XL: References Missing Moving Files from Windows to Macintosh
ID: Q179804
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The information in this article applies to:
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Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
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Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
SYMPTOMS
When you open a workbook, references may be listed as missing in the
References dialog box in the Visual Basic Editor. The references as listed
as missing even though the referenced files are stored in the correct
location and have not been moved, renamed, or deleted.
This may cause problems if you run Visual Basic macros that use the
referenced files.
CAUSE
This problem may occur when the following conditions are true:
- The workbook contains a reference to a file (workbook, add-in, type
library, and so on) that is stored on a network server that is
accessible to computers running Microsoft Windows or the Macintosh
operating system.
-and-
- The referenced file is not stored in the same folder as the workbook.
-and-
-and-
- At various times, you open the workbook in both Microsoft Excel 97 for
Windows and Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.
Specifically, the problem occurs because the different versions of
Microsoft Excel do not always properly handle the transition from the
Universal Naming Convention (UNC) (for example, \\Server\Files\User001) to
the Macintosh pathing convention (for example, Files:User001). Because of
this problem, references to files may be damaged when you move a workbook
from Microsoft Excel for Windows to Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh or
vice versa.
To see an example of this problem, see the "More Information" section in
this article.
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, store the referenced files in the same folder
as the workbook that references them. If the files and the workbook are in
the same folder, the references are not listed as missing when you open
the workbook.
Note that if you manually correct the missing references in the References
dialog box, the problem may occur again the next time you open the
workbook.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products
listed at the beginning of this article.
MORE INFORMATIONExample
For this example, assume the following:
- A network server is accessible by computers running Windows or the
Macintosh operating system. For example, network server is running
Microsoft Windows NT Server and is running Services for Macintosh
(SFM).
-and-
- The server is named "Server" and contains a share named "Files." The
share contains a folder named "User001" that contains a folder named
"Addins." The Addins folder contains an add-in named "Test.xla."
To see an example of the problem, follow these steps:
- Start Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows and create a new workbook.
- Point to Macro on the Tools menu, and click Visual Basic Editor.
Then, click References on the Tools menu.
- Click Browse. In the File Name box, type the following:
\\Server\Files\User001\Addins\Test.xla
Click Open.
An entry for the add-in appears in the Available References list.
- Click OK. Then, click "Close And Return To Microsoft Excel" on the File
menu.
- On the File menu, click Save As. In the File Name box, type the
following:
\\Server\Files\User001\Testwkbk.xls
Click Save. Then, click Close on the File menu.
- On your Macintosh computer, use the Chooser to connect to the Files
share on the server.
- Start Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition. On the File menu, click
Open. Select Testwkbk.xls, and click Open.
- Point to Macro on the Tools menu, and click Visual Basic Editor.
Then, click References on the Tools menu.
In the Available References list, the reference you added is listed as
"MISSING." The location for the add-in resembles the following:
Files:User001:Addins\Test.xla
Note that a backslash (\) appears in place of the colon (:) near the end
of the Location.
If you save the Testwkbk.xls workbook, close it, and then reopen the
workbook in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows, the reference is still listed
as "MISSING."
If you perform the previous steps in reverse (create the workbook, add the
reference in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, and then open the
workbook in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows), the reference is also listed
as "MISSING."
REFERENCES
For more information about references in Microsoft Excel, please see the
following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q175863 XL97: Reference Incorrectly Listed as "MISSING" in MS Excel 97
Additional query words:
XL97 XL98 unc novell netware
Keywords : kbinterop xlloadsave xlvbainfo
Version : MACINTOSH:; WINDOWS:
Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug
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