Question

I have both Word 2007 and 2010 installed. I need to open Word from within Excel but I need to specify which version I need to open within VBA.

I’ve tried late binding

Dim wordApp2007 As Object
Dim wordApp2010 As Object

Set wordApp2007 = CreateObject("Word.Application.12")
wordApp2007.Visible = True
Set wordApp2010 = CreateObject("Word.Application.14")
wordApp2010.Visible = True

but both open Word 2010

I’ve also tried early binding by using

Dim wordApp As Word.Application
Set wordApp2007 = New Word.Application
wordApp2007.Visible = True

and setting references to the Word 12.0 object model but this still opens Word 2010

If I register each version of Word using

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE" /regserver

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\WINWORD.EXE" /regserver

then the version registered opens but then I can’t open open the non-registered.

Can anyone help and show me how to open a specific version of Word within Excel using VBA?

Thank you

Edit: Example code….

Option Explicit

Dim wordApp2007 As Word.Application

Sub Word_InfoEarly()
'early binding
Set wordApp2007 = New Word.Application
wordApp2007.Visible = True

    'other Stuff
    Stop

    wordApp2007.Quit
    Set wordApp2007 = Nothing

End Sub


Sub Word_InfoLate()
Dim wordApp2007 As Object
Dim wordApp2010 As Object

    Set wordApp2007 = CreateObject("Word.Application.12")
    wordApp2007.Visible = True
    Set wordApp2010 = CreateObject("Word.Application.14")
    wordApp2010.Visible = True

    'other Stuff
    Stop

    wordApp2007.Quit
    Set wordApp2007 = Nothing
    wordApp2010.Quit
    Set wordApp2010 = Nothing

End Sub

Answer 1

This is a work around:

TaskID = Shell("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE",vbHide) '2007
'TaskID = Shell("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\WINWORD.EXE",vbHide) '2010
GetObject(,"Word.Application")

You would also need to test if a previous version of word is open, or use something other than a basic GetObject to activate the window, else there’s no guarantees that it will get the right version.

The other way would be to pass the document name in the Shell command, and then GetObject could be called with the document name