Carol,

Since the Word always instantiates as not Visible, it's best not to set any properties that are used to display anything until you really need 'em. In this case, when you set one of those properties, such as .WindowState, Word decides to "help" you and set Visible to .T.--after all, why would you change it if you didn't want to see it? It'll work just fine without setting .Windowstate, and therefore you won't need .Visible. Delete all those lines, and set 'em at the end.

Should fine after that.

- della