Excel: "Macro Error..." with Lotus File Combine Macro

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0, 5.0c

SYMPTOMS

When you run a Lotus 1-2-3 macro that contains a File Combine command in Microsoft Excel, you may receive one of the following error messages:

   Macro error at cell: <cell reference>

   Cannot find '<filename>'

   -or-

   <filename>: File format is not valid

WORKAROUND

You can use the Macro Interpreter in Microsoft Excel to run a Lotus 1-2-3 macro that performs the File Combine function as long as the following conditions are true:

• The Lotus file being combined is saved in the .WK1 format (note that the .WK3 format will not run correctly).

  -and-

• The file being combined is located in the working directory.

MORE INFORMATION

The File Combine feature of Lotus 1-2-3 will extract cells from one file and place them at the active cell location in the current document. This feature was developed with early text-based versions of Lotus 1-2-3.

Microsoft Excel does not have a direct equivalent of the File Combine feature, but you can simulate it manually.

To simulate the Lotus 1-2-3 File Combine feature in Microsoft Excel

1. Open the source file.

2. Open the target file.

3. In the source file, select the range that you want to combine with the target file.

4. On the Edit menu, click Copy.

5. In the target file, activate the starting cell location.

6. On the Edit menu, click Paste.

REFERENCES

For more information about File Formats for Lotus 1-2-3, click the Search button in Help and type:

   Formats, file