XL98: Error Saving File That Contains COUNT in WK1 Format

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you save a worksheet in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, you may receive an error message similar to the following:

   A formula in a cell (Cell:B5) could not be converted because it
   contains a function that is not available in the file format to which
   you are saving. If you continue the save, the formula and result will
   be saved, but the function itself will be converted to an error value.

When you reopen the file, the formula in the indicated cell is gone. Only the value returned by the formula remains in the cell.

CAUSE

This problem may occur when the following conditions are true:

• You are saving the active worksheet in the Lotus 1-2-3 WK1 format.

  -and-

• The worksheet you are saving contains at least one formula that uses the COUNT function.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods:

• Before you save the worksheet, replace all references to the COUNT function with references to the COUNTA function. The problem described in this article does not occur when the worksheet contains formulas that use the COUNTA function.

  You can quickly convert all of the references by following these steps:

  1. On the Edit menu, click Replace.

  2. In the Find What box, type "COUNT" (without the quotation marks).

        In the Replace With box, type "COUNTA" (without the quotation
        marks). Click to select the Match Case check box, and then click
        Replace All.
  

  All references to COUNT are converted to references to COUNTA.

  -or-

• Save the worksheet in the Lotus 1-2-3 WK3 or WK4 format. When you do this, the problem does not occur.

   ARTICLE-ID: Q165260
   TITLE     : XL97: COUNTA Function Changed to COUNT

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.

MORE INFORMATION

You can use the COUNT function to count the number of numbers in a range of cells. The COUNTA function allows you to count the number of nonblank cells in a range of cells. For example, if you have the following data

   A1: 1
   A2: 2
   A3:
   A4: x
   A5: y

The COUNT and COUNTA functions are supported by all versions of Lotus 1-2-3, so you should not receive an error message when you save a worksheet that contains the COUNT function in the WK1 format.