Word could not reestalish a DDE connection to ACCESS DB

[capri]

Hi there

I have been trying to solve a problem ... I can not seem to solve these
problem and I have tried several things.

I have a user that needs to do a mail merge in word using ACCESS DB The
user clicks on any letter set up in a standard letter draft folder ( this is
the normal folder containing all the team letters -the team use to send out
for business correspondence).

However when this particular user clicks on any letter to open up in word
she gets this error message

' word could not re-establish a DDE connection to MS to complete the current
task'.

I have tried troubleshooting this from several angles,so far what I have
done so far:

Because it is asking for DDE connection and I can't seem to figure out why
it is not working (I did not design the db nor set up the whole stuff) I
decided to use a DSN connection to make it work so I :

I have create a DSN ( a user DSN in adminstrative tools - data source -user
DSN ) adding the access database - IQE and tried in word to access this
source but it still comes up with it cannot find the datasource and further
clicks it come up with cannot find the path to the data source

\\grcdental02\dental1\......\iqe.mdb cannot be found/

I have checked the path and this is the correct path to the access database.

(also done)....In word tools -option - general tab- tick confirm conversion
at open''

( also done) ...In access have made sure that in the open dialogue box that
there is no tick in the exclusive box.

I have asked the user to log out back in after making some changes... to no
avail

Another problem is now it keeps telling me that program files/ODBC /data
source cannot be found in the program files ....I have added the datasource
IQE access db in this folder still no avail.

Also now it is coming up with a dialogue box with only OLEDB, however i
click in the tick box in this dialogue box to access the DSN ( datasource)
seleted ... I select IQE which is the datasource , even gone as far as
selecting just access 97 as datasource BUT still comes up with ' word could
not re-establish a DDE connection to MS to complete the current task'.


Does anyone pls know what I can do so solve this problem ...pls or what I am
missing. or any other suggestions or a way to get mail merge to work for her

Other users have no problems though... she just started two weeks ago and we
have given her the set up we give new starters.


this is in access 97

Many Thanks in Advance
capri

 

[Peter Jamieson]

I have checked the path and this is the correct path to the access

database.

Can you verify that you can start Access on her machine, then open that path
directly in Access?

Peter Jamieson

 

[capri]

Hi peter

Thanks for your reply and help.

Yes, I am able to access the path directly in Access:
\grcdental02\dental1\......\iqe.mdb cannot be found/

it opens the database fine.

Many Thanks
capri

 

[Peter Jamieson]

OK, You must be using Word 2002 or later to have the OLEDB option, so
a. which version?
b. is your user actually on a different version of Word than the other
users?

FWIW if you have specified a .dsn file as the data source, Word 2002 and
later will only show the OLEDB option. It won't show DDE because it doesn't
know at this point that the .dsn points to a .mdb, it won't show any ODBC
machine data sources for the same reason, and it doesn't have a general
"open using ODBC" option.

However, if everyone else is using DDE to open the data source (are they?)
then I think it will cause you problems to have one user that is using
ODBC/OLEDB, particularly if the connection details are set up by code in
Access and not in the Word mail mere main document.

If you create a completely new word document and try to connect to the .mdb
data source,
a. do you see OLEDB, DDE, and ODBC machine data source options?
b. what happens if you select the DDE option? Does it connect? If so, if
you then close this new document and re-open it, do you see the same problem
as before?

Peter Jamieson

 

[capri]

Hi Peter

Thanks for your quick reply and help.

The version of word is 2003 and the user is on same version as the others.

3 users are connecting with DDE and 1 via ODBC and this user is not having
any problem , the one having problem one of the DDE users.
( I say the others are using DDE because in the control panel - admin
tools- data sources- user DSN , the DB name is not showing (IQE) , however
the ODBC user has the DB name (IQE) is showing up) .

Also when I open a new word doc and try to connect it comes up with a data
source dialogue box - I select new source button (as the IQE is not showing
up) select the DB, and then it shows a ''OLEDB'' dialogue box and I select
''microsoft access DDE'' but it still comes up with the error problem

''word could not re-establish a DDE connection to MS to complete the current
task''.

It is really baffling.

You mentioned ''partiularly if the connection details are set up by code in
Access and not in word mail merge doc''.

I am familar with the concept of mail merge and how it works , but never had
to get dirty at the backend , pls how do I locate where the code is in access
or the word doc, as this would enhance my troubleshooting skills and be able
to answer any further questions of yours or anybody willingly to help as
well. I have been trying to find the code.

Many Thanks in Advance
capri

 

[Peter Jamieson]

OK, I don't think the fact that you cannot see a suitable ODBC DSN means
that the connections are DDE - in Word 2003 it's more likely that they are
OLEDB, which does not need a DSN.

Also when I open a new word doc and try to connect it comes up with a data
source dialogue box - I select new source button (as the IQE is not
showing
up) select the DB, and then it shows a ''OLEDB'' dialogue box and I
select
''microsoft access DDE'' but it still comes up with the error problem

I don't think that's what you should be doing. From Word, you need to locate
the .mdb /wherever it is/ When the Select Data Source dialog box opens, all
you see is the files that are under My Data Sources for the user concerned.
So you have to locate the IQE.mdb file by navigatiing to the correct network
path, and select that. Then (as long as Tools|Options|General|"Confirm
conversion at open" is checked) you should see the DDE option and you should
be able to select it.

If you click the New Source button, you get into a dialog which tries to set
up an Office Data Connection file which "points" to the mdb file. A .odc has
a similar function to a file DSN but is for OLE DB connections, not ODBC
connections. This isn't really where you want to be, unless the users with
working systems have the correct .odc and what you need to do is copy it
onto the non-working system.

You mentioned ''partiularly if the connection details are set up by code
in
Access and not in word mail merge doc''.

When you make a connection to a data source in Word, and save the mail merge
main document, the connection is retained - in theory, the next time the
user opens that mail merge main document, Word should re-open the data
source as well (it may ask a question about SQL first).

You can set up that connection in a number of ways:
a. manually in Word
b. using Word VBA
c. using OLE automation from another piece of sofware, such as Access.

The Word VBA could also be set up to run as an "AutoOpen" macro, so that it
would run each time Word opened the document, even if a piece of code in
Access opened it.

Judging from what you have said so far, I would guess that the person who
created your system set up the connections in Word. However, if the word
document is being launched from Access, then it is possible that some code
in there is making the connection. To find out, you would need to open the
Access database, look at the form that is used to initiate the merge, and
see if what Access macro or VBA module is invoked by the form to initiate
the launch.

Peter Jamieson

 

[capri]

Hi Peter

Thank you for you quick reply and help with this issue.

Sorry I have not managed to even leave a thank you line, have been snowed in
at work dealing with users queries and report writing.

I appreciate the time and feedback. I would use your reply to try and solve
this problem, hopefully i find a solution.

Once again many many thanks for ur help
capri

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Thanks for the feedback - just ask again if you need further help.

Peter Jamieson