XL: Links May Not Work After Moving Mac File to Excel for Windows
ID: Q101341
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The information in this article applies to:
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Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a
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Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0
SYMPTOMS
When you transfer files from Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh to
Microsoft Excel for Windows, you may encounter linking problems if you are
working with linked files.
CAUSE
This problem with linked files occurs because the Macintosh operating
system allows you to create filenames that can exceed the
eight-character limit imposed by MS-DOS. In addition, the Macintosh
operating system allows you to include spaces and almost all
punctuation in a filename.
Because of these differences in filenames, if a file is transferred
(regardless of whether it is by Apple File Exchange or over a network), the
possibility exists that the filename will be truncated. A truncated
filename will impair any links that exist between the worksheets: since the
name of the file has changed, Microsoft Excel will not be able to locate
the file to which the link is pointing.
Note that Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0, and Microsoft Excel
97 for Windows both support long file names. For this reason, the problem
described above will be much less likely to occur when using these versions
of Microsoft Excel.
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, either:
- Use the MS-DOS file naming conventions when you name your files on the
Macintosh: that is, use an eight character filename with a three
character filename extension. For example, name your file EXPENSES.XLS
instead of ExpenseReport.
-or-
- If you don't want to use the MS-DOS file naming conventions, you will
need to re-establish the links between the files after you have
transferred them to Microsoft Excel for Windows. To re-establish these
links, do the following:
- Open the dependent file (the file that is linked to the source data
file). If the source file is unopened, the dependent file will
prompt you with the question "Update references to unopened
documents?" Click No.
- On the File menu, click Links. A dialog box labeled Links will
appear with a list of all the available links in the worksheet.
NOTE: The listed links will contain the Macintosh filenames (the
long versions of the filenames).
- Press the TAB key to select the link that you want to change, and
then click Change.
- In the Change Links dialog box, choose the source file from the
list of files (bearing in mind that it has a new truncated name),
and click OK. This will return you to the previous screen, at which
point you should click either Close or OK.
When you return to the worksheet, you will notice that the link has
been updated.
- Save the file.
MORE INFORMATION
If the links on the worksheet point to a function macro on a macro
sheet, you must manually open the macro sheet the first time you want
to use it.
REFERENCES
"User's Guide 1", version 4.0, pages 362-368
"User's Guide", version 3.0, pages 307-316
Additional query words:
4.00a 3.0
Keywords : kbinterop
Version : WINDOWS:2.0,3.0,4.0; MACINTOSH:2.0,3.0,4.0
Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb
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