Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Copying a File in VBA.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 10, 2018)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Word uses a macro programming language known as Visual Basic for Applications, or VBA. Many of the tasks you can perform in regular Visual Basic you can also perform in VBA. One such task is to copy files. You can do so by using the FileCopy command, as follows:
FileCopy source, target
Of course, you need to provide the appropriate specifications for both the source and target designations. For instance, if you wanted to copy a file named MyFile.Doc from the current directory to the F: drive (perhaps where you have a thumb drive) you could do so:
FileCopy myfile.doc, f:
If you try to copy a file that is currently open (either by Word or through a different program), VBA generates an error.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (821) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Copying a File in VBA.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!
Need to process a document, paragraph by paragraph, in a macro? It's easy to do once you understand that Word's object ...
Discover MoreWord allows users to conveniently work with multiple documents at the same time. When writing macros, you may need to ...
Discover MoreWhen using a macro to process text in a document, it is not unusual to replace one portion of a text string with another ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2020-04-03 13:17:04
Rami
Hello Allen,
I've been trying to create a macro that will help me copy and transfer text from one document to another. After selecting text in the first document (Document A), I would like the macro to copy and paste that text into the second document (Document B).
I'm not sure if this is even possible. If it's not, please let me know, and I'll stop researching how to do this.
Thanks!
Rami.
2018-12-31 07:52:04
V.S.Rawat
https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/MacrosVBA/CopyOpenFile.htm
How to copy an open file using VBA
Article contributed by Dave Rado
The VBA FileCopy statement will not copy files that are open. However, the WordBasic equivalent will (this is what is known as progress!).
Unfortunately, the syntax of WordBasic equivalent is different in Word 97 and Word 2000!
The following works even if the file being copied is open:
If Left$(Application.Version, 1) = "8" Then
'Word 97
WordBasic.CopyFile FileName:="c:\OldDirectory\Temp.doc", _
Directory:="C:\NewDirectory\Temp.doc"
Else
'Word 2000 and above
WordBasic.CopyFileA FileName:="c:\OldDirectory\Temp.doc", _
Directory:="C:\NewDirectory\Temp.doc"
End If
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here:
Comments