Now, I've enclosed below the code that reproduces the behavior I
mentioned earlier (the operating system Word is running on seems to be
irrelevant).

I've reduced the mail merge document that is giving me all the trouble
to just the merge fields and codes that still cause the code below to
hang while unlocking the fields.  This document has as its datasource
a view from SQL Server.  The problem doesn't occur with other
datasources.  This mailmerge document, which I can provide upon
request, simply contains the following "word code:"

{ IF { REF SPCheck } = { MERGEFIELD Salesperson_FID } { IF { MergeRec
} = "1" "" }  "some text here" } {SET SPCheck { MERGEFIELD
Salesperson_FID}}{IF { REF DateCheck \* MERGEFORMAT } = "{ MERGEFIELD
Date_Call_Due }{ MERGEFIELD Salesperson_FID }" { IF { MergeRec } = "1"
{ MERGEFIELD Date_Call_Due }} "{ MERGEFIELD Date_Call_Due }" } { SET
DateCheck "{ MERGEFIELD Date_Call_Due }{ MERGEFIELD Salesperson_FID}"
}

Here's the VB code that causes the test.doc document to hang on the
"Unlocking Template Fields" section.

Any help is greatly appreciated,

Ivan

Option Explicit

Sub Command1_Click()

   Dim oWordApp                          As Object 'Word.Application
   Dim oTemplateDoc                      As Object 'Word.Document
   Dim sFullDocName                      As String
   Dim oWordField                        As Object 'Word.Field
   Dim oWordShape                        As Object 'Word.Shape
   Dim oWordGroup                        As Object 'Word.Shape
   Dim oWordRange                        As Object 'Word.Range
   Dim colGroups                         As New Collection
   Dim sFieldName                        As String
   
   Dim bOrigCheckSpelling                As Boolean
   Dim bOrigCheckGrammar                 As Boolean

   Const wdDoNotSaveChanges              As Long = 0

   Command1.Enabled = False

'45 minute timeout
   App.OleRequestPendingTimeout = 2700000
   
'Generate the proper full file path name for the Word document
   sFullDocName = App.Path & "\test"
   
   Me.Caption = "Launching instance of Microsoft Word..."
   DoEvents

' Create an instance of Microsoft Word
   Set oWordApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
       
   oWordApp.Visible = True
       
   Me.Caption = "Opening correspondence template..."
   DoEvents
   
   Set oTemplateDoc = oWordApp.Documents.Open(sFullDocName & ".doc",
, True)

   Me.Caption = "Unlocking Template Data Fields... freezes here in
Word97..."
   DoEvents
   oTemplateDoc.Fields.Locked = False
   
   Me.Caption = "Quitting Word..."
   DoEvents
   oWordApp.Quit wdDoNotSaveChanges
   Me.Caption = "Done"
   Command1.Enabled = True
   DoEvents

End Sub

Cindy M  -WordMVP- <C.Meister-C@hispeed.chwrote in message news:<VA.00008953.0080e83e@speedy>...

Hi Ivan,

First, I tried your VB on a Win98/Word 97 box, but running as a Word VBA
macro and a few lines commented out.
I noticed that the

    oTemplateDoc.Fields.Locked = False

line fails (application or object-defined error) if oTemplateDoc is declared
As Object, but succeeds if it is declared As Word.Document.

I feel sure a proper VB(A) person ought to be able to tell you why this
happens (and perhaps it doesn't happen in VB, only VBA). I couldn't find
anything relevant searching the groups, which seemed strange given it looks
like a problem that would pop up a lot. But I wonder whether it has any
bearing on your problem, particularly since untrapped errors in an automated
object will probably cause it to hang. Doesn't explain why the problem only
occurs with the SQL Server data source either of course...

--
Peter Jamieson - Word MVP