# Microsoft Knowledge Base

## MXL5: Link to Win Excel 4 Worksheet Displays #REF! Error Value

Last reviewed: May 28, 1997 Article ID: Q124931
5.00 5.00a MACINTOSH kbinterop kbmac The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

## SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 5.0 for the Macintosh, when you open a Microsoft Excel 5.0 for Windows workbook that contains a link to a Microsoft Excel 4.0 for Windows worksheet, the linked cell may display the #REF! error value.

## CAUSE

This behavior occurs only if you do one of the following:

- You open the linked version 4.0 worksheet before opening the version 5.0 workbook that contains the link.

  -or-

- You open the version 5.0 workbook first, and you choose not to re-establish the links in the document.

This behavior occurs because a Microsoft Excel version 4.0 worksheet is referenced differently in a version 5.0 workbook on the Macintosh than in a version 5.0 workbook in Windows. For example, cell A1 on the version 4.0 worksheet TEST1.XLS is referenced as ='[TEST1.XLS]TEST1'!$A$1 in a version 5.0 workbook in Windows, and as ='[TEST1.XLS]TEST1.XLS'!$A$1 on the Macintosh.

This behavior occurs only when you open a Microsoft Excel 5.0 for Windows workbook that contains a reference to a Microsoft Excel 4.0 for Windows worksheet.

## WORKAROUNDS

To work around this problem, use any of the following methods.

Method 1: Open the Microsoft Excel 5.0 workbook file that contains the link

              to the 4.0 worksheet first. When you open the workbook file,
              choose Yes to re-establish the links to the worksheet. The link
              is displayed correctly when you use this method.

Method 2: Use the Links dialog box to update the link by doing the

              following:

              a. From the Edit menu, choose Links.

              b. Select the link to the Microsoft Excel 4.0 for Windows
                 worksheet.

              c. Choose the Update Now button.

## 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.

## REFERENCES

For more information about Updating Data From A Source Workbook, choose the Search button in Microsoft Excel Help and type:

       updating, links

> KBCategory: kbinterop
> KBSubcategory: xlmac

> Additional reference words: 5.00
> Keywords : xlmac kbinterop
> Version : 5.00
> Platform : MACINTOSH

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Last reviewed: May 28, 1997
©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.