XL7: Error in Template Wizard Using Workbook with Apostrophe

ID: Q131995

7.00 WINDOWS kbother

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you use the Template Wizard to create a template, if the name of the workbook from which you create the template contains an apostrophe character ('), you receive the following error message in the Template Wizard 

   You must select cells from the workbook <workbook name>
where <workbook name> is the name of the workbook that contains an apostrophe, such as "it's an example.xls."

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because the apostrophe character is reserved for use in references in Microsoft Excel. When you use the Template Wizard to create a template, if the workbook name that you use to create the template contains an apostrophe, you receive the error message shown above in the Template Wizard-Step 3 of 5 dialog box when you select a cell on the worksheet and then press TAB or click the Field Name box.

This problem does not occur if the name of the template or the database that you create using the Template Wizard contains an apostrophe character. However, as a general rule, to avoid problems with linking you should not use the apostrophe character in a workbook or worksheet name in Microsoft Excel.

Note that under Windows NT version 3.51, you cannot save a file with an apostrophe in the filename from within Microsoft Excel. However, if you use File Manager in Windows NT to rename a file to a name that contains an apostrophe, the behavior described above occurs in Microsoft Excel when you use this file to create a template using the Template Wizard.

RESOLUTION

To avoid this behavior when you create a template using the Template Wizard, you should avoid using a workbook with a name that contains an apostrophe. You can rename your workbook to a name that does not contain an apostrophe by using Windows Explorer or My Computer, and then use the Template Wizard to create a template from this file.

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

The Template Wizard command is available on the Data menu when you load the Template Wizard With Data Tracking add-in. You can load this add-in by using the Add-Ins dialog box (Tools menu) to add the file WZTEMPLT.XLA from the Microsoft Excel LIBRARY folder. You can use this add-in to create a template that links selected cells in a workbook to fields in a database that you specify. When you base a new workbook on the template and enter data in the indicated cells, Microsoft Excel creates a new record in the database and copies the data to the corresponding data fields.

REFERENCES

For more information about using the Template Wizard in Microsoft Excel, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text 

   Template
double-click the selected text, and then double-click When To Use The Template Wizard to go to the "When To Use The Template Wizard" topic.

KBCategory: kbother KBSubcategory: xlwin

Additional reference words: 7.00 

Keywords          : xlwin 
Version           : 7.00
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: September 16, 1996