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: Getting Bookmark Information in VBA.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 12, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Assuming the insertion point is located within a bookmark, John wonders how he can use VBA to discover the name of that bookmark and to select all the text within the bookmark.
There are a couple of tricks to keep in mind when working with bookmarks. First, it is best not to assume that the insertion point is within a bookmark. Instead, you can verify if it is within a bookmark by using the following code:
BkMkCount = Selection.Bookmarks.Count
When executed, BkMkCount will contain a value indicating the number of bookmarks. If you are expecting only a single bookmark, then you can verify that the variable is equal to 1 before you proceed with your code.
If you want to figure out the name of the bookmark, then you can use the following:
BkMkName = Selection.Bookmarks(1).Name
If you then want to select all the text in the bookmark, use the following:
Selection.Bookmarks(1).Select
To bring all these concepts together you can use a structure such as the following:
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:
BkMkCount = Selection.Bookmarks.Count
If BkMkCount = 1 Then
With Selection.Bookmarks(1)
BkMkName =.Name
.Select
End With
End If
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 (6557) 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: Getting Bookmark Information in VBA.
The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!
Bookmarks are a great boon in developing and working with documents—until someone deletes them. When it comes to ...
Discover MoreBookmarks are a great feature you can use to mark the location of text or to mark a position within a document. They can ...
Discover MoreIf you develop a macro that needs to work with bookmarks defined in a document, it is inevitable that you will need a way ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
Comments