ACC1x: Timeout While Waiting for DDE Response

• Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1

SYMPTOMS

Microsoft Access generates the message "Timeout while waiting for DDE response" when you try to initiate a dynamic data exchange (DDE) link with another application.

CAUSE

This error occurs when the function attempting to initiate the link is invoked using a RunCode action in a macro and the RunCode action macro is called from another application using DDE.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Access versions 1.0 and 1.1. This problem no longer occurs in Microsoft Access version 2.0.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft Access takes time-outs with all attempts to perform DDE to other applications if the other application is currently conversing with Microsoft Access as a DDE server.

Steps to Reproduce Problem

The following instructions demonstrate the problem by showing how to use Word for Windows to run a Microsoft Access macro that attempts to initiate a DDE conversation with Microsoft Excel.

1. Start Microsoft Excel with the default worksheet Sheet1 and type some text in cell A1, or row 1, column 1.

2. Start Microsoft Access and create the following macro called "Test":

         Test Actions
         ------------
         RunCode
            Function Name: =TestDDE()
   
   

3. Create the following Access Basic function:

         Option Explicit
         Function TestDDE ()
            Dim chan
            chan = DDEInitiate("excel", "sheet1")
            DDETerminate chan
         End Function
   
   

4. Start Word for Windows and choose Macro from the Tools menu. NOTE: Start Excel before running the macro or the macro will fail.

5. In the Macro Name box, type "test" (without the quotation marks), and press the Edit button.

6. Type the following macro in the editing window:

         Sub MAIN
            chan = DDEInitiate("msaccess", "system")
            DDEExecute chan, "test"
            DDETerminate chan
         End Sub
   
   

7. Run the macro by choosing the Start button on the macro toolbar or by pressing ALT+SHIFT+S.

   Timeout while waiting for DDE response