XL: Infinite Loop If OLE Automation Server Busy

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

If you use the CreateObject function in a Visual Basic procedure in Microsoft Excel to create an OLE Automation object, and you then request information from the created object, if you switch back to Microsoft Excel (the Client application), you may receive the following error message:

   Microsoft Excel is waiting for another application to complete an OLE
   action.

CAUSE

When you create an OLE Automation object (run a server application) in a Visual Basic procedure in Microsoft Excel, if you send that object a command, the server must finish processing the command before you can continue working in Microsoft Excel.

WORKAROUND

To break out of the infinite loop (the dialog box that contains the error message above continues to appear), when you work with OLE Automation objects in Microsoft Excel, cancel or complete the request in the server application. For example, if a dialog box is open in the server application, close the dialog box, and then return to the client application (in this case, Microsoft Excel). You can then choose OK in the dialog box that contains the above error message and it will not appear again.

REFERENCES

For more information about the CreateObject Function, click the Search button in the Visual Basic Reference and type:

    CreateObject