XL: Error or Page Fault Linking to Workbook or Creating Formula

• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you enter a formula to create a link from one workbook to another workbook in Microsoft Excel, you may receive one of the following error messages:

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

   This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
   If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

      EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module EXCEL.EXE at
      0137:30218701.

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

     '<random characters>' contains incomplete calculation.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when the following conditions are true:

• The values in the workbook to which you are linking are not recalculated before you save the file, and this workbook is not open.

  NOTE: For information about how this situation can occur, see the "More Information" section in this article.

      -and-
  

• The workbook in which you are entering the formula is stored in a different folder from the folder that contains the workbook to which you are linking.

  As a result, when you enter the formula to link to the other workbook, a File Not Found or Cannot Find dialog box appears and you are prompted to select the correct workbook.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, include the complete path to the other workbook when you enter the formula. For example, instead of this formula

   =[Book2.xls]Sheet1!A1

   ='C:\Files\[Book2.xls]Sheet1'!A1

   '<Bookname>' contains incomplete calculation.

You can also prevent this problem from occurring by recalculating workbooks before you save them.

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

In Microsoft Excel, you may save a workbook in an uncalculated state if you follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options or Preferences. Click the Calculation tab.

2. Click Manual, and click to clear the Recalculate Before Save check box.

3. Click OK.

4. Make a change to the workbook that would normally force calculation; for example, enter a formula in cell A1.

5. On the File menu, click Save, and then save the workbook.