SUPPORT / SAMPLES & SAS NOTES
Problem Note 44601: The message "ERROR: DDE syntax error in physical name occurs in DDE clipboard and Microsoft Excel" occurs when you use the FILENAME statement with DDE
 |  |  |  |  |
In SAS® 9.3 (TS1M0) and 32-bit SAS® 9.4 (TS1M1), a SAS error occurs when you use the FILENAME statement with the Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) clipboard and Microsoft Excel. This problem occurs on European editions of SAS on Microsoft operating systems, such as French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Polish (locales FR, IT, ES, and PL). The problem does not occur with English or Asian languages. The error is as follows:
ERROR: DDE syntax error in physical name
For example, the following code produces the problem:
filename test DDE "clipboard";
data test;
infile test dlm='09'x notab firstobs=2;
input variable1 variable2 variable3;
run;
/* Use the path to the 32bit Microsoft EXCEL.EXE file on your machine */
/* in the X command. */
/* Microsoft Excel 2003 on a 32bit operating system, and an x64 operating */
/* system X command examples are provided below. Include only one */
/* X command to start Excel */
/* x '"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE12\EXCEL.EXE"'; */
x '"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\EXCEL.EXE"';
filename cmds DDE 'excel|system';
data _null_;
x=sleep(2);
run;
data _null_;
file cmds;
put '[open("C:\temp\Classeur1.xlsx")]';
run;
The problem occurs because the following, when used in a FILENAME statement, is translated instead of remaining in English:
Clipboard, Customize, DDE Triplet in Clipboard, System
Click the Hot Fix tab in this note to access the hot fix for this issue. Hot fixes are available for both SAS 9.3 and the first maintenance release for SAS 9.4 (TS1M1).
Operating System and Release Information
| Product Family | Product | System | Product Release | SAS Release | ||
| Reported | Fixed* | Reported | Fixed* | |||
| SAS System | Base SAS | Windows 7 Home Premium x64 | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 |
| Windows Vista | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Windows Vista for x64 | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Windows 7 Enterprise x64 | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Windows 7 Ultimate x64 | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Windows 7 Enterprise 32 bit | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Microsoft Windows XP Professional | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64 | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Windows 7 Professional x64 | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Windows 7 Professional 32 bit | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for x64 | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Microsoft® Windows® for x64 | 9.3 | 9.3_M1 | 9.3 TS1M0 | 9.3 TS1M1 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise 32-bit | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise x64 | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Pro 32-bit | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8 Pro x64 | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise 32-bit | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64 | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 32-bit | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 | 9.4_M1 | 9.4 TS1M1 | ||||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Datacenter | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Std | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Std | 9.4_M1 | 9.4_M2 | 9.4 TS1M1 | 9.4 TS1M2 | ||