ACC97: Word DDE Connection Error Using Table or Query w/ Quotes

• Microsoft Access 97
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

When you try to establish a DDE connection from a Word document to a Microsoft Access table or query by using the Insert Database command in Word, you may receive the following error message:

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

CAUSE

The table or query in Microsoft Access that you are trying to link to has quotation marks in its name.

RESOLUTION

You should rename any table or query that you want to use in a DDE connection with Word without the quotation marks before you try to create the DDE link.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. In Microsoft Access 97, open a database and create a table that contains some data.

2. Close and save the table as "Table"1 (make sure you include the quotation marks).

3. Open Microsoft Word and create a new document.

4. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Database.

5. On the Database toolbar, click the Insert Database button. In the Database dialog box, click Get Data.

6. In the Open Data Source dialog box, in the Files Of Type box, click MS Access Databases (*.mdb).

7. In the File Name box, type the name of the Microsoft Access database that contains the table that you want to open, and then click Open.

8. In the Microsoft Access dialog box, click the Tables tab, and then click the "Table"1 table. Click OK. Note that you receive the error message mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

REFERENCES