XL: System Hangs with Circular Workbook Links

ID: Q111492

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In a Microsoft Excel workbook, if you insert a link to another Microsoft Excel workbook, and that workbook itself contains a link to the first workbook, your computer responds very slowly and may stop responding (hang).


CAUSE

In applications that support Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) version 2.0, you can insert the contents of a file into your document and link to the file so that changes to the source file are reflected in your document. However, if you use this functionality in Microsoft Excel to link to a workbook, and you create a circular reference in the process, you do not receive an error message, but your system will respond very slowly and may hang.

A circular reference occurs when you reference an object, and that object contains a reference to the original object, such that each reference refers to itself.


WORKAROUND

Avoid creating circular references when linking a Microsoft Excel workbook to another workbook.

To insert the contents of a file into a workbook and create a link to the file, follow these steps:

  1. In Microsoft Excel, click Object on the Insert menu.


  2. Click the Create From File tab. In the File Name list, select the file you want to link to. Select the Link To File check box and click OK.



REFERENCES

Excel 97

For more information about about linked and embedded objects, click the Office Assistant, type "OLE," click Search, and then click to view "About linked and embedded objects."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q120802 Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office Program or Component

Excel 5.0

For an Overview Of Linking And Embedding, click the Search button in Help and type:
OLE, described

Additional query words: 8.00 97 hang locked crash

Keywords : xlui xlformula
Version : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c,97; Win95:7.0; winnt:5.0
Platform : Win95 WINDOWS winnt
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: November 3, 1999
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