WD98: Programatically Unlinking Fields in Footer Makes Word Hang

• Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to unlink fields in a document footer using the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Unlink Method, Microsoft Word may stop responding.

CAUSE

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WARNING: Running this macro causes Word to stop responding.

   Sub UnlinkFieldsinFooter()
      ' Switch to document footer.
      If ActiveWindow.View.SplitSpecial <> wdPaneNone Then
         ActiveWindow.Panes(2).Close
      End If
      If ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdNormalView Or _
      ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdOutlineView Or _
      ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdMasterView Then
         ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdPageView
      End If
      ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.SeekView = wdSeekCurrentPageFooter

      ' Select all text in the footer.
      Selection.WholeStory

      ' Loop through fields in selection.
      For Each afield In Selection.Fields
         ' If field type is a REF field.
         If afield.Type = wdFieldRef Then
            ' Unlink the field.
            afield.Unlink ' <--- Word stops responding at this line...
         End If
         ' Reselect all text in the footer.
         Selection.WholeStory
      Next afield
   End Sub

WORKAROUND

To workaround this problem, use the following sample Visual Basic macro instead.

   Sub UnlinkFieldsinFooter()
      ' Switch to document footer.
      If ActiveWindow.View.SplitSpecial <> wdPaneNone Then
         ActiveWindow.Panes(2).Close
      End If
      If ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdNormalView Or _
      ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdOutlineView Or _
      ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdMasterView Then
         ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdPageView
      End If
      ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.SeekView = wdSeekCurrentPageFooter

      ' Select all text in the footer.
      Selection.WholeStory

      ' Loop through fields in selection.
      For n = 1 To Selection.Fields.Count
         ' If the field is a REF field,
         If Selection.Fields(1).Type = wdFieldRef Then
            ' Unlink the field.
            Selection.Fields(1).Unlink
         End If
         ' Re-select all text in the footer.
         Selection.WholeStory
      Next
   End Sub

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.

REFERENCES

For more 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