J-Walk & Associates, Inc.

Data Query Tip

Found at Microsoft's support site: XL97: Data Not Returned from Query Using ORACLE Data Source.

Symptoms: When you try to return data from Microsoft Query 97 to a Microsoft Excel 97 worksheet, the spinning globe icon (which signifies that a query is processing) may appear for a long time, and then the query returns no data to your worksheet.

And here's one of the suggestions:

Move Your Mouse Pointer

If you move your mouse pointer continuously while the data is being returned to Microsoft Excel, the query may not fail. Do not stop moving the mouse until all the data has been returned to Microsoft Excel.

NOTE: Depending on your query, it may take several minutes to return the results of your query to the worksheet.

I haven't tried it.

- Reader Comments -

Following are comments in response to this item.
The most recent comment is at the bottom.

1. By Debra Dalgleish. Comment posted 25 May, 2009 4:02pm

   Thanks! I'll try that. It sounds easier than swinging a cat, or waving a chicken over my head.
2. By John Walkenbach. Comment posted 25 May, 2009 7:33pm

   Well, I have tried a query while waving a chicken over my head. Query failed -- error 78832 (no life detected in chicken).
   
   Next time I'll try a live chicken. That's why we need technical books.
3. By AlexJ. Comment posted 25 May, 2009 7:36pm

   [How about standing on your head and spitting nickels? -- error 55555 (nickels not worth a plugged nickel in recession)
4. By Doug Jenkins. Comment posted 26 May, 2009 2:19am

   I wonder how many queries have gone unanswered over the past 12 years because this simple yet effective technique has not been more widely disseminated.
5. By steffan. Comment posted 27 May, 2009 6:11am

   Crazy. You're taking process time away from the query. The mouse movement is a higher priority than the query. Perhaps this is just intended to slow it down? Maybe oracle is providing the results too quickly to be parsed properly?
6. By Nile. Comment posted 03 July, 2009 6:55am

   Hell, I remember that: the problem went away in Office 2000, and we lost our budget for accelerating Oracle queries with a human sacrifice.
   
   It's Networking & Infrastructure I feel sorry for: every service patch and hotfix, they have to propitiate the Gods with a pagan fertility ritual. Which isn't nearly as much fun as it sounds when you realise that there's only two guys in there, and the one who washes regularly weighs 22 stone.