Microsoft KB Archive/116279

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

XL: Err Msg: References Too Complex Opening .WK3 File
Last reviewed: September 13, 1996

Article ID: Q116279

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel version 5.0 when you open a .WK3 file that contains a chart with 3-D references, you may receive the following error message:

Reference is too complex

CAUSE
This error message appears when you open a .WK3 file that contains a chart with 3-D references to different plies for different elements of the chart.

Microsoft Excel version 5.0 will open the file and change all references in the chart to reference one single sheet. This can lead to incorrect results in your chart.

WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, open the .WK3 file in Lotus 1-2-3 and change all chart references such that they point to one single ply of the spreadsheet.