ACC97: Invalid FileName Causes Untrappable Error In Assistant

• Microsoft Access 97

SYMPTOMS

Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.

If you set an invalid FileName property for the Assistant object in Visual Basic for Applications code, a trappable run-time error does not occur until you click Cancel in the message box that appears.

RESOLUTION

You can use the FileSearch object to determine if the Assistant file exists before you set the FileName property in code. The following sample code uses the FileSearch object to search for the Assistant file before you set the FileName property:

1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.

2. Create a module and type the following procedure:

         Sub SetAssistant(ActFile as String)
            On Error GoTo SetAssistant_Err
            Dim fs As FileSearch
            Dim accObj as Object
            Dim i As Integer
   
            ' Search for the Assistant file name.
            Set fs = Application.FileSearch
            With fs
               .LookIn = "C:\"
               .SearchSubFolders = True
               .FileName = ActFile
               If .Execute > 0 Then
                  Set accObj = CreateObject("Access.Application")
                  With accObj
                     .Visible = True
                     .Assistant.FileName = ActFile
                     .Assistant.Visible = True
                  End With
               Else
                  MsgBox "The Assistant file you specified was not found."
               End If
            End With
            GoTo SetAssistant_Exit
         SetAssistant_Exit:
            Set fs = Nothing
            Set accObj = Nothing
            Exit Sub
         SetAssistant_Err:
            MsgBox Err.Number
            Resume SetAssistant_Exit
         End Sub
   
   

3. With the module still open in Design view, click References on the Tools menu.

4. In the References dialog box, click Microsoft Office 8.0 Object Library in the Available References box. If that reference does not appear, click the Browse button and browse your hard drive for MSO97.DLL.

5. Click OK in the References dialog box.

6. To test the procedure, type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

         SetAssistant("clippit.act")
   

   If Clippit.act exists on your computer, an instance of Microsoft Access starts, shows the Assistant, and then quits. If the file does not exist, you receive an error message and the procedure stops.

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 a module and type the following procedure:

         Sub Test()
            On Error GoTo Err_Occurred
            Dim accObj As Object
            Set accObj = CreateObject("Access.Application")
            accObj.Assistant.FileName = "NonExistent.act"
         Exit Sub
   
         Err_Occurred:
         MsgBox "The following error occurred: " & vbcr & Err.Number
   
         End Sub
   
   

3. To test this function, type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

         Test
   

   Note that an instance of Microsoft Access starts, and the Office Assistant displays an error message indicating that the file does not exist. The procedure stops executing until you click Cancel in the Assistant message box. Then the error passes to your error handling code.

REFERENCES

For more information about programming with the Office Assistant, search the Help Index for "Assistant object."