XL2000: ShowDataForm Method Fails if Data Cannot Be Found

In Microsoft Excel 2000, when you use the Microsoft Visual Basic ShowDataForm method, you may receive one of the following error messages:

This behavior can occur because Excel is unable to find a data list on the worksheet that you specified in the Visual Basic statement.

When you use the ShowDataForm method, Excel looks for the data list in two places:

• The defined name "Database." If a range has been defined as the database, Excel displays the data form, and the data in that range is accessible.
• Cells A1:B2 on the specified worksheet. Excel attempts to find a list whose upper-left corner lies in the range A1:B2. If a list is found, Excel displays the data form, and the data in the list is accessible.

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To work around this behavior, define your data with the defined name "Database," or move your data so that its upper-left corner is located in any of the four cells in the range A1:B2.

To Define Your Data with the Defined Name "Database"

1. Select the range that contains your data.
2. On the Insert menu, point to Name, and then click Define.
3. In the Name box, type Sheetname!Database, where Sheetname is the name of the active worksheet.
4. Click OK to accept the change.

When you run the ShowDataForm method and specify the worksheet, the data form is displayed with the correct data.

To automate the preceding process, select the data that you want included in your database (including column headings), and then include the following in your Visual Basic procedure: NOTE: For information about variations that you can use for this code, see the "More Information" section.

The Visual Basic ShowDataForm method is used to display a data form. You can use a data form to view a list of data or to enter new data into a list. You may use the ShowDataForm method in either of the following ways:

For additional information about getting help with Visual Basic forApplications, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: