You receive an error message when you insert a database in a Word 2000 document or when you attach a mail merge main document to a data source (224048)

ERROR MESSAGE

When you insert a database in a Word document or attach a mail merge main document to a data source, the following error message may appear:

Word could not re-establish a DDE connection to <Application> to complete the current task.

NOTE: Microsoft Office 2000 has built-in functionality that allows you to get more information about difficult-to-troubleshoot alerts or error messages. If you want to enable this functionality for this and other error messages in Microsoft Office 2000, please download the Microsoft Office 2000 Customizable Alerts file from the Microsoft Office Update Web site at the following address:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8FBEE1D3-C5BB-4A36-A2F7-DC63DE2A818C

NOTE: If you reached this article by clicking the Web Info button in an error message, you already have Customizable Alerts enabled.

THINGS TO TRY

There is a problem communicating via Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE).

You need to select a method for opening the data source. To do this, use one of the following processes as appropriate.

Method 1: Insert a Database in a Word Document

On the Database toolbar, click the Insert Database button.

NOTE: To see the Database toolbar, on the View menu, point to Toolbars and then click Database.
In the Database dialog box, click Get Data.
Change the Files of type box to the type of data file you have.
Select the Select method check box.
Select your data file and then click Open.
In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, click the via DDE method that is appropriate for your data source, and then click OK.

NOTE: If Word cannot re-establish a DDE connection, try starting the database application and then repeat the previous steps or select the alternative via ODBC method in step 6.

Method 2: Attach a Data Source to a Mail Merge Main Document

Open your mail merge main document.
On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
In the Mail Merge Helper, click Get Data, and then click Open Data Source.
Change the Files of type box to the type of data file you have.
Select the Select Method check box.
Select your data file and then click Open.
In the Confirm Data Source dialog box, click the via DDE method that is appropriate for your data source, and then click OK.

NOTE: If Word cannot re-establish a DDE connection, try starting the database application and then repeat the previous steps or select the alternative via ODBC method in step 7.