In this article, we will discuss a couple of instances of runtime error 438 and their solutions.
Error 1
The following error is generated when you start Microsoft Word 2002 Standard Edition for the first time after upgrading from Office 2000:
"Run time error ‘438’
Object doesn’t support this property or method."
Cause of the Error
The above error is generated when the Microsoft Works 2001 add-in is not configured properly for Word 2002 and fails to add itself to menu when Word 2002 loads on the system.
Resolution Method
To resolve the above error, uninstall the Microsoft Works 2001 add-in from your system. To achieve this, perform the following steps:
- Click Start, select Settings, and click Control Panel.
- Next, double-click Add or Remove Programs.
- Click File Location in the Options dialog box.
- Next, on the Install/Uninstall tab, select Word in Works Suit Add-in, and click the Add/Remove button.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the removal process.
Error 2
On a Windows 95 computer when all of the following conditions are true:
- Regional Settings are set to a configuration other than English (United States)
- You try to run a program in which a form is assigned to a variable
- This variable is used to access a control on the form
You may encounter the following error message:
“Run-Time Error #438: Object doesn’t support this property or methodâ€
Cause of the Error
Runtime error 438 error in this case is generated when Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0 16-bit Enterprise Edition is used with Windows 95.
Resolution Methods
To resolve the above issue in Windows 95, you may use either of the following methods:
- You may access the form directly, instead of using a variable containing the form to access it.
- You may create property procedures in the form’s code to allow access to the properties of the controls on the form.
Microsoft acknowledged the above issue in Windows 95 and fixed the problem in subsequent Windows releases.
You may also encounter a runtime error 438 while creating a custom toolbar in Microsoft Excel using Visual Basics (VB). To resolve Visual Basics related errors in Microsoft Excel, you may refer to programming examples available on the Microsoft Knowledge Database.
Runtime errors, such as runtime error 438 may also occur due to a corrupt registry or malware infection. To prevent runtime errors occurring due to registry issues, regularly clean your Windows registry. You may use RegServe, which is an excellent registry cleaner to effectively clean your registry.
To prevent runtime errors occurring due to malware infection, install robust antimalware tools, such as STOPzilla Antivirus and Spyware Cease. Run regular malware scans on your entire computer and keep your security tools updated with the latest malware definitions to ensure that malware programs do not breach your system’s security.