XL98: Linked Formula May Return a Maximum of 255 Characters

• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, when you open a workbook (the "dependent" workbook) that contains formulas that link to cells in another workbook (the "source" workbook), the formulas return a maximum of 255 characters, even though the cells in the source workbook contain more than 255 characters.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when the following conditions are true:

• You fail to open the source workbook.

      -and-
  

• Cells in the source workbook contain more than 255 characters.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, open the source workbook either before or after you open the dependent workbook. When you do this, the formulas in the dependent workbook return the correct number of characters.

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 98 Macintosh Edition, worksheet cells may contain a maximum of 32,767 characters. This is different from earlier versions of Microsoft Excel in which worksheet cells may contain a maximum of 255 characters. Even though cells may contain a very large number of characters, you may experience problems when you work with these cells.

Example

In the following example, the formulas in the dependent workbook return a maximum of 255 characters. To see this example, follow these steps:

1. In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, create a new workbook.

2. In cell A1 of Sheet1, enter the formula

   =REPT("x",5)

   Note that the formula returns five "x" characters ("xxxxx").

3. On the File menu, click Save. Save the workbook as Test1, in the Desktop folder. On the File menu, click Close.

4. Create a second new workbook.

5. Enter the following formulas in Sheet1:

   A1: =[Test1]Sheet1!A1 A2: =LEN(A1)

   Note that the formula in cell A1 also returns five "x" characters, and the formula in cell A2 returns the value 5.

6. On the File menu, click Save. Save the workbook as Test2 in the Desktop folder. On the File menu, click Close.

7. Open Test1. Change the formula in cell A1 to the following:

   =REPT("x",32767)

   Note that the formula returns 32,767 "x" characters.

8. On the File menu, click Save. Then, click Close on the File menu.

9. Open Test2. When you are asked to update links, click Yes.

   The formula in cell A1 returns 255 "x" characters not 32,767 characters. Also, the formula in cell A2 returns the value 255.

10. Open Test1. Then, switch to Test2.