XL98: Error Updating Link to Web Document (188493)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
This article was previously published under Q188493

SYMPTOMS

When you open a Microsoft Excel workbook, you may receive the following error message:
The External Copy: file format is not valid
and your only option is to click OK.

NOTE: Your workbook opens, but if there have been any changes in the source file, these changes are not reflected in your workbook.

CAUSE

This error message may occur if both of the following conditions are true:
  • Your Microsoft Excel workbook has links to files in the .htm file format. -and-

  • When you open your Microsoft Excel workbook, you click Yes when you are prompted to update links in the file.

WORKAROUND

You cannot update links in your Microsoft Excel workbook to .htm files. To avoid the error message, when you open your Microsoft Excel workbook and are prompted to update links, click No. Note that if the source .htm document has been changed since it was linked to your Microsoft Excel workbook, these changes are not made to your linked worksheet cells.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel 98, you can create links to workbooks on either an intranet or the Internet. For example, to create a link to a workbook on the Internet, use the following syntax

='http://<Web site>/<Web name>/[WorkbookName]Sheet1'!A1

where <Web site> is the name of a home Internet Web page, for example, www.microsoft.com.

You can also open your source document in Microsoft Excel and then use the following steps:
  1. Select the cell(s) in your source document that you want linked.
  2. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
  3. Select the cell(s) in your destination workbook that you want linked to your source document.
  4. On the Edit menu, click Paste Special. In the Paste Special dialog box, click Paste Link.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/11/2002
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB188493
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.