XL98: "Unable to Read File" Error Opening Workbook
ID: Q175751
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The information in this article applies to:
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Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
SYMPTOMS
When you open a workbook in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, you
may receive the following error message:
The workbook you opened contains automatic links to information in
another workbook. Do you want to update this workbook with changes
made to the other workbook?
When you click Yes, you receive the following error message:
Unable to read file.
When Microsoft Excel opens the workbook, many of the cells in the workbook
contain #REF! error values.
CAUSE
This problem may occur when the following conditions are true:
- In Microsoft Access 7.0 or Microsoft Access 97, you export a table
or query to a Microsoft Excel workbook (for example, Source.xls).
-and-
- In any version of Microsoft Excel, you open Source.xls. You copy a
range of cells in Source.xls, use the Paste Link command to paste the
cells in another workbook, and then save the workbook (for example, as
Depend.xls).
-and-
- You close both Source.xls and Depend.xls.
-and-
- In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, you open Depend.xls, and
click Yes when you are prompted to update Depend.xls with changes
that are in the other workbook (Source.xls).
Specifically, the problem occurs because Microsoft Access may not write the
workbook correctly when you export it from Microsoft Access. This may cause
problems when you try to link to the workbook from a different workbook.
NOTE: This problem occurs only in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition. It
does not occur in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows.
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, follow these steps:
- In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, open the original workbook
that you exported from Microsoft Access (for example, Source.xls).
- On the File menu, click Save. Then, click Close on the File menu.
When you open the dependent workbook and click Yes, you should not receive
the "Unable to read file" error message. Also, none of the cells in the
workbook should contain #REF! error values.
Note that you cannot use Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows to perform the
steps in this section; you must use Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.
If you cannot open and save the source workbook in Microsoft Excel 98
Macintosh Edition, open the source workbook (Source.xls) before you open
the dependent workbook (Depend.xls). After you open the dependent workbook
(Depend.xls), close the source workbook (Source.xls).
NOTE: If you export the source workbook from Microsoft Access again, you
may need to repeat these steps.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products
listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem
and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it
becomes available.
MORE INFORMATION
In Microsoft Access, you can export a table or a query to a Microsoft Excel
workbook. To do this, follow these steps:
- Switch to the table or query that you want to export. Then, click
Save As/Export on the File menu.
- In the Save As dialog box, click "To an External File or Database" and
click OK.
- In the Save As Type box, click either Microsoft Excel 97 or Microsoft
Excel 5-7. Enter a name for the workbook in the File Name box. Click
Export to export the workbook.
If you open this workbook in Microsoft Excel, copy a range of cells in the
workbook, switch to another workbook, click Paste on the Edit menu, and
then click Paste Link; you may receive the error message when you open the
dependent workbook in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition. Use the
workarounds in this article to prevent this problem from occurring.
Additional query words:
XL98
Keywords : kberrmsg xlloadsave xlformula
Version : MACINTOSH:98
Platform : MACINTOSH
Issue type : kbbug
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