OFF98: Visible Property Does Not Apply to All CommandBars

• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
• Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition
• Microsoft PowerPoint 98 Macintosh Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

In the programs listed at the beginning of this article, when you attempt to hide or display a command bar in a Visual Basic for Applications Sub procedure, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:

   Run-time error '-2147483640 (80000008)':
   Method 'Visible' of object 'CommandBar' failed

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you attempt to hide or display a command bar that does not support the Visible property.

WORKAROUND

Microsoft provides programming examples 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. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/default.asp

The following example loops through all of the command bars and determines if each command bar supports the Visible property. If the command bar supports the property, the property is set to True without generating the error message mentioned in this article.

   Sub Command_Bars()

       On Error Resume Next

       For Each ComBar In Application.CommandBars

         ' To display the command bar names, use the following line.
         ' MsgBox ComBar.Name
          ComBar.Visible = True

       Next ComBar

   End Sub

MORE INFORMATION

Not all of the command bar items support the Visible property. The command bar items that generate the error message when you use them with the Visible property are listed in the following table.

   Index   Command bar
   --------------------------------

   19      Query and Pivot
   20      Workbook tabs
   21      Cell
   22      Column
   23      Row
   24      Cell
   25      Column
   26      Row
   27      Ply
   28      XLM Cell
   29      Document
   30      Desktop
   31      Nondefault Drag and Drop
   32      AutoFill
   33      Button
   34      Dialog
   35      Series
   36      Plot Area
   37      Floor and Walls
   38      Trendline
   39      Chart
   40      Formula Bar
   41      PivotTable Context Menu
   42      Query
   43      Query Layout
   44      AutoCalculate
   45      Object/Plot
   46      Title Bar (Charting)
   47      Layout
   70      Shapes
   71      Inactive Chart
   72      Excel Control
   73      Curve
   74      Curve Node
   75      Curve Segment
   76      Pictures Context Menu
   77      OLE Object
   78      ActiveX Control
   79      WordArt Context Menu
   80      Rotate Mode
   81      Connector
   82      &Wizard
   83      Add Command
   84      Built-in Menus
   85      System

REFERENCES

For more information about command bars, click the Office Assistant while in the Visual Basic Editor, type "commandbars," click Search, and then click to view "Using command bars."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar.