WD2000: ErrMsg: "Word Could Not Re-Establish a DDE Connection to Microsoft Excel"

ID: Q198299

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word 2000

SYMPTOMS

If you specify a cell range when you attach a Microsoft Excel worksheet as a mail merge data source using Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE), the following error message may appear:

Word could not re-establish a DDE connection to Microsoft Excel to complete the current task.

CAUSE

The error message listed in the "Symptoms" section of this article can be caused by the following:

The Ignore Other Applications check box in Excel is selected. To locate this option in Excel, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the General tab.

-or-

You used a colon to specify a range of cells. For example, if you specify a range by typing "A1:G6" (without the quotation marks) in the Excel dialog box that appears after you select a worksheet, this error occurs.

WORKAROUND

Use one of the following methods appropriate for your situation:

Method 1: Clear the Ignore Other Applications Check Box

In Excel, clear the Ignore Other Applications check box, and use a name to define the range of data you want to use as the mail merge data source. In Word, when the Excel dialog box appears, select that name in the Named or Cell Range list. This method works whether you open the worksheet using DDE or the Excel converter.

Method 2: Use the Excel Converter

In the Mail Merge Helper (on the Tools menu, click Mail Merge), click the Get Data button, and then click Open Data Source. Select your Excel worksheet and ensure that the Select Method check box is selected. When Word prompts you to confirm the data source, select Microsoft Excel Worksheet Via Converter (*.xls) from the Open Data Source list.

NOTE: When you use the converter, the error does not occur, even if you specify a range using a colon as the separator.

Method 3: Use Row/Column Designation

When you type in the cell range, use the row and column range RxCx instead.

NOTE: x indicates the number of the column or row.
For example, instead of typing A1:C3, type R1C1:R3C3.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Word Help contains incorrect information in the Microsoft Excel dialog box Help topic. This Help topic states the following:


   Enter the range of worksheet cells you want to include. For example,
   A1:C5 includes the information in cells A1 through C5.

NOTE: To view the incorrect Help topic in the Microsoft Excel dialog box when you specify the cell range, right-click "Named or cell range" and then click "What's This?"

Additional query words: delimiter semi-colon officeinterop mailmerge reestablish


Keywords          : kbdta wd2000 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: May 13, 1999