Word formatting macro that calls another macro on a networked drive

0
votes

I already have .docm files that have simple formatting macros embedded in them. The macros work. However I have 100+ different .docm files that use basically the same macro. Instead of changing the macros on all 100+ .docm files when I need to change a format, I would like to place the macro in a separate text file in a stable location on a network drive and have the macro code in each .docm file reference that text file.

I tried a Call Shell(AppName,1) statement where the AppName contains the path of the txt file, but the compiler won't work with a colon.

I researched creating a macro to change other macros embedded within each document, but was advised against it due to virus scanners.

1
vbareferencecallms-word
Yes, id advise against code writing code, you could use and AddIn and have the code in the addin, then the macro's call the addin code, so in each of your 100+ you'd have ADDINFUNCTION(), but in the Addin you'd have the code for ADDINFUNCTION(). Google AddIns to Share VBA code in Word or even just AddIns Word VBA. Hope this helps. - Nathan_Sav

1 Answers

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It's not possible to run a macro from a text file, the way you imagine. (Cool idea, but a security risk, I think.)

Better would be to bring all the macros together in a single template (dotm), which you put in your STARTUP folder. When Word loads, it will load this template (with all its Ribbon customizations and macros) as an "add-in". (See also the Developer/Add-ins dialog box, which is where these can be managed.)

In this way, your code can be managed centrally - but you do have to explicitly open the template in order to make changes to the code. It can't be done just over the loaded add-in (that's only possible with Normal.dotm).

You can also have macros in this add-in template that you call from other macros. This can be done using the Applicaton.Run method.