I found this piece of code that opens Word from within an Excel macro
Private Sub Open_word_run_build_directory()
Dim oWord As Object
Dim oDoc As Object
Dim wpath As String
wpath = ActiveWorkbook.Path
Set oWord = CreateObject("Word.Application")
oWord.Visible = True
Set oDoc = oWord.Documents.Open(wpath & "\build directory V6.doc")
End Sub

The Word doc €˜build directory V6.doc has a VBA macro in an AutoOpen
subroutine that executes when it opens. Everything works fine except Excel
closes after executing the above routine. I would like it to stay open.
Nothing in the Excel code that follows the above subroutine is the cause of
Excel closing so I have to assume that something about this routine is
causing it or perhaps Excel VBA and Word VBA cannot execute at the same time.
Any thoughts on this?

--
russ