Q181067: WD97: Run-Time Error 5584 "Too Many DDE Channels Are Open…"

Article: Q181067
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbcode kbProgramming kbmacroexample kbwordvba word97
Last Modified: 13-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SYMPTOMS
========

If Microsoft Word or another program cannot open any additional Dynamic Data
Exchange (DDE) channels, the following message may be displayed:

  Run-Time error '5584':
  Too Many DDE Channels are open. Please close a window.

CAUSE
=====

When using DDE to communicate between programs, a separate "channel" or line of
communication for each DDE conversation is created. It is possible to have
multiple DDE conversations happening at the same time. While there is no
absolute limit to the number of DDE conversations that can exist simultaneously,
there is a relative limit that depends on the amount of system resources
available. This limit varies from system to system.

WORKAROUND
==========

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty
either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied
warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This
article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being
demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft
support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular
procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added
functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have
limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified
Partner or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more
information about Microsoft Certified Partners, please visit the following
Microsoft Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/partner/referral/

For more information about the support options that are available and about how
to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

To prevent the error message from occurring, terminate each DDE conversation
after you are finished using the channel. To terminate a DDE channel, use either
of the following commands.

  Syntax to Terminate a Specific Channel Number
  ---------------------------------------------

  DDETerminate(ChannelNumber)

-or-

  Syntax to Terminate All DDE Channels
  ------------------------------------

  DDETerminateAll

For example, the following macro (Sub procedure) uses DDETerminate to close each
DDE channel that is initiated.

     Sub DDETest
        For x = 1 to 40
           chan = DDEInitiate("Excel", "Sheet1")
           ' Your other commands go here.
           DDETerminate chan
        Next x
     End Sub

To reproduce the "Session too complex...." error message, start Word and Excel
and run a macro that opens a number of DDE channels without terminating the
channels.

     Sub DDEReproduceError
        For x = 1 to 40
           n = DDEInitiate("Excel","Sheet1")
        Next x
     End Sub

REFERENCES
==========

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications,
please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbcode kbProgramming kbmacroexample kbwordvba word97 
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbprb

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