FP: "The PivotTable List Could Not Connect to Data Source" Error Message When You View a Web Page That Contains a PivotTable Component

When you try to view a page of your Microsoft FrontPage Web that contains a PivotTable list component, you may receive the following error message: You can access the Web page and view the PivotTable component from your own computer where FrontPage is installed and on which you created the Web page. This problem occurs only when you try to access the page from a remote computer.

This problem occurs if the PivotTable component cannot connect to the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) data source on the server.

To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods, as appropriate to your situation.

NOTE: The steps in the following methods assume that you use a Microsoft Access database as the data source.

Method 1

In this method, use the Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers to configure the PivotTable component for the System Data Source Name (DSN). Then on each client computer, map a drive to the database share on the server, and then create a System DSN.

On the Server Computer

1. Create a share for the database on the server.
2. Assign appropriate permissions to users to access the share.
3. Create and configure the System (DSN) for the database.
   
   For additional information about how to create a System DSN, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   265034 FP2000: How to Change from File DSN to System DSN in FrontPage
   305599 HOW TO: Create a System Data Source Name in Windows XP
4. Configure the PivotTable component to connect to the System DSN that you created in step 3:
   1. Start FrontPage, and then open the page that contains the PivotTable component.
   2. On the PivotTable toolbar, click Property Toolbox.
   3. Click Data Source, click Connection, and then click Connection Editor.
   4. Click the Provider tab.
   5. In the OLE DB Provider(s) list, click Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers, and then click Next.
   6. Under Specify the source of data, click to select Use data source name, click the name of the data source that you created in step 3, and then click OK.
   7. Click Data member under User data from in the PivotTable Property Toolbox dialog box, and then click the database element that you want.
   8. Close the PivotTable Property Toolbox dialog box.

On the Client Computer

1. Install Microsoft Office XP or Microsoft Office 2000 (if it is not already installed).
2. Map a drive to the share on the server that contains the database. For example, \\ServerName\ShareName.
3. Create a System DSN that uses the same name as the DSN on the server, and point it to the server DSN.
   
   For additional information about how to create a System DSN, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   265034 FP2000: How to Change from File DSN to System DSN in FrontPage
   305599 HOW TO: Create a System Data Source Name in Windows XP

Method 2

In this method, use the Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider and a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to the database when you configure the PivotTable component on the server computer. By doing so, users of client computers do not have to map a drive to the database share on the server or create a System DSN to access the Web page and view the PivotTable component.

On the Server Computer

1. Create a share for the database on the server.
2. Assign appropriate permissions (at least Read and Change permissions) to users to access the share.
   
   For additional information about how to create a System DSN, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   265034 FP2000: How to Change from File DSN to System DSN in FrontPage
   305599 HOW TO: Create a System Data Source Name in Windows XP
3. Create and configure the System DSN for the database.
4. Configure the PivotTable component to connect to the System DSN that you created in step 3:
   1. Start FrontPage, and open the page that contains the PivotTable component.
   2. On the PivotTable toolbar, click Property Toolbox.
   3. Click Data Source, click Connection, and then click Connection Editor.
   4. Click the Provider tab.
   5. In the OLE DB Provider(s) list, click Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider, and then click Next.
   6. Under Select or enter a database name, type the UNC path to the database. For example, type \\ServerName\ShareName\Database.mdb, and then click OK.
   7. Click Data member under User data from in the PivotTable Property Toolbox dialog box, and then click the database element that you want.

On the Client Computer

Install Office XP or Office 2000 (if it is not already installed) on the client computers. You do not have to map a drive to the database share on the server or create a System DSN.

For more information about PivotTables and other Microsoft Office Web components, visit the following Microsoft Web site, and then see the Microsoft Office 2000 Web Components white paper: Also, visit the following Microsoft Web site, and then see the "Microsoft Office 2000 Web Components Basics" article: For more information about how to work with Office 2000 Web components, visit the following Microsoft Web site, and then see the "Office Web Components" section: