Defining DDE Formulas in an Excel Cell

 Last reviewed: November 2, 1994
Article ID: Q45074
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for OS/2 versions 2.2, 2.21, 3.0

SUMMARY

When using a remote DDE reference with Excel, the basic rules for formula construction still apply in creating the reference. If reserved operators are used in the reference, Excel will misinterpret it.

To correct this problem, single quotation marks (') should be placed around the item in this place. This ensures that Excel's formula rules do not interfere. The syntax for a remote reference, then, should look as follows: 

   ='APPLICATION'|'TOPIC'!'ITEM'

MORE INFORMATION

For example, if the remote reference was in the following form 

   =APPLICATION|TOPIC!ITEM
and \\BV\CONFIG.SYS is used for ITEM, it will work correctly.

However, if C:\CONFIG.SYS is used for ITEM, Excel inserts single quotation marks around the C and sends only the C because the colon (:) is a reserved operator. This is also true of the minus sign (-).

KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory:

Additional words: 5.00 2.00 2.0 2.01 2.1 2.10 2.2 2.21 2.20 3.00
3.0 4.00 4.0

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Last reviewed: November 2, 1994
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