How can I retrieve the format of a header reference?

[Max Moor]

Hi All,
I'm learning, little by little. I know that I can reference the text
that a cross reference field shows in the doc with:

strCode1 = oRg.Fields(1).Result.Text

Now, I'd like to be able to return the style of the header that the
cross-reference field refers to. For example, I search and find a cross
reference to a header. The code line above returns "Rubber Chickens."

In the document, Rubber Chickens' style is 'Heading 2'. Can I, in VB
code, get "Rubber Chickens" by way of the cross-reference field? I tried:

strCode2 = oRg.Fields(1).Result.Style

Of course, that gave me the style of the cross-reference field, not
the heading it refers to (as I wish).

Thanks for the help, Max

 

[Jezebel]

When you insert a cross-reference to a heading, Word creates a hidden
bookmark for that heading. This is the _Ref12345678 part of your REF field
code. (The leading underscore is what makes it a hidden bookmark. You can
see these on the Bookmarks dialog by checking the 'Hidden Bookmarks'
checkbox.)

You can use this _Ref code to retrieve the heading itself, and thus its
style and other properties --

Dim pRef as string
:
pRef = mid$(oRg.Fields(1).Code, 6, 13)
ActiveDocument.Bookmarks.ShowHidden = TRUE
pStyle = ActiveDocument.Bookmarks(pRef).Range.Style


The Mid$() finction is dubious here -- it would be more reliable to use
Split() or Instr() to extract the reference.

 

[Max Moor]

When you insert a cross-reference to a heading, Word creates a hidden
bookmark for that heading. This is the _Ref12345678 part of your REF
field code. (The leading underscore is what makes it a hidden
bookmark. You can see these on the Bookmarks dialog by checking the
'Hidden Bookmarks' checkbox.)

You can use this _Ref code to retrieve the heading itself, and thus
its style and other properties --

Dim pRef as string
:
pRef = mid$(oRg.Fields(1).Code, 6, 13)
ActiveDocument.Bookmarks.ShowHidden = TRUE
pStyle = ActiveDocument.Bookmarks(pRef).Range.Style


The Mid$() finction is dubious here -- it would be more reliable to
use Split() or Instr() to extract the reference.

Split(oRg.Fields(1).Code)(2) it is. Once again, thanks for the help. I
know that once this code is working, it will repeatedly save me hours of
time over the years. As I found with Access, you MVPs make the learning
curve so much more bearable.

- Max

 

[Greg]

Max

I have been following your posts to try to pick up tips. I just
started dabbling in Word VBA are year or so ago and still have lots to
learn. How did you ever figure out to use the "(2)'" at the end of the
Split statement to return the value that you wanted? I searched the
VBA help and found no similiar example. Is this something that you
knew from your experience in other programs?

 

[Greg]

Jezebel,

Please enlighten. How would you use Instr to return the reference?

 

[Max Moor]

Max

I have been following your posts to try to pick up tips. I just
started dabbling in Word VBA are year or so ago and still have lots to
learn. How did you ever figure out to use the "(2)'" at the end of the
Split statement to return the value that you wanted? I searched the
VBA help and found no similiar example. Is this something that you
knew from your experience in other programs?

Hi Greg,
Yes, I knew that from my Access trials. Split returns a string
array, and the (2) is just an index to it... a shortcut, since I only care
about the '_Refxxx' anyway. More often than not, I'd declare a variable to
dump the array into:

Dim avarOpenArgs As Variant

If (Not IsNull(Me.OpenArgs)) Then

avarOpenArgs = Split(Me.OpenArgs, "\")

...


-TTFN

 

[Max Moor]

Jezebel,

Please enlighten. How would you use Instr to return the reference?

I'll have a go (someone else will make a prettier one)


strRef = Mid$(oRg.Fields(1).Code, InStr(oRg.Fields(1).Code, "_Ref"), 13)


The only thing I don't like is the hard coded '13'. Does anyone know
a pre-defined system constant for a hidden bookmark length? For that
matter, is 13 even guaranteed?

-Max

 

[Greg]

Max,

Thanks. When I saw it, I figured immediately that it was an index
value. I just couldn't figure out how you came upon using it. I have
been using this new gained knowlegde to play around with some code for
rearranging a list of names:

Sub Test()
Dim oPara As Word.Paragraph
Dim oRng As Word.Range
Dim pRef0 As String
Dim pRef1 As String
Dim pRef2 As String
Dim pRef3 As String
Dim pRef4 As String
Dim i As Long

For Each oPara In ActiveDocument.Paragraphs
Set oRng = oPara.Range
oRng.MoveEnd wdCharacter, -1
i = UBound(Split(oRng)) + 1
Select Case i
Case Is > 1
pRef1 = Split(oRng)(0)
pRef2 = Split(oRng)(1)
Select Case i
Case Is < 3
oRng.Text = pRef2 & ", " & pRef1
Case Is < 4
pRef3 = Split(oRng)(2)
If InStr("SR.Sr.JR.Jr.IIIVIII", pRef3) > 0 Then
oRng.Text = pRef2 & ", " & pRef1 & ", " & pRef3
Else
oRng.Text = pRef3 & ", " & pRef1 & " " & pRef2
End If
Case Is = 4
pRef3 = Split(oRng)(2)
pRef4 = Split(oRng)(3)
If InStr("SR.Sr.JR.Jr.IIIVIII", pRef4) > 0 Then
oRng.Text = pRef3 & ", " & pRef1 & " " & pRef2 _
& ", " & pRef4
Else
oRng.Text = pRef4 & ", " & pRef1 & " " & pRef2 _
& " " & pRef3
End If
Case Else
MsgBox oRng & " contains too many elements" _
& " for this procedure to rearrange."
End Select
Case Else
End Select
Next
End Sub

I should change the variable names, but it seems to work pretty good
for rearranging names into from First Name, MI, Last Name, Suffix to
Last Name, First Name MI, Suffix

 

[Greg]

Max,

If Mid$ is buggy in the method Jezebel provided, it seems it would be
even buggier here

 

[Jezebel]

Mid$() is buggy in the code I provided because the start and end points were
assumed. (I was just using a shortcut for the sake of example.

Using Instr() establishes the starting point reliably. As Max points out the
13 is also dubious -- the hidden bookmarks I've seen always seem to be that
length, but since the number is obviously random, I wouldn't rely on it.
Better would be to do a second Instr() to find the first space that follows
the _Ref.

But Split() is a simpler approach.

 

[Greg]

Jezebel/Max,

Thanks for the polite schooling ;-)

The split() with index statement gave me plenty to play with during an
otherwize slow day at the office