Question

In a VSTO application-level add-in, is there a way to freeze a Word document window so the user doesn’t see our Word automation changes as they are being made? We’d like to do something akin to the WinForms TreeView’s BeginUpdate() and EndUpdate() method. I’m not sure why Word doesn’t offer something like this. Maybe MS doesn’t want to give developers a way to accidentally “hang” the window.

BTW, we realize that programming to the XML rather than using Word automation is “better” in many ways, but in this specific instance we need to suspend updating of the window. We are trying to scroll two regions of two separate documents into view so they are lined up properly. Doing so requires scrolling up to the top of the document, then scrolling a range into view. Point being, the user sees a little “jump” while the window scrolls. Would look more professional without this!

Answer 1

Absolutely. Here’s some VBA, but you get the idea.

Sub YourSub()
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    'do your thing
     Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub