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New!Linking to CaseView Database Records in Excel

Note: This is applicable to Connector versions 2010.00.017 and later.

Linking to CaseView database records (e.g. using cw_cvdata(..) in linkages) can return an empty string in Excel. An issue can occur if this empty string is part of a formula. In every case, a formula returns a #VALUE if one of its operands is an empty string. This #VALUE indicates that the expression is incorrect because of an invalid argument: the empty string.

To change the default behavior in Connector to convert empty strings to a zero value (0) to ensure that the #VALUE error does not appear, use the CVDataBlankToZero registry key.

To activate the CVDataBlankToZero registry key setting:

  1. Close Excel.
  2. Go to the Start menu and search for regedit.
  3. Select and open the Registry Editor. You require administrative permissions for this operation.
  4. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER | Software | CaseWare International | CaseWare Connector | Settings | Excel.
  5. Right-click in the right pane and select New | DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  6. Name this key CVDataBlankToZero.
  7. Double-click this entry and set the value to 1. Select the radio button for decimal base.
  8. Click OK.
  9. Close the Registry Editor and open Excel.

All empty strings are converted to the value zero (0) when linked in Excel from the CaseView database.

  • All invalid arguments are also converted to zero (0).
  • Deactivate this behavior by deleting the registry key or set the registry key value to zero (0). Deactivating this key returns Connector to its default behavior - that is, cw_cvdata(...) returns the value retrieved from the CaseView database or #VALUE if the argument is invalid.