XL97: Cannot Add Macros to the Tools Menu

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, when you record a new macro, you are not given the option of creating a menu item on the Tools menu for the new macro.

Also, if you try to use the MacroOptions method to create a menu item on the Tools menu for a macro, the method fails to create the new menu item.

CAUSE

These problems occur because this feature has been removed from Microsoft Excel 97.

WORKAROUND

Microsoft provides examples of Visual Basic for Applications procedures 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. The Visual Basic procedures in this article are provided 'as is' and Microsoft does not guarantee that they can be used in all situations. While Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular macro, they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality, nor will they help you construct macros to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to consult one of the Microsoft Solution Providers. Solution Providers offer a wide range of fee-based services, including creating custom macros. For more information about Microsoft Solution Providers, call Microsoft Customer Information Service at (800) 426-9400.

You can still create and delete new menu items for macros on the Tools menu. To do this, you must use the Add and Delete methods for CommandBars.

In the following example, the Visual Basic macro code creates an item on the Tools menu called "Run Test" and assigns the macro "Test" to the menu item:

   Sub AddTesttoToolsMenu()
       Set xItem = _
            CommandBars("Tools").Controls.Add(Type:=msoControlButton)
       With xItem
           .Caption = "Run Test"
           .OnAction = "Test"
       End With
   End Sub

   Sub RemoveTestFromToolsMenu()
       CommandBars("Tools").Controls("Run Test").Delete
   End Sub

STATUS

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel 97.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and 7.0, when you record a new macro, you can click the Options button to create a new menu item on the Tools menu to run the macro you are about to record.

Also, in Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and 7.0, if you click Macro on the Tools menu, and then click Options in the Macro dialog box, you can create or delete a menu item on the Tools menu for the specified macro.

These options are not available in Microsoft Excel 97. To add or remove a menu item from the Tools menu, you must use a Visual Basic macro.