INFO: Cannot Automate Word, Excel, or PowerPoint Viewers (189609)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

This article was previously published under Q189609

SUMMARY

The viewers for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint were not designed to support automation. They cannot be automated.

MORE INFORMATION

Because of the nature of the PowerPoint application, PowerPoint has a built-in viewer. Such viewers are not needed in other products. If you have PowerPoint installed, you can automate PowerPoint's built-in viewer. However, if you have only the PowerPoint viewer, it cannot be automated. Attempting to use the PowerPoint object library to do so will not work, and is a violation of licensing agreements (it is not redistributable.)

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:3/9/2005
Keywords:kbAutomation kbinfo KB189609