If it's an ordinary Win32 API interface in the DLL like Courage thinks, try using the Win32::API module.

However, if it works with VBA it sounds like it's an ActiveX object.

You don't say which line breaks. I can imagine either of them will create the object for you, but not both.

Try to browse the OLE "class" in an OLE browser (hit Alt-F11 in e.g. Word, then open the OLE browser. There is also supposed to be one in the ActiveState Perl distro as well, but I never got that to work (hints welcome)).

/J