Date:         Fri, 27 Feb 2004 15:16:41 -0500
Reply-To:     Howard Schreier <Howard_Schreier@ITA.DOC.GOV>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Howard Schreier <Howard_Schreier@ITA.DOC.GOV>
Subject:      MS Access DDE Selectively Quotes Strings

I'm using dynamic data exchange (DDE) to read text strings from a Microsoft
Access database into SAS. If (and only if) Access sees a quotation mark in
any text value, it quotes the value and doubles the original quotation
marks.

For example,

   A "funny" result

becomes

   "A ""funny"" result"

I know it's happening on the Access side because I've dumped the _INFILE_
variable and I see the extra quotation marks.

I'd like to find a way to inhibit MS Access from doing this.

Next best would be a simple way to have SAS undo it, like a $QUOTE informat
or an UNQUOTE function (neither of which seems to exist).

Last resort will be to use SUBSTR, TRANWRD, and so forth to undo it. I know
how to do that. I'd just prefer to avoid it.