'if exist' SQL query in VBA with ADODB database connection - sql

Question

I need to uplad data from excel into a database, but I need to check first if there is data in the table for each upload so that I Update or Insert data.
To diferentiate Update or Insert, I'm usign a SQL IF EXIST command, which works okay in SQL. When I try this in Excel VBA I get an error message: "Command text was not set for the command object."
See code below
Dim strSQL As String
Dim Value As String
Dim Reference As String
Set RCconn = New ADODB.Connection
Set TuneCMD = New ADODB.Command
' Establish Recordset
Set Results = New ADODB.Recordset
'Establish a Connection
With RCconn
.Provider = "SQLOLEDB"
.ConnectionString = ConStr
End With
'Open the connection
RCconn.Open
'i Columns
For i = 5 To 10 '16
'j rows
For j = 6 To 60 '145
Value= Sheets("Value").Cells(j, i)
Reference= "W_F/P_" & Sheets("Reference").Cells(j, i)
stringTest = "IF EXISTS (SELECT * FROM UploadTable WHERE Ref = '" & Reference & "') "
stringTest = stringTest & "UPDATE Val "
stringTest = stringTest & "SET Val = '" & Value & "' "
stringTest = stringTest & "where Ref = '" & Reference & "' "
stringTest = stringTest & "Else "
stringTest = stringTest & "INSERT INTO UploadTable (Val , Ref ) "
stringTest = stringTest & "values ('" & Value & "', '" & Reference & "')"
RCconn.Execute strSQL
Next
Next
Set Results = Nothing
RCconn.Close
Set RCconn = Nothing
Is it the case that 'IF EXIST' can not be used in VBA? Is there a work around?
Thanks

Answer 1

ADODB.Connection.Execute sends a pass-through query to your database. It doesn't matter what SQL statement was in that string; if your database can understand it, it will be executed.
So inspect your SQL query again.
Try this:
Put a breakpoint on the line RCconn.Execute strSQL. When the debugger breaks there, inspect the value of strSQL. Copy it and execute in SQL Server Management Studio directly. If that doesn't work, correct your code that builds that string. If it works, then there is some problem with your ConnectionString. In that case, check that the userID and password you are using in the ConnectionString to connect has adequate privileges.