EXEC() Command Can Cause System Integrity Error in Excel

Last reviewed: November 3, 1994
Article ID: Q68419

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel versions 2.x, the following command starts Word for Windows and loads the file ISV.DOC:

   =EXEC("c:\winword\isv.doc",1)

If you execute this macro command in Microsoft Excel version 3.0 or 4.0, the following error will be displayed:

   This application has violated system integrity and will be
   terminated; close all applications, exit Windows, and reboot your
   computer.

If you execute this macro command in Microsoft Excel version 5.0, the following error will be displayed:

   Cannot access the file at this time. Make sure the file is not in use
   by another program, and is a valid program file.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do the following:

Specify the application and a fully qualified path.
Specify the document name.

The following example works correctly:

   =EXEC("c:\winword\winword.exe c:\winword\isv.doc",1)

KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory:
Additional reference words: 3.0 3.00 4.0 4.00 4.00a 5.00

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Last reviewed: November 3, 1994
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