Knowledge Base

XL98: Using File and User Data Sources in Microsoft Query

Article ID: 180271

Article Last Modified on 1/28/2005

Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh
Microsoft Query 2000

This article was previously published under Q180271

SUMMARY

Microsoft Query 8.0 for the Macintosh allows you to use either of two methods for using data source name (DSN) connection information. The first method is called a User DSN, and the second is called a File DSN. This article discusses the functionality of the User and File DSNs.

MORE INFORMATION

User DSN

The earlier version of Microsoft Query, version 1.0, creates an implied user data source name in the ODBC Setup control panel whenever a data source is created; however, this data source name is not referred to as "User DSN." To preserve backwards compatibility with Microsoft Query 1.0, create a User DSN in the ODBC Setup PPC control panel. This data source name can be used by both versions of Microsoft Query.

To create a User DSN, it must be created in the ODBC Setup PPC control panel. In the Choose Data Source dialog box in Microsoft Query, a User DSN is designated by an asterisk (*) that appears after its name. When a User DSN for a Text or dBASE driver is created, the data source information is stored in the ODBC Preferences PPC preference file. A file named Qetxt.ini (Text ODBC driver) or Qedbf.ini (dBASE ODBC driver) is also created in the same folder as the database file. For example, if you create a User DSN for a dBASE database file that is located in the Documents folder, a file named Qedbf.ini and the ODBC Preferences PPC preference file are created in this folder. These .ini files contain data source and table information that is required for Microsoft Query to retrieve the data from these data sources.

File DSN

Unlike the earlier version of Microsoft Query, Microsoft Query 8.0 does not store data source information in a preference file. When a new data source (File DSN) is created, the connection information is stored in a file in the "System Folder:Preferences:ODBC File Data Sources" folder. The name of the file is the name you specify for the DSN name in the Create New Data Source dialog box. This File DSN is a file that contains an ODBC driver section. It may also contain information, such as the table name, password, and user ID. Unlike the User DSN, a File DSN may be created in either the ODBC PPC Setup control panel or in Microsoft Query.

You may encounter circumstances in which a Text or dBASE data source cannot be used unless you create a User DSN.

For more information about this problem, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

179660 MacXL: Problems Adding Text Database in Microsoft Query

179108 XL98: Problems Adding dBASE Database in Microsoft Query

Additional query words: XL98

Keywords: KB180271