Microsoft KB Archive/188077

= WD: Err Msg: "Word Could Not Re-Establish a DDE Connection..." =

Article ID: 188077

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 6.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 6.0a
 * Microsoft Word 6.0c
 * Microsoft Word 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 95a

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This article was previously published under Q188077





SYMPTOMS
When you insert a Microsoft Access database using DDE, you may receive the following error message:

Word could not re-establish a DDE connection to Microsoft Access to complete the current task.



CAUSE
This error may occur for one of the following reasons.

Case 1: Query or Table Name Contains Quotation Marks
When you try to insert a Microsoft Access Query or Table whose name contains quotation marks, Word will add a second set of quotation marks around the name. Because this action returns the incorrect information to Microsoft Access, Microsoft Access cannot locate the Query or Table and returns the error.

Case 2: You Select a Memo or Picture Field
If you select a memo or picture field from a Microsoft Access version 1.0 table as a sort field in a Word document, the above error message will be returned. Both memo and picture fields are automatically filtered out of the Sort menu when a Microsoft Access version 1.1 table is used as the data source. Word cannot remove the memo or picture field names from the sort dialog box for Microsoft Access 1.0. The field types, as part of the data table file information, are not supplied by Microsoft Access 1.0.

Case 3: The Database Is Opened Exclusively
The Microsoft Access database is opened "exclusively" by another user.



Case 1: Query or Table Name Contains Quotation Marks
Rename the table in Microsoft Access to contain single quotation marks (') as the marker.

-or-

Use the Microsoft Access ODBC driver instead of DDE.

Case 2: You Select a Memo or Picture Field
To avoid this error message, do not attempt to sort Microsoft Access 1.0 data tables using the memo or picture fields.

Case 3: The Database Is Opened Exclusively
To allow shared access to the Microsoft Access database, clear the Exclusive check box (located in the Open Database dialog box).

-and-

Change the Default Open Mode for Databases to Shared. (To locate this option in Access 2.0, click Options on the View menu, and select the Multiuser/ODBC in the Category list. To locate this option in Access 7.0 or Access 97, click Options on the Tools menu, click the Advanced tab, and then select the Shared option.)



STATUS
Case 1:

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. Case 2:

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Access version 1.0. This problem was corrected in version 1.1.

Additional query words: link

Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbinterop kbmerge KB188077

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