Crash/GP Fault Opening Dependent File that Contains Chart Object

• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you open a workbook with a worksheet that contains all of the following elements

   a reference to a named range on a worksheet in another workbook (the
   source workbook)

   -and-

   an embedded chart object created from the reference to the named range

   -and-

   an object such as a button that is assigned to a Visual Basic macro
   contained in the source workbook

CAUSE

This behavior occurs under the above conditions if you open the source workbook before you open the dependent workbook.

WORKAROUNDS

To work around this problem, use any of the following methods.

Method 1

On the dependent worksheet, create a chart on its own sheet using the desired range of data instead of creating a chart object on the worksheet.

Method 2

Move the chart object to another worksheet in the dependent workbook.

Method 3

Open the dependent workbook before you open the supporting workbook if you need to open both files.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

REFERENCES

For an overview of linking Microsoft Excel workbooks, choose the Search button in Help and type:

   linking, workbooks