"trap" a compile time error
 

I'm using an external .dll, and like the side-effect that if I try to use
it on an excel which doesn't have the .dll installed, the
spreadsheet won't run, but goes into a compile error cycle, and has
to be killed by the task manager. however, it would be better to be a bit
less brutal, and detect the absence of a reference to the .dll.
so I put a search of Application.VBE.ActiveVBProject.References into
auto-open(), with an immediate End if the name of the .dll isn't found.
unfortunately I still get the compile error cycle, even if excel has
all its tool-options-general compile options unticked. is this
something for which there is a workaround?

thanks,
Eric