XL97: Lotus Macro Interpreter Menus May Not Work as Expected

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

If you open a Lotus 1-2-3 file that contains one or more Lotus Macro Interpreter menus, the menus may not work as you expect when you use them in Microsoft Excel 97. Specifically, the menus may contain strings that look like formulas.

CAUSE

This problem occurs if you run a Lotus Macro Interpreter menu that refers to a cell that contains a formula.

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, install Microsoft Excel 97 Service Release 1 (SR-1).

To work around this problem, remove all formulas that are used by in Lotus Macro Interpreter menus.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel 97 SR-1.

For additional information about SR-1, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q172475
   TITLE     : OFF97: How to Obtain and Install MS Office 97 SR-1

MORE INFORMATION

In Lotus 1-2-3, you can create custom menus by using the "{menubranch}" construct. The following is an example of the construct:

   A1: {menubranch C1}   C1: One   D1: Two

If one of the cells used by the menu contains a formula, the formula may appear in the dialog box instead of the value returned by the formula. For example, assume the worksheet contains the following information:

   A1: {menubranch C1}   C1: One   D1: =IF(G1,"Deux","Two")

   A1: {menubranch C1}   C1: One   D1: Two

   One
   @IF(G1,"Deux","Two")

This problem does not occur in Microsoft Excel 97, Service Release 1.