accessing word

treasacrowe · December 13th, 2004, 07:38 AM

hi i'm trying to access word from asp.net, using vb.net and IIS 5.1. I am just trying to instantiate a new document, but i keep getting an error. My code is as follows:
<code>
Dim objWord As Word.Application
Dim objDoc As Word.Document
objDoc.Add()
</code>

the error i get is as follows. Anyone got any ideas?:

Object variable or With block variable not set.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.NullReferenceException: Object variable or With block variable not set.

Source Error:

Line 50: 'objDoc.Add("C:\text.doc")
Line 51: 'objDoc = New Word.Document
Line 52: objDoc.Add()
Line 53:
Line 54: End Sub

Source File: c:\inetpub\wwwroot\tripreportasp\WebApplication1\W ebForm1.aspx.vb Line: 52

Stack Trace:

[NullReferenceException: Object variable or With block variable not set.]
   Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.LateBinding .InternalLateCall(Object o, Type objType, String name, Object[] args, String[] paramnames, Boolean[] CopyBack, Boolean IgnoreReturn)
   Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices.LateBinding .LateCall(Object o, Type objType, String name, Object[] args, String[] paramnames, Boolean[] CopyBack)
   WebApplication1.WebForm1.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\tripreportasp\WebApplication1\W ebForm1.aspx.vb:52
   System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive()
   System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain()

MAtkins · December 13th, 2004, 07:49 AM

Though you dimensioned the variable: objDoc you never instantiated it.

You need to add the code:
objWord = new Word.Application
objDoc = new Word.Document

Honestly, I'm not positive about hte syntax here. I've been writing in C#.

I've had NIGHTMARES trying to instantiate Word from the old ASP due to permissions.
It seemed that the only way I could do it was to give the IUSER_MYComputer (in this case it would be the DOT NET user) full control over all the directories on the computer.

If you get this working PLEASE let me know how you got the permissions to work.
Marl Atkins - [email protected]

treasacrowe · December 13th, 2004, 10:53 AM

Hi marl,
thanks for the response. I tried this and am getting permissions errors too.

Access is denied.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access is denied.

I tried giving ASPNET full permissions on the C: drive but its still giving me this error... any more ideas?

rathbird · December 13th, 2004, 06:27 PM

If you're just trying to open a blank word doc, use this client side code (you can run it on any event):

<html>
  <head>
    <title>WebForm2</title>
    <meta name="GENERATOR" Content="Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 7.1">
    <meta name="CODE_LANGUAGE" Content="C#">
    <meta name=vs_defaultClientScript content="JavaScript">
    <meta name=vs_targetSchema content="http://schemas.microsoft.com/intellisense/ie5">
    <script language=javascript>
        function startApp(myAppName)
        {
            var myApp = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");
            if (myApp != null)
            {
                myApp.Run(myAppName);
            }
        }
    </script>
  </head>
  <body onLoad="javascript:startApp('WinWord.exe')">

    <form id="Form1" method="post" runat="server">

     </form>

  </body>
</html>

Now, it does display a dialog asking to allow ActiveX interaction. The only way to get around this is to have your app be a trusted site and to allow trusted sites to permit ActiveX objects, which is a security breech. I'm fine having the dialog pop up.

MAtkins · December 13th, 2004, 06:55 PM

If all you're trying to do is pull a Word doc into the browser you don't even have to create an ActiveX object (for the IE browser anyway).

You can call a URL that is simply a Word Doc.
Ex. http://www.MySite.com/MyDocs/MyWordDoc.doc.

The browser will open the doc.

MAtkins · December 13th, 2004, 06:59 PM

There is such a thing as DCOM which is 'Distributed Component Object Model'. You can get to it by typing in your Windows>>Start>>Run:
dcomcnfg. That should pull up the interface that lets you set permissions for DCOM which is required to access a Word Doc.

You'll have to play with it a bit but in general, make sure that the DotNet user has permissions to access it.

I could be more specific but I just don't remember the details.
Hope that helps.

MAtkins · December 13th, 2004, 07:04 PM

Oh, one more thing before I put this to bed.

If you try to use the ActiveX object routine you'll find that MS Internet Explorer 6 has a default of simply DENY. The popup won't give you the option to access it. You've got to manually reset the Security level in the browser before the popup will let you access ActiveX at all.

treasacrowe · December 14th, 2004, 05:40 AM

thanks guys, i got the permissions to work late yesterday, but now i'm having another problem, in that i can't seem to access word.documents it won't compile. is there something that i have to make a reference to or to import to use this?

treasacrowe · December 14th, 2004, 08:27 AM

hey guys, thanks again for your help, i've got it working now!