Cannot edit Excel file with Word document open

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MarvInBoise - 12 Apr 2006 21:47 GMT

In Office2003, I cannot open and edit my Excel database that I have linked to
a Word document in mail merge; it opens as read-only. I previously could
open/edit/save and then simply rerun my merge in Word. Is there a workaround
to this feature, or am I missing something? Thank you!

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Marv Lusk
Boise Corporation

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 13 Apr 2006 09:42 GMT

Hi =?Utf-8?B?TWFydkluQm9pc2U=?=,

> In Office2003, I cannot open and edit my Excel database that I have linked to
> a Word document in mail merge; it opens as read-only. I previously could
> open/edit/save and then simply rerun my merge in Word. Is there a workaround
> to this feature, or am I missing something?

When you say "previously", you mean with Word 2000 or earlier?

Word 2002/2003 defaults to a different connection method. The old method, DDE,
actually opened the Excel file in Excel and carried on a communication with the
application. So it was no problem editing and merging at the same time.

Word 2002/2003 uses the technology OLE DB, and this puts a file lock on the
database so that you can't "mess it up" while Word is using it.

In order to use DDE, instead, you have to activate "Confirm conversions on open"
in Tools/Options/General. Then, after selecting the Excel file, you should be
able to choose DDE.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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MarvInBoise - 13 Apr 2006 13:32 GMT

Thank you, Cindy, I didn't know about that setting; that helps! However, it
would appears that I need to recreate my Word merge file in order to get the
DDE select prompt; is that true?

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Marv Lusk
Boise Corporation

> Hi =?Utf-8?B?TWFydkluQm9pc2U=?=,
>
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply
> in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 13 Apr 2006 18:22 GMT

Hi =?Utf-8?B?TWFydkluQm9pc2U=?=,

> I didn't know about that setting; that helps! However, it
> would appears that I need to recreate my Word merge file in order to get the
> DDE select prompt; is that true?

No, you shouldn't need to recreate it, just link in the data source again. You
can leave all the merge fields and such :-)

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply
in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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MarvInBoise - 13 Apr 2006 18:35 GMT

I checked the box under Tools/Options/General but I still get "read only"
prompt on Excel file and then a fail on DDE connection in Word???

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Marv Lusk
Boise Corporation

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 04 May 2006 10:27 GMT

Hi =?Utf-8?B?TWFydkluQm9pc2U=?=,

> I checked the box under Tools/Options/General but I still get "read only"
> prompt on Excel file and then a fail on DDE connection in Word???

Have you tried making sure the file isn't open at all in Excel when you try
to link to the workbook?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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