XL97: External Data Range Property Not Saved with Workbook (165779)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q165779

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, the "Overwrite existing cells with new data, clear unused cells" option in the External Data Range Properties dialog box is not retained when you save and close a workbook. Instead, the "Insert entire rows for new data, clear unused cells" option is selected.

CAUSE

This problem occurs in a workbook that already contains external data ranges.

WORKAROUND

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To use one or more external data ranges in a workbook and use the "Overwrite existing cells with new data, clear unused cells" option, create and run a Visual Basic for Applications macro to reset the option each time you open the workbook. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Write down the name of the worksheet that contains the external data range (for example, "Sheet1").
  2. Right-click any cell in the external data range, and click Data Range Properties on the shortcut menu. Write down the name in the Name box (for example, "ExternalData1"). Then, click Cancel.
  3. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and click Visual Basic Editor (or press ALT+F11).
  4. In the Project window, double-click ThisWorkbook for the workbook that contains the external data range.
  5. In the Code window, click Workbook in the Object list. In the Procedure list, click Open. The "Private Sub Workbook_Open()" subroutine appears.
  6. In the subroutine, type the following line of code 
    ActiveSheet.QueryTables("y").RefreshStyle = xlOverwriteCells
    where "y" is the name of the data range you wrote down in step 2.
  7. On the File menu, click "Close and Return to Microsoft Excel."
For each external data range that will use the "Overwrite existing cells with new data, clear unused cells" option, repeat these steps. When you are finished, save the workbook.

When you open the workbook, the data ranges are formatted correctly.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem no longer occurs in Microsoft Excel 2000.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel 97, you can use the Run Web Query, Run Database Query, and Create New Query commands (on the Get External Data submenu) to retrieve external data. When you retrieve external data and the number of rows in the external data range changes, you can format the external data range in the worksheet in one of three ways. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Right-click any cell in the data range. On the shortcut menu, click Data Range Properties.
  2. Under Data Layout, select one of the following three options, depending on how you want Microsoft Excel to behave when data is updated:
    • Insert cells for new data, delete unused cells
    • Insert entire rows for new data, clear unused cells
    • Overwrite existing cells with new data, clear unused cells
  3. Click OK.
If you click either of the first two options, the option is saved with the workbook. However, if you click the third option (to overwrite cells), it reverts to the second option (to insert entire rows) when you close the workbook.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/23/2005
Keywords:kbprb kbweb KB165779
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