XL97: Error When Variable Refers to Deleted or Moved Sheet

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you run a Visual Basic for Applications macro in Microsoft Excel 97, you may receive one of the following error messages:

   Run-time error '-2147221080 (800401a8)':
   Automation error

   -or-

   Run-time error '-2147221080 (800401a8)':
   Method 'Name' of object '_Worksheet' failed

   -or-

   Run-time error '424':
   Object required

   This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
   If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

   EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module VBA332.DLL at
   014f:651b5717.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when all of the following conditions are true:

• In a Visual Basic macro, you create a variable of type Worksheet or Object that refers to a worksheet within a workbook.

  -and-

• The sheet to which the variable refers is deleted or moved to another workbook.

  -and-

• You attempt to check any property of the variable.

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.

The following macro moves Sheet1 from the active workbook into a new workbook:

   Sub Test()

       Dim xSheet As Worksheet, newWorkbook As Workbook
       Set xSheet = ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet1")
       Set newWorkbook = Workbooks.Add
       xSheet.Move Before:=newWorkbook.Sheets(1)
       MsgBox xSheet.Name

   End Sub

   MsgBox xSheet.Name

Method 1: Set the Variable to Point to the New Location of the Worksheet

             'Because xSheet is now the first sheet in the new workbook,
             'redefine the variable appropriately.
             Set xSheet = newWorkbook.Sheets(1)

             'This line of code now works correctly.
             MsgBox xSheet.Name

             Set xSheet = Nothing

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.

MORE INFORMATION

In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, if you create a variable that refers to a sheet, and then move that sheet to another workbook, the variable continues to find to the sheet in its new location. For example if you run the following subroutine in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0, the MsgBox displays the name of the moved sheet ("Sheet1 (2)") even when you move the worksheet to a different workbook:

   Sub MoveSheet()

       Dim xSheet As Object, newWorkbook As Object
       Set xSheet = ThisWorkbook.Sheets(1)
       Set newWorkbook = Workbooks.Add
       xSheet.Move Before:=newWorkbook.Sheets(1)
       MsgBox xSheet.Name

   End Sub