Dates from MSQuery Not Returned to Excel 4.0 Using DDE

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a

SYMPTOMS

If you use a macro in Microsoft Excel version 4.0 to initiate a dynamic data exchange (DDE) conversation with Microsoft Query, and you return data from a query, information in a date column is not returned to the worksheet.

CAUSE

Because Microsoft Query ships with Microsoft Excel version 5.0 (and does not ship with earlier versions of Microsoft Excel), returning data from a query in Microsoft Query to a worksheet in Microsoft Excel version 4.0 is not supported. The behavior described above occurs because Microsoft Excel version 4.0 does not support returning dates using the DDE Date format. Microsoft Excel version 5.0 does support this DDE Date format.

MORE INFORMATION

You can use the Fetch.Advise command in a DDE conversation with Microsoft Query to return data from a query to the destination application. When you use this command in a macro in Microsoft Excel version 4.0, date values in the data you return do not appear on the destination worksheet. All other requested values appear correctly.

REFERENCES

For more information about Fetch And Fetch.Advise Commands (DDE), choose the Search button in Microsoft Query Help and type:

   Fetch commands