Excel: File Formats Excel 3.00 Can Save and Read

Last reviewed: November 23, 1994
Article ID: Q67467

SUMMARY

The following is a description of the different file formats available in Excel version 3.00:

File Format          Description
-----------          -----------

Normal:              Standard format for a Microsoft Excel document.
                     Use this format if the document is to be used in
                     Excel 3.00. This format is also known as BIFF,
                     or binary interchange file format.

Template:            Excel Template format. Useful for creating pre-
                     formatted worksheets or charts.

Excel 2.x:           For transferring files to Microsoft Excel version
                     2.10 or 2.20. All graphic objects, including
                     buttons, text boxes, and embedded charts are
                     removed and cell border styles are replaced with
                     single line borders. While outline formatting is
                     removed, the file still retains cell formats
                     assigned with either styles or cell styles.

SYLK:                Symbolic link. For transferring data to another
                     application, such as Microsoft Multiplan or
                     Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh version 1.50
                     or earlier.

Text:                ASCII text. Use this format for transferring
                     data to or from a word processor. This format
                     saves only the text and values as they are
                     displayed in the cells on the worksheet. Columns
                     are separated by tabs, and rows by carriage
                     returns, but all other format information is
                     lost. If a cell contains a comma or tab, the
                     value from the cell is enclosed in double
                     quotation marks.

CSV:                 Comma separated values format is similar to text
                     format except that CSV file format uses a comma
                     to separate fields, instead of a tab. If a cell
                     contains a comma, the value in the cell is
                     enclosed in double quotation marks.

WKS:                 For transferring data to or from Lotus 1-2-3
                     Release 1 or Lotus Symphony.

WK1:                 For transferring data to or from Lotus 1-2-3
                     Release 2.

WK3:                 For transferring data to or from Lotus 1-2-3
                     Release 3.

DIF:                 Data Interchange Format. For transferring data to
                     or from Visicalc.

DBF2:                For transferring the range named Database to or
                     from dBASE II.

DBF3:                For transferring the range named Database to or
                     from dBASE III.

DBF4:                For transferring the range named Database to or
                     from dBASE IV.

Text (Windows):      For transferring data to or from a Windows
                     application (tab delimited).

Text (OS/2 or DOS): For transferring data to or from an OS/2 or DOS
                     application (tab delimited).

CSV (Windows):       For transferring data to or from a Windows
                     application (comma separated).

CSV (OS/2 or DOS):   For transferring data to or from an OS/2 or DOS
                     application (comma separated).

Add-In macro:        For saving Microsoft Excel add-in macros.

International macro: For saving macros such that they can be run on
                     any supported language version of Microsoft
                     Excel.


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Last reviewed: November 23, 1994
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