Error in Excel macro after going from NT to XP

Kendenny · March 26th, 2004, 03:58 PM

I have an Excel file which contains macros. It works just fine on WIndows NT. When I try to bring it up on XP, I get the error: "Compile error. Can't find project or library". The VB editor is pointing to the CHR() function. If I comment out the line containing the CHR function, I get the same error on the LEFT() function. Basically Excel on XP does not recognize any of the VB built-in functions. Does anyone know why this might be.
Another very strange thing is that I have another Excel file with macros which uses the LEFT function and it works on XP. What's going on?

On a side note, I didn't write these macros, I've inherited them.

Thanks for you help
Ken Denny

pagates · March 26th, 2004, 04:04 PM

Hi Ken,

I've seen something like this before.

The error probably isn't on the CHR() or LEFT(). The actual problem is most likely a missing reference - VBA just bombs out on one of the first lines that it executes when this happens.

Go to Tools->References in the VBA editor, and look for a reference that has MISSING in its name.

From my experience, it is usually something simple that isn't installed on (in your case) the XP machine that had been installed on the NT machine.

Hope this helps,
Paul

Kendenny · March 26th, 2004, 04:16 PM

Curiouser and curiouser. References is grayed out in the tools menu. It's not grayed out when I bring up other xls files.

pagates · March 29th, 2004, 05:33 PM

Is this a locked (protected) project?

If so, References will be disabled (grayed out) until you unlock the project with the project's password.

Kendenny · March 30th, 2004, 03:17 PM

References are only disabled when I open it on an XP machine. I can open it with any NT machine and references are not disabled.

charlied · March 31st, 2004, 09:38 AM

I have the very same problem apart from my OS is Windows 2k

charlied · March 31st, 2004, 10:55 AM

Hi,If you make sure to stop the VB editor before you go into tools, you should be able to access references.
:)

Kendenny · April 1st, 2004, 11:41 AM

Thanks. I was able to access the references and see that I had one missing reference, XLODBC.XLA. I did a google search and found a site to download it from, but that still didn't help. I think Excel was looking in the wrong place for it. Anyway, I created a new spreadsheet with the XP version of Excel and copied and pasted everything from the old one, with no changes and now the new one works, and it doesn't need the XLODBC.XLA reference.