Record Macro mode: unable to select document elements

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Post Tenebras Lux - 12 Aug 2007 00:18 GMT

Win XP / Office Pro 2003 with all latest SP.

When I try to record a macro (Tools / Macro / Record), the record macro
toolbar appears and the cursor turns into the recording cursor (like a
cassette). At this point, I am unable to select any text or tables or any
document elements. The Main Menu is fully accessible, and if I have
preselected some text, the macro will record fine (the VBA is created in
Normal.dot module New Macros).

If I pause or stop the macro, I am suddenly able to select document elements
again. I can't find any setting that would account for this behavior.

I'm an old hand at Excel and Access VBA / VB6, but have never tried
programming Word before - so I can't say if this is new behavior or not. The
record macro function works fine in Excel and Access - though I almost never
use it.

I haven't found any references to this problem, so would appreciate it if
someone has a simple explanation / solution.

Much obliged.

Reply to this Message

Helmut Weber - 12 Aug 2007 01:02 GMT

Hi,

>When I try to record a macro I am unable to select any text

don't search any further.
Word just can't do it, using the mouse.
You can select text using the keyboard,
but the resulting code will need manual correction, probably.

see: http://word.mvps.org/faqs/macrosvba/ModifyRecordedMacro.htm

Signature

Greetings from Bavaria, Germany

Helmut Weber, MVP WordVBA

Win XP, Office 2003
"red.sys" & Chr$(64) & "t-online.de"

Reply to this Message

Post Tenebras Lux - 12 Aug 2007 03:00 GMT

unglaublich. Vielen Danke!

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> see: http://word.mvps.org/faqs/macrosvba/ModifyRecordedMacro.htm

Reply to this Message

Lene Fredborg - 12 Aug 2007 01:08 GMT

You must use the keyboard to select text or other types of content.

From Word's Help on "Create a macro":
"When you record a macro, you can use the mouse to click commands and
options, but not to select text. You must use the keyboard to record these
actions. For example, you can use F8 to select text and press END to move the
cursor to the end of the line."

Note that you can also use e.g. the Shift and/or Ctrl keys in combination
with the arrow keys to select text.

For more details on selecting text using the keyboard, see Word's help on
"Keyboard shortcuts" - you will find information about selecting text below
the heading "Editing and moving text and graphics".

Signature

Regards
Lene Fredborg
DocTools - Denmark
www.thedoctools.com
Document automation - add-ins, macros and templates for Microsoft Word

> Win XP / Office Pro 2003 with all latest SP.
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Much obliged.

Reply to this Message

Post Tenebras Lux - 12 Aug 2007 03:00 GMT

unglaublich. Vielen Danke!

> You must use the keyboard to select text or other types of content.
>
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
> >
> > Much obliged.

Reply to this Message

Jay Freedman - 12 Aug 2007 01:27 GMT

The macro recorder in Word really doesn't like the mouse very much.
"Rodents! Bah humbug!" :-)

You can use the arrow keys together with Shift and/or Control to
select things while the recorder is running.

Beyond that, the recorder is a bit buggy. See
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/ModifyRecordedMacro.htm for
some things you'll have to fix up. Personally, I use the recorder only
to get an idea of the commands and objects needed to do a particular
job, but then I write the real macro from scratch.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

>Win XP / Office Pro 2003 with all latest SP.
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
>Much obliged.

Reply to this Message

Post Tenebras Lux - 12 Aug 2007 03:02 GMT

that saved alot of unnecessary searching. Thanks.

> The macro recorder in Word really doesn't like the mouse very much.
> "Rodents! Bah humbug!" :-)
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> >
> >Much obliged.

Reply to this Message