This should work:
Sub cbGenerateIssue_Click()
Sheets("Issue worksheet").Copy Befo=Sheets(1)
With Sheets(1)
.Name = "1st Issue"
.Shapes("cbReformat").Delete
.Shapes("cbGenerateIssue").Delete
End With
Rows("5:7").Select
End Sub

It will only work once. If you try it again, it will halt when it tries to
rename the new sheet "1st Issue", which would already exist. You could
insert code to remove any existing sheet with that name first.

-Glenn Ray


"mark kubicki" wrote:

select method of range class fails (AUGHHH!!!)
sheet is unprotected
sheet has a control button "cbGenerateIssue"
code had been created by recording a macro (where it worked...)
select fails even if control button , which calls the code, has not yet been
deleted


Private Sub cbGenerateIssue_Click()
Sheets("Issue worksheet").Select
Sheets("Issue worksheet").Copy Befo=Sheets(1)
Sheets("Issue worksheet (2)").Select
Sheets("Issue worksheet (2)").Name = "1st Issue"
ActiveSheet.Shapes("cbReformat").Select
Selection.Delete
ActiveSheet.Shapes("cbGenerateIssue").Select
Selection.Delete
' -------- this next line fails (or any variation of it)
Rows("5:7").Select



had tried some variations:
...Sheets("1st Issue).Rows("5...
...put the select into a function
... moved the calling control deletion to after select...
nothing

thanks in advance,
mark