XL: MSQuery: Cannot Open Q+E Query File

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Query, you attempt to open a Q+E Query file (.QEF) containing a text, the following error messages will appear:

   Error in Expression: field_1

   -and-

   Invalid column name: Field_1

MORE INFORMATION

The errors are caused by incorrect table information provided to Microsoft Query. Q+E is providing a Microsoft Query a field width that is different from the actual table width. This table information cannot be correctly interpreted. The solution is to create a new text data source and have Microsoft Query "guess" the new table information then load the old query (.QEF) file.

To create the new data source to open the Q+E query table, do the following:

1. Run Microsoft Query.

2. From the File menu choose New Query.

3. Select Other.

4. In the ODBC Data Sources dialog choose New.

5. From the Add Data Source dialog box, select Text Files and choose OK.

6. In the ODBC Text Setup, enter a name for the new data source and choose the Options button.

7. Select the Directory button and choose the directory that contains the Q+E query file (*.QEF). Choose the OK button.

8. Choose the Define Format button.

9. Select the Q+E query file (*.QEF) and choose the Guess button.

10. Choose OK until the Select Data Source dialog box appears.

11. Select the newly created data source and choose the Use button.

12. Now add the Q+E query table.