ACC97: RunApp Macro Action Does Not Open MS Money Properly

• Microsoft Access 97

SYMPTOMS

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

When you use the RunApp macro action to open Microsoft Money version 4.0 or 5.0, the program does not open properly. The behavior varies depending on the version of Microsoft Money that you are using.

Microsoft Money 4.0

The Microsoft Money splash screen appears on the screen, but you receive the following error message:

   Not enough memory is available. If you have several applications open at
   the same time, you might need to close one of them before you start
   Money.

Microsoft Money 5.0

The Microsoft Money splash screen appears on the screen and you are prompted for a password if you have one, but the Microsoft Money program window does not open, and the program button does not appear on the taskbar. However, if you try to open Microsoft Money, you receive the following message:

   Microsoft Money is already running.

WORKAROUND

If you are using Microsoft Money 4.0 or 5.0, you can use the Shell() function in a Visual Basic for Applications procedure in place of the RunApp macro action to open Microsoft Money. To do so, follow these steps:

1. In the Database Window, click the Modules tab.

2. Click New, and then on the Insert menu, click Procedure.

3. Type "RunMoney" (without the quotation marks) in the Name box, and then click OK.

4. Type the following line of code in the created function:

         Shell "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Money\msmoney.exe"
   

   NOTE: The path to msmoney.exe on your computer may be different.

5. Save the module as ProgramFunctions.

6. Create the following new macro using the RunCode command and save it as RunAppTest:

         RunAppTest Actions
         ----------------------------
         RunCode
            Function Name: RunMoney()
   
   

7. Run the macro.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Access 97. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Problem

1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.

2. Create the following new macro using the RunApp command, and save it as RunAppTest:

         RunAppTest Actions
         -------------------------------------------------------------
         RunApp
            Command Line: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Money\msmoney.exe
   
   

3. Run the macro.

   Note that you see the behavior described in the "Symptoms" section.

   Microsoft Access can't invoke the
   application using the RunApp action.

   The path to the application is invalid, or a
   component of the application is missing.

   Check the path in Windows Explorer or File
   Manager.

   Run-time error '53':
   File not found

REFERENCES

For more information about the Shell function, click the Index tab in Microsoft Access 97 Help, type the following text:

   Shell Function