XL2002: DDE Links Are Not Updated Automatically (282136)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 2002
This article was previously published under Q282136

SYMPTOMS

When you open a workbook that contains Dynamic Date Exchange (DDE) links to a remote source, the DDE links may not be updated automatically.

The links remain inactive when you click Update Values in the Edit Links dialog box.

CAUSE

This issue occurs in one of the following two situations.

Situation 1

  • You open the workbook containing DDE links. You click Don't Update when you receive the following message: This workbook contains links to other data sources.
    • If you update the links, Excel attempts to retrieve the latest data.
    • If you don't update, Excel uses the previous information.

    Situation 2

  • The Startup Prompt for the workbook is set to Don't display the alert and don't update automatic links.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, the workbook must be closed and reopened, and you must choose to Update Links in the workbook. Use one of the following methods to ensure that the links update properly when the workbook is opened:

Method 1: Manually choose to update links


  1. With the workbook open, click on the Edit menu and then click Links.
  2. In the Edit Links dialog box, click on the Startup Prompt button.
  3. Click to select Let users choose to display the alert or not, and then click OK.
  4. Click the Close button.
  5. On the File menu, click Save.
  6. On the File menu, click Close.
  7. On the File menu, click Open then browse to the file you saved in step 5 and click Open.
  8. When the file opens, you will be prompted to update the links in the workbook. Click Update.


Method 2: Set the links to update automatically


  1. With the workbook open, click on the Edit menu and then click Links.
  2. In the Edit Links dialog box, click on the Startup Prompt button.
  3. Click to select Don't display the alert and update links, and then click OK.
  4. Click the Close button.
  5. On the File menu, click Save.
  6. On the File menu, click Close.
  7. On the File menu, click Open then browse to the file you saved in step 5 and click Open.
    When the file is opened, you will not be prompted to update the links, but they will be automatically updated.

WORKAROUND

You can temporarily work around this problem by using the Edit Links dialog box to update the current values. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. On the Edit menu, click Links.
  2. In the Edit Links dialog box, click Update Values.
  3. Click Close.
NOTE: This updates the DDE links in the workbook only once. The links do not continue to be automatically updated.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:7/3/2001
Keywords:kbbug kberrmsg KB282136
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.