XL97: External Data Range Property Not Saved with Workbook

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, the "Overwrite existing cells with new data, clear unused cells" option in the External Data Range Properties dialog box is not retained when you save and close a workbook. Instead, the "Insert entire rows for new data, clear unused cells" option is selected.

CAUSE

This problem occurs in a workbook that already contains external data ranges.

WORKAROUND

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1. Write down the name of the worksheet that contains the external data range (for example, "Sheet1").

2. Right-click any cell in the external data range, and click Data Range Properties on the shortcut menu. Write down the name in the Name box (for example, "ExternalData1"). Then, click Cancel.

3. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and click Visual Basic Editor (or press ALT+F11).

4. In the Project window, double-click ThisWorkbook for the workbook that contains the external data range.

5. In the Code window, click Workbook in the Object list. In the Procedure list, click Open.

   The "Private Sub Workbook_Open()" subroutine appears.

6. In the subroutine, type the following line of code

         Sheets("x").QueryTables("y").RefreshStyle = xlOverwriteCells
   

   where "x" is the name of the worksheet you wrote down in step 1, and "y" is the name of the data range you wrote down in step 2.

7. On the File menu, click "Close and Return to Microsoft Excel."

When you open the workbook, the data ranges are formatted correctly.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel 97, you can use the Run Web Query, Run Database Query, and Create New Query commands (on the Get External Data submenu) to retrieve external data. When you retrieve external data and the number of rows in the external data range changes, you can format the external data range in the worksheet in one of three ways. To do this, use the following steps:

1. Right-click any cell in the data range. On the shortcut menu, click Data Range Properties.

2. Under Data Layout, select one of the following three options, depending on how you want Microsoft Excel to behave when data is updated:

        - Insert cells for new data, delete unused cells
   

        - Insert entire rows for new data, clear unused cells
   

        - Overwrite existing cells with new data, clear unused cells
   

3. Click OK.