Thanks to Carlo, Jim and Earl for your help,
The code that Carlo suggested resulted in the error message "expected end
with" as I am not a vb expert I wasn't sure where to go from there.
Jim's code works a treat and has solved the problem. I have added all the
Selection.Autofilter Fields:=1
Selection.Autofilter Fields:=2 etc so that it unsorts any column that has
been sorted and then unhides them so thanks for that.
Thanks to Earl for your support as well.

Kerry

"Kerry" wrote:

I have an excel spreadsheet 2003 which I use to sort information. On the
index sheet I have buttons with macros that hide certain columns and then
sort information on the remaining column in sheet 2. If a user doesn't unsort
when they return to the index sheet this creates a problem the next time
someone sorts using a button.
I have inserted an unsort code into the buttons so that it will unsort first
and unhide the columns then run the sort macro which works really well.
Someone suggested I put the unsort code into the index sheet code which I
have but it doesn't work.

Private Sub Worksheet_Activate()

Sheets("Contact Numbers").Select
Selection.AutoFilter Field:=3
Columns("D:S").Select
Selection.EntireColumn.Hidden = False
Sheets("Index").Select
Range("A1").Select
End Sub

The error starts at the Columns("D:S").Select with the message
Select method of range class failed

Can someone suggest a solution to this please.

Thankyou Kerry