XL: DDEREQUEST May Truncate Results

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Query for Windows, version 1.0
• Microsoft Query for Windows 95, version 2.0
• Microsoft Query 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

If you use DDERequest to retrieve the Structured Query Language (SQL) statement (QueryDefinition function) or the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) SQL Statement (ODBCSQLStatement function) from Microsoft Query, the results may be truncated.

Sample statements that can produce this condition are as follows:

   DDERequest(<channel>, "QueryDefinition")

   DDERequest(<channel>, "ODBCSQLStatement")

WORKAROUND

You can avoid the truncation by using the following array form of these functions:

   DDERequest(<channel>, "QueryDefinition/n")

   DDERequest(<channel>, "ODBCSQLStatement/n")

The array form of these functions parses the SQL statement into array elements. You can use the following Visual Basic for Applications code sample to place the SQL statement on a worksheet using the array form of these functions.

Sample Visual Basic Code

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Before you run this subroutine, be sure that Microsoft Query 2.0 is open and you understand how to select a data source and return data to Microsoft Excel. If you have any questions regarding this topic, please see "Getting Started with Microsoft Office for Windows 95" and Microsoft Query Help.

Type the following code in a module sheet:

   Sub TestArrayQueryDefinition()

   '   Activate a worksheet.
   Worksheets(1).Activate
   '   Initiate a Channel to MSQuery.
   Chan = DDEInitiate("MSQUERY", "System")

   '   Give the user control in Microsoft Query so they can select data
   '   from a database and return to Excel.
   DDEExecute Chan, "[UserControl('&Return to Excel',3,true)]"
   '   At this point the code opens Microsoft Query and waits
   '   for the user to select a Data Source, Data Table(s), and data to
   '   return to Microsoft Excel.

   '   To request the Query Definition be parsed into of 50 character
   '   sections...
   QryDefArray = DDERequest(Chan, "QueryDefinition/50")
   '   To format the parsed Query Definition data...
   ArrayLen = UBound(QryDefArray, 1)
   Range("A1").Value = "Query Definition (renamed Column Names) in " _
      & ArrayLen & " parts:"
   '   If the Array length is one then a one dimension array is returned,
   '   if the Array length is greater than one, a two dimension array is
   '   returned.
   If ArrayLen = 1 Then
   '   Place the single line of data on the worksheet and remove wrap text.
      Range("A2") = QryDefArray(1): Range("A2").WrapText = False
   Else
   '   Place the parsed lines of data on the worksheet and remove wrap
   '   text.
      For i = 1 To ArrayLen
         Range("A" & i) = QryDefArray(i, 1)
         Range("A" & i).WrapText = False 'To undo wrap text
      Next i
   End If

   End Sub