XL97: Error Updating or Modifying Link to DDE Server Program (172753)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q172753

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, if you click Update Now, Automatic, or Manual in the Links dialog box, you may receive the following error message:
This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.
If you click Details, you receive an error message similar to any of the following:
EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module EXCEL.EXE at 0137:30278a70.
EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module KERNEL32.DLL at 0137:bff7677a.
EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module KERNEL32.DLL at 0137:bff9a5d0.
In addition, Microsoft Word 97 or Microsoft PowerPoint 97 may stop responding.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you do the following steps:

  1. In a Microsoft Excel worksheet, you enter a formula that is linked to a dynamic data exchange (DDE) server program.

    For example, the formula may be similar to the following: 
          =StockSrv|Prices!MSFT
  2. In the Links dialog box, you attempt to open the DDE server program by clicking Open Source.

    Note that when you do this, you receive the following error message:
    Cannot start the source application for this object.
  3. You click Update Now, Automatic, or Manual in the Links dialog box.
NOTE: This problem does not occur in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do not click Open Source in the Links dialog box when the selected source file is a DDE server program.

If the problem occurs, Microsoft Word 97 or Microsoft PowerPoint 97 may stop responding. When this happens, press CTRL+ALT+DEL and close any programs are not responding.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel, you can create a formula that returns information from a DDE server program. The syntax of such a formula is as follows: 
   =<ServerName>|<Topic>!<Value>
<ServerName> is usually the name of an .exe file, without the .exe file name extension, for example, StockSrv. <Topic> and <Value> vary from program to program.

When you enter a formula that returns information from a DDE server program, the formula is updated each time the DDE server program broadcasts new information.

When you open a workbook that contains formulas that refer to DDE server programs, you are prompted whether to update the workbook. If you click No, the formulas in the workbook that refer to the DDE server program are not updated properly. If you want the formulas to update properly, follow these steps:

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  2. Click the Calculation tab.
  3. Click to select the Update Remote References check box. Then, click OK.
The formulas are updated properly.

There is no need to use the Links dialog box when you are working with formulas that refer to DDE server programs. Attempting to use the Links dialog box to control the connection to a DDE server program may cause problems, for example, the problem described in this article.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/22/2000
Keywords:kbbug kberrmsg KB172753
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