Excel: Opening 3-D Surface Chart Causes Divide by Zero Error

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 4.0, 4.0a
• Microsoft Windows operating system, version 3.0 and 3.1

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel for Windows, when you open a 3-D surface chart that has a legend attached to the top or bottom, you will get the following error message:

   Divide by Zero or Overflow Error

If you are running Microsoft Excel with the Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1, Microsoft Excel will close. When this happens, you should exit Windows and restart your computer.

With Microsoft Windows version 3.0, you will receive an unrecoverable application error (UAE) and Windows will hang, making it necessary to restart your computer.

WORKAROUND

To open a document as a 3-D surface chart, you must recreate the chart and attach the legend to the left or right.

Note: This problem occurs only with Microsoft Excel for Windows.

Transferring the files between the Macintosh and PC formats requires a utility program such as Apple File Exchange.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft Excel listed above. This problem was corrected in version 5.0 of Microsoft Excel for Windows.