Error.Source Property (DAO)

Returns the name of the object or application that originally generated the error.

Syntax

expression .Source

expression A variable that represents an Error object.

Remarks

The Source property value is usually the object's class name or programmatic ID. Use the Source property to provide your users with information when your code is unable to handle an error generated in an object in another application.

For example, if you access Microsoft Excel and it generates a "Division by zero" error, Microsoft Excel sets Error.Number to the Microsoft Excel code for that error and sets the Source property to Excel.Application. Note that if the error is generated in another object called by Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Excel intercepts the error and still sets Error.Number to the Microsoft Excel code. However, the other Error object properties (including Source) will retain the values as set by the object that generated the error. The Source property always contains the name of the object that originally generated the error.

Based on all of the error documentation, you can write code that will handle the error appropriately. If your error handler fails, you can use the Error object information to describe the error to your user, using the Source property and the other Error properties to give the user information about which object originally caused the error, the description of the error, and so forth.

Note

The On Error Resume Next construct may be preferable to On Error GoTo when dealing with errors generated during access to other objects. Checking the Error object property after each interaction with an object removes ambiguity about which object your code was accessing when the error occurred. Thus, you can be sure which object placed the error code in Error.Number, as well as which object originally generated the error (Error.Source).

Example

This example forces an error, traps it, and displays the Description, Number, Source, HelpContext, and HelpFile properties of the resulting Error object.

Sub DescriptionX() 
 
 Dim dbsTest As Database 
 
 On Error GoTo ErrorHandler 
 
 ' Intentionally trigger an error. 
 Set dbsTest = OpenDatabase("NoDatabase") 
 
 Exit Sub 
 
ErrorHandler: 
 Dim strError As String 
 Dim errLoop As Error 
 
 ' Enumerate Errors collection and display properties of 
 ' each Error object. 
 For Each errLoop In Errors 
 With errLoop 
 strError = _ 
 "Error #" & .Number & vbCr 
 strError = strError & _ 
 " " & .Description & vbCr 
 strError = strError & _ 
 " (Source: " & .Source & ")" & vbCr 
 strError = strError & _ 
 "Press F1 to see topic " & .HelpContext & vbCr 
 strError = strError & _ 
 " in the file " & .HelpFile & "." 
 End With 
 MsgBox strError 
 Next 
 
 Resume Next 
 
End Sub