web queries in Excel for Mac V2008 vs. 2011or2016

[whbunn]

I have a question involving using web queries in the Mac version of Excel 2008 and Excel in Office 2011 or 2016.

I have written some web queries for use in in Excel 2008. These queries get stock prices.

Here is a sample, file name “stocks.iqy”:
WEB
1
http://finance.yahoo.com/d/quotes?s=T+MO+AEE+BCS+WATT+HCP+JNJ+KMB+MRK+NAT+SFL&f=l1

This query was originally used in a 2008 sheet. It also works when the original sheet is opened in Excel 2011 and 2016. However, if I start a new sheet in version 2011 or 2016 and try to insert the saved query into the new sheet, I receive dialog: “The file may not be in the right format…”.

Can anyone tell me what is going wrong?

 

[campyguy]

You're looking at a bit of additional work for either version - 2011's workaround is fairly simple, 2016's going to need some work. For 2011, which I've moved on from, this link (https://3qdigital.com/experience/web-queries-mac-yes-can-heres) offers the same workaround I got from MS a few years ago - I browse that site occasionally for insights and push that link to those who's asked me but don't like the "use the Windows version for this" that's my standard answer...

For 2016, you're looking at some rewriting as MS has embedded the new Microsoft Query (MSQuery) and Connection Manager engines directly into the app but it's also fully compatible with the Windows engines for the first time; MS announced this change in August last year (https://blogs.office.com/2015/08/20/working-with-external-data-in-excel-2016-for-mac/ - I was demoing the new suite at the time). I work in the Windows app, so no code revisions for me on my end and the new Mac app works perfectly in cross-platform query work but I only test it as I still avoid the IMHO gimped Mac app. Use a web search - I prefer using Bing for MS-related searches - for "excel mac 2016 connection manager" and you'll find out more about how to use both of them. Your Excel 2008 will likely need a bit of rework. Cheers!

 

[whbunn]

Thanks. I was using Text Wrangler for writing query. Using word and using MS-DOS encoding appears to be the difference. Saved current files in this format and they work in 2011. That encoding also woorks in 2008.

Again, thanks I was getting so frustrated. As to 2016 version, I found the add-in in tool to get quotes.

Bill