VBA crash late binding Outlook

New in this forum. I have a problem with some VBA code that always worked before but now suddenly crashes Excel. The code was not changed so, something else seems to be causing this.

This is the line that crashes Excel immediately now:

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Anyone who has an idea what could be causing this?

Yes, I have that Dim statement.
The moment the line executes, Excel closes fully. No messages, just gone.
My Excel works fine (other than this), no issues. My Outlook is also running fine: no problems there.

Does creating other objects cause it to crash?
e.g.

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Have you tried the code in:

1. another file?
2. using early binding (reference to Outlook)?

I'm afraid we're dealing with a new Outlook. If so, you can forget about using macros to automate the process. Simply put, the new Outlook no longer supports VBA code.

Artik

Perhaps. That why I wanted to know if a reference to Outlook existed.

Still, it shouldn't crash Excel should it? You'd expect a "Can't create object" error.


PS you can voice your disgust at that decision here
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com...c-000d3ae46fcb

Originally Posted by ByteMarks

Does creating other objects cause it to crash?
e.g.

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Have you tried the code in:

1. another file?
2. using early binding (reference to Outlook)?

I tried in another file - same issue
Early binding might work but I think I need late binding for my code (I can revert to this in case we can't solve my problem)

I tried CreateObject("Word.Application") that works fine, same for Excel

Originally Posted by Artik

I'm afraid we're dealing with a new Outlook. If so, you can forget about using macros to automate the process. Simply put, the new Outlook no longer supports VBA code.

Artik

I'm using the regular Outlook (desktop version) that came and comes with MSO365 (latest version)

More info: if I close Outlook and then run the code in Excel, the crash is still happening

Crashes on the CreateObject line.

First thing I did when my code suddenly crashed was to create a new file and copy the line in there: that still crashed

Do you have add ins installed?

Good one, thanks. I had thought about that before but forgot to check earlier.
Started Excel in safe mode, ran the code and still crashed

Originally Posted by JEC.

And add ins in outlook?

-Are Excel and Outlook at the same version?
-You could try and reinstall outlook

Yes, same version (MSO365 for all). No add-ins in Outlook.
I don't want to reinstall Outlook, all works fine in Office

Originally Posted by TMS

I do see the option to use the "new" Outlook interface. Is that what you mean?

Yes, that's exactly the switch I'm thinking of. Switching to a new interface causes, problems with the operation of automation, about which below.

Originally Posted by 6StringJazzer

What "new Outlook" are you taking about?

Please refer to this article, possibly additional googling.

Originally Posted by ByteMarks

Still, it shouldn't crash Excel should it? You'd expect a "Can't create object" error.

That's the way it should be, but things are mixed with Microsoft.

I ran a short test a moment ago on version 365. In Outlook, I switched the view to "new Outlook." I closed the application, checked in the Task Manager to see if Outlook stayed among the background tasks. It was not there. In Excel, I ran the following code:

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The execution of the code stopped for about 20 sec on the line CreateObject("Outlook.Application") and then reported the exception:"-2146959355 (80080005) Server execution failed". The variable oOtlk = Nothing.
I ran the code again. The execution again stopped for a moment at the CreateObject line, and then returned an Outlook message: "We detected a problem when starting a new Outlook. Try again later." Err.Number = 0, Err.Description = "", the oOtlk variable contained a reference to the Outlook application. After completing the macro, I opened Outlook and.... by itself returned to the old view. Subsequent running of the code was already running smoothly, of course.
That's where I ended the test.

Artik

Thanks Artik.

What "new Outlook" are you taking about?

Outlook VBA is a COM addin. New Outlook doesn't support COM addins.

Not sure how I can check if I have the new Outlook (but I'm almost certain that I'm NOT using the new one)

File-->Options-->Addins

Did that... what do you want me to see there (other than the addins)?

Ah, OK. So yes, I don't have the new Outlook then.

But that means that my crash is not caused by that and therefore my problem remains.
I'll try to see if I can check early binding (but as said, I'm not sure if that will cause other problems down the line)

Originally Posted by TML59

I tried in another file - same issue
I tried CreateObject("Word.Application") that works fine, same for Excel

Problem would seem to be Outlook.
There can only be one instance of Outlook so CreateObject actually performs GetObject if Outlook is open.
You could try closing Outlook and running this and see if the same thing happens.

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Originally Posted by AliGW

You might need to check that the add-in for VBA is active - it's inactive on mine (but I don't use it). It says 'load on demand', so I think it should be active for you if it's being called correctly.

Mine is too, I never touched it and I'm guessing it's irrelevant as this add-in is for Outlook VBA. What I'm doing is calling Outlook from Excel VBA

Originally Posted by Artik

Classic Outlook has a ribbon very similar to the ribbon in Excel (desktop version). Unless the administrator has disabled it, there should be a "Try the new Outlook" switch in the upper right corner (pic.1).Attachment 867039 The new Outlook by its appearance looks more like a web application (pic.2)Attachment 867040

But I think I'm late.

Artik

I don't see you attachments. I searched my desktop Outlook but see no references to a new version

Originally Posted by ByteMarks

Problem would seem to be Outlook.
There can only be one instance of Outlook so CreateObject actually performs GetObject if Outlook is open.
You could try closing Outlook and running this and see if the same thing happens.

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Thanks, already reported earlier that with Outlook closed, I still get the crash. I did however do what you suggested: created a new Excel file, added the code, closed Outlook. Still a full Excel crash (without any message or delay) on the "CreateObject" line

To build on the feedback from ByteMarks: if I change the call to "GetObject(, "Outlook.Application") I get no errror (of course I need to have Outlook open).

Again: CreateObject had always worked for me. I did not do anything to the file or code but it suddenly just stopped and started to crash some weeks back.

I'll explore the GetObject option a bit more and will report back here if I got things to work (but the original weird problem remains, the GetObject is a workaround)

Maybe this as a workaround.
Try the GetObject. If it fails open Outlook and try it again.

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Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. My problem is (sort of) solved and I can live with the workarounds / alternative approaches.

Re post#33 I never really got to the bottom of it. It happened after I was upgraded from Office 2007 to 365 which generated multiple registry entries.
I got round it by running Outlook with administrator privileges, although why that worked remains a mystery.

Don't have the same machine now and haven't experienced it again.

I was curious, so I just tested that: doesn't work here, still crashes.

The ".16" or the "GetObject (with Shell if needed)" iso CreateObject work for me.