Microsoft KB Archive/115718

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Microsoft Access Icon Active After Inserting Database in Word

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Q115718

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a

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SYMPTOMS
If Microsoft Access is running when you insert a Microsoft Access database in a Word for Windows document, the Microsoft Access program icon is active instead of Word after the database appears in Word. You must manually reactivate Word. This happens only when you use the Database command on the Insert menu to insert the Microsoft Access database; it does not happen if you insert the database using the Mail Merge Helper.

This does not happen if Microsoft Access is not already running.

CAUSE
When you insert a Microsoft Access database using dynamic data exchange (DDE), Word activates or starts Microsoft Access, inserts the database, and then closes Microsoft Access. When Microsoft Access is already running, Word activates the application correctly but fails to restore Word afterwards. This only happens when you insert the database using DDE; it does not occur when you use ODBC (Word uses DDE by default).

Note: Word activates Microsoft Access so you can respond to any error messages or prompts from that application.

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Word versions 6.0 and 6.0a for Windows. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

WORKAROUNDS
You can click in the Word window to manually reactivate it after you insert a Microsoft Access database. Use one of the following methods to ensure that Word restores itself as the active application:

Method 1:

Use ODBC to insert the Microsoft Access database so Word remains active throughout the operation. Use the following procedure to insert a database using ODBC:

 From the Insert menu, choose Database, and then choose the Get Data button. In the Open Data Source dialog box, select the Confirm Conversions option so an X appears in the check box. Select the database and then choose OK. In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, select MS Access Databases via ODBC (*.mdb) or MS Access 2.0 Databases via ODBC (*.mdb) and then choose OK. Method 2:

"To use DDE, close Microsoft Access before you insert the database in Word."