WD: Macro to Determine If File Is Already Open

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.10, 1.10a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1

SUMMARY

The following WordBasic macro uses the Open command to determine if a specified file is already open.

You can use the following macro to avoid opening two versions of a file when you use the WordBasic FileOpen command to open specific files:

   Sub MAIN
      On Error Goto errors
      ' Open the document using the Wordbasic "Open" command.
      ' If the document has a lock on the file an error will
      ' occur springing the error trap.
      Open "C:\WINWORD\README.DOC" For Input As #1
      Close #1
      ' If an error does not occur, no other process
      ' has the document currently open, so open the
      ' document in word.
      FileOpen .Name = "C:\WINWORD\README.DOC"
   Errors:
      If err <> 0 then
         Close #1
         If err = 55 Then MsgBox "File Already Open"
      End If
   End Sub

MORE INFORMATION

When using the WordBasic Open For As command, error number 55 will be returned if the file is already open. The macro above traps error number 55 and posts a message if the file is already open. The MsgBox command can be replaced by other WordBasic commands depending on the purpose of the macro. If the specified file (C:\WINWORD\README.DOC) is not open, the WordBasic FileOpen command will open the file.

NOTE: The above macro checks to see if the file is open. The macro will detect that the file is open even if the file is open in an application other than Word for Windows.

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   http://www.microsoft.com/supportnet/refguide/ 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q159345
   TITLE     : Word 97: Macro to Determine If File Is Already Open

REFERENCES

"Using WordBasic," by WexTech Systems and Microsoft, page 263