DDE mailmerge between Word and Excel

[Guest]

Until recently, I've been successfully merging my Word 2003 forms with my
Excel 2003 database using DDE. After loading Window XP updates on one
machine, the mailmerge is not working properly. The database does not stay
connected after file is closed. I can reopen and reconnect with the
database, and everything works fine, but when the file is closed and a new
document is later opened with the document template, no database is
connected, and I must go through the connection process again.

I think I've narrowed it down to a Windows Xp Pro (or Explorer 7) problem.
My Win 2k machine is not having the problem (with the same templates and
databases). My older XP Pro machine is having the problem, as is a new XP
Pro laptop I installed this week (all running the most recent Windows and
Explorer updates).

Any suggestions? Any new settings I'm overlooking?

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Macintosh]]

The only thing I can think of is the MDAC (Microsoft Data Access Components)
version on the machine.

I don't know much about it, but I had a similar very perplexing problem that
required me to find and update the MDAC components. Search the Microsoft
site for them...

Until recently, I've been successfully merging my Word 2003 forms with my
Excel 2003 database using DDE. After loading Window XP updates on one
machine, the mailmerge is not working properly. The database does not stay
connected after file is closed. I can reopen and reconnect with the
database, and everything works fine, but when the file is closed and a new
document is later opened with the document template, no database is
connected, and I must go through the connection process again.

I think I've narrowed it down to a Windows Xp Pro (or Explorer 7) problem.
My Win 2k machine is not having the problem (with the same templates and
databases). My older XP Pro machine is having the problem, as is a new XP
Pro laptop I installed this week (all running the most recent Windows and
Explorer updates).

Any suggestions? Any new settings I'm overlooking?

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Business Analyst, Consultant
Technical Writer.
Sydney, Australia +61 (0) 4 1209 1410

 

[Graham Mayor]

DDE is an old method of data connection, abandoned in Office 2003 (though it
can still work). It has not been maintained so it frequently causes
problems. When it works it is fine, but it doesn't always work. See
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk:80/t0003.htm for some more information and consider
an alternative method of connection for which
http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm will come in handy.


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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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