Using wDoc=getobject(nameoffile)
followed by wApp=wDoc.application
and wApp.visible=.t.

solved the problem on this machine. (I didn't have to use the checking loop in this instance.)
So in this case (the machine was running office and windows XP) the createobject function returns incorrectly, and the getobject function works.

It appears to have had the added benefit of working wether word is already loaded or not.

Thanks for the help

Mike