Failing To Reveal A Hidden Workbook From VBA From A Second Workbook

[Ark68]

Consider this code:

Sub start_2()
    Dim mergeRange As Range
    Dim rng_src As Range, rng_dest As Range
    Dim wb_rmr As Workbook
    Dim ws_sand As Worksheet
    
    declaration
    'Stop
    With Workbooks("permit_info.xlsm").Worksheets("sheet1")
        .Range("I1, K1").Value = ""
    End With
    mbevents = False
    With ws_form
        If .ProtectContents = True Then .Unprotect
        .Range("I2") = ""
        If recall = 0 Then
            With .Range("E2")
                .Value = ""
                .Interior.Color = RGB(221, 235, 247)
                '.Borders.Color = RGB(48, 84, 150)
            End With
        End If
        'recall = 0
        With .Range("E3")
            .Value = ""
            .Interior.Color = RGB(189, 215, 238)
            '.Borders.Color = RGB(48, 84, 150)
            If .MergeCells = True Then
                Set mergeRange = .MergeArea
                mergeRange.Locked = True
            End If
        End With
        With .Range("W3, K15, V15")
            .Value = ""
            .Interior.Color = RGB(189, 215, 238)
            '.Borders.Color = RGB(48, 84, 150)
            If .MergeCells = True Then
                Set mergeRange = .MergeArea
                mergeRange.Locked = True
            End If
        End With
        With .Range("C6,F6,K6,R6,V6")
            .Value = ""
            .Interior.Color = RGB(189, 215, 238)
            '.Borders.Color = RGB(48, 84, 150)
        End With
        With .Range("C6")
            If .MergeCells = True Then
                Set mergeRange = .MergeArea
                mergeRange.Locked = True
            End If
        End With
        With .Range("F6")
            .Validation.Delete
            If .MergeCells = True Then
                Set mergeRange = .MergeArea
                mergeRange.Locked = True
            End If
        End With
        With .Range("K6")
            If .MergeCells = True Then
                Set mergeRange = .MergeArea
                mergeRange.Locked = True
            End If
        End With
        With .Range("R6")
            If .MergeCells = True Then
                Set mergeRange = .MergeArea
                mergeRange.Locked = True
            End If
        End With
        With .Range("V6")
            If .MergeCells = True Then
                Set mergeRange = .MergeArea
                mergeRange.Locked = True
            End If
        End With
        With .Range("K15")
            .Font.Color = vbBlack
            .Font.Bold = False
            If .MergeCells = True Then
                Set mergeRange = .MergeArea
                mergeRange.Locked = True
            End If
        End With
        With .Range("V15")
            .Font.Color = vbBlack
            .Font.Bold = False
            If .MergeCells = True Then
                Set mergeRange = .MergeArea
                mergeRange.Locked = True
            End If
        End With
        '.Range("E2").Select
        
        .Shapes("b_sh1u").Visible = False  'enable edit
        .Shapes("g_sh1u").Visible = True 'disable edit
        .Shapes("b_sh2u").Visible = False
        .Shapes("g_sh2u").Visible = True
        .Shapes("gn_sh2_submit").Visible = False
        .Shapes("g_sh2_submit").Visible = True
        
        If recall = 0 Then
            Set rng_src = wb_permit.Worksheets("Blocks").Range("A25:T29")
            Set rng_dest = ws_form.Range("G8")
            rng_src.Copy _
                Destination:=rng_dest
        Else
            Set rng_src = wb_permit.Worksheets("Blocks").Range("A25:T29")
            Set rng_dest = wb_permit.ws_form.Range("G8")
            rng_src.Copy _
                Destination:=rng_dest
            .Protect
            recall = 0
            .Protect
            Exit Sub
        End If
        .Protect
    End With
'Stop
    wb_permit.Windows(1).Visible = False
    mbevents = True
    If wb_permit.Worksheets("sheet1").Range("K1") = "dp" Then
        pn = wb_permit.Worksheets("sheet1").Range("I1")
        ws_form.Activate
        Call Worksheets("FORM").ReadingView
        MsgBox pn
        wb_permit.Windows(1).Visible = True
        ws_form.Range("E2").Select
    End If
End Sub

When this routine is launched, it basically resets the contents of a worksheet to it's default state in terms of values and formats and then hides it.
This worksheet and code resides in workbook 2 (wb_permit), the second of two open workbooks (wb_rmr).
It is user activity in workbook 1 (wb_rmr) that assigns the value of "dp" to range wb_permit.Worksheets("sheet1").Range("K1") and a value to wb_permit.Worksheets("sheet1").Range("I1") to refer to variablepn. . User initiated code in wb_rmr also launches this code. 
This code, when launched by the user from workbook 1 (wb_rmr) reaches the content in blue. A value of "dp" residing in range wb_permit.Worksheets("sheet1").Range("K1") triggers the remainder of the code.
The code in blue is intended to produce the following results ...
     - activate worksheet "form" in wb_permit (hidden)
     - call a procedure residing in wb_permit worksheets "FORM" which modifies the window - wb_permit worksheets("FORM") -  resizing it, removing static features like toolbars, tabs, ribbons, scrolllbars etc)
     - reveal (unhide) the modified worksheets("FORM") on top of wb_rmr behind it

I think I have the ordering of events wrong. When this code executes, the wb_permit.worksheet("FORM") window is not revealed.

Is anyone able to suggest a solution? If I have failed to provide adequate information, or the right information, to help support a solution, please ask for clarification. I'm unsure what information is relevant.

 

[CountTepes]

You can access data in a closed book.
It's a little more awkward with VBA than with Excel.

This sort of way.
Yout code needs to put a formula into a cell and then copy the data returned by the formula from the cell back into itself.

a = "='c:\My Documents\My test stuff\[Book1.xlsm]Sheet1'!"
Range("A1").Formula = a & Cells(1, 1).Address
Range("A1").Value = Range("A1").Value

 

[Ark68]

Thats a great tidbit of learning you provided there. Thanks. I wasn't aware I could do that, but surprise to me!

Anyway, I have reworked my code to avoid having to call macros of one workbook from another. I think what was happening was I was duplicating a lot of the code which wasn't necessary. It's streamlined now. I put the workbook unhiding and workbook formatting (ReadingView) in a module in wb1 and referenced wb2 in that code for which to apply the formatting to. No need to have to have that code in workbook.

 

[CountTepes]

Sometimes, just discussing a problem, clears the mind and shows the way.