Excel: DDE Name "Microsoft Word" Does Not Work

 Last reviewed: April 25, 1995
Article ID: Q91704
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 3.0 and 4.0

SUMMARY

In versions 3.0 and 4.0 of the "Microsoft Excel Function Reference," the dynamic data exchange (DDE) name used for Microsoft Word for the Macintosh is incorrect. Macro examples for the INITIATE() function use "Microsoft Word" as the DDE name for initiating a channel to Microsoft Word. This results in the following error message: 

   "Cannot find data source"
The correct DDE name for Microsoft Word is "Word.Document.6" (for Microsoft Word version 6.0) or "WordDocument" (for versions of Microsoft Word earlier than version 6.0).

MORE INFORMATION

The INITIATE() function opens a DDE channel to another application. App_text, the first argument of the INITIATE() function, is the DDE name of the application with which you want to begin a DDE session.

The following macro statement initiates a channel to a document named "Untitled1" in Microsoft Word for the Macintosh: 

   =INITIATE("WordDocument","Untitled1")
Note that if you are using Microsoft Word 6.0 for the Macintosh, use the "Word.Document.6" argument.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel Function Reference," version 4.0, 240-241

"Microsoft Excel Function Reference," version 3.0, 130-131

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Additional reference words: 3.0 3.00 4.0 4.00



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Last reviewed: April 25, 1995
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