XL: References Missing Moving Files from Windows to Macintosh

ID: Q179804

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you open a workbook, references may be listed as missing in the References dialog box in the Visual Basic Editor. The references as listed as missing even though the referenced files are stored in the correct location and have not been moved, renamed, or deleted.

This may cause problems if you run Visual Basic macros that use the referenced files.

CAUSE

This problem may occur when the following conditions are true:

The workbook contains a reference to a file (workbook, add-in, type library, and so on) that is stored on a network server that is accessible to computers running Microsoft Windows or the Macintosh operating system.
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    -and-
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The referenced file is not stored in the same folder as the workbook.
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    -and-
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At various times, you open the workbook in both Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows and Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.

Specifically, the problem occurs because the different versions of Microsoft Excel do not always properly handle the transition from the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) (for example, \\Server\Files\User001) to the Macintosh pathing convention (for example, Files:User001). Because of this problem, references to files may be damaged when you move a workbook from Microsoft Excel for Windows to Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh or vice versa.

To see an example of this problem, see the "More Information" section in this article.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, store the referenced files in the same folder as the workbook that references them. If the files and the workbook are in the same folder, the references are not listed as missing when you open the workbook.

Note that if you manually correct the missing references in the References dialog box, the problem may occur again the next time you open the workbook.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Example

For this example, assume the following:

A network server is accessible by computers running Windows or the Macintosh operating system. For example, network server is running Microsoft Windows NT Server and is running Services for Macintosh (SFM).
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    -and-
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The server is named "Server" and contains a share named "Files." The share contains a folder named "User001" that contains a folder named "Addins." The Addins folder contains an add-in named "Test.xla."

To see an example of the problem, follow these steps:

1. Start Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows and create a new workbook.

2. Point to Macro on the Tools menu, and click Visual Basic Editor.

   Then, click References on the Tools menu.

3. Click Browse. In the File Name box, type the following:

      \\Server\Files\User001\Addins\Test.xla

   Click Open.

   An entry for the add-in appears in the Available References list.

4. Click OK. Then, click "Close And Return To Microsoft Excel" on the File

   menu.

5. On the File menu, click Save As. In the File Name box, type the

   following:

      \\Server\Files\User001\Testwkbk.xls

   Click Save. Then, click Close on the File menu.

6. On your Macintosh computer, use the Chooser to connect to the Files

   share on the server.

7. Start Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition. On the File menu, click

   Open. Select Testwkbk.xls, and click Open.

8. Point to Macro on the Tools menu, and click Visual Basic Editor.

   Then, click References on the Tools menu.

In the Available References list, the reference you added is listed as "MISSING." The location for the add-in resembles the following:

   Files:User001:Addins\Test.xla

Note that a backslash (\) appears in place of the colon (:) near the end of the Location.

If you save the Testwkbk.xls workbook, close it, and then reopen the workbook in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows, the reference is still listed as "MISSING."

If you perform the previous steps in reverse (create the workbook, add the reference in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, and then open the workbook in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows), the reference is also listed as "MISSING."

REFERENCES

For more information about references in Microsoft Excel, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q175863
   TITLE     : XL97: Reference Incorrectly Listed as "MISSING" in MS
               Excel 97

Additional query words: XL97 XL98 unc novell netware

Keywords          : kbinterop xlloadsave xlvbainfo 
Version           : MACINTOSH:98; WINDOWS:97
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: January 8, 1999