerts property of Microsoft Excel to True or False using macro code that is similar to the following: 

   Application.DisplayAlerts = False

    -or-

   Application.DisplayAlerts = True

WORKAROUND

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 work around this problem, add the following line of code to your Visual Basic macro BEFORE the line of code that changes the DisplayAlerts property: 

   On Error Resume Next
You can also add the following line of code AFTER the line of code that changes the DisplayAlerts property: 

   On Error GoTo 0
For example, use the following macro: 

   Sub Test()
       On Error Resume Next                'This line is required.
       Application.DisplayAlerts = False
       On Error GoTo 0                     'This line is optional.
   End Sub
By adding these lines of code to your macro, you suppress the error message and the macro continues to run. Note that you cannot change the DisplayAlerts property.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

You cannot change the DisplayAlerts property of the Microsoft Excel program when you view a workbook in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0. When you do this, you receive an error message and the macro halts.

Additional query words: XL97 

Keywords          : xlweb 
Version           : WINDOWS:7.0,97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999