Microsoft KB Archive/95475

{| = Excel: Opening a WK3 File with 3-D Links =
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Last reviewed: September 12, 1996

Article ID: Q95475 The information in this article applies to:
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a
 * Microsoft Excel for OS/2, version 3.0

SUMMARY
When you open a Lotus 1-2-3 WK3 file in Microsoft Excel for Windows, the following occurs:

Microsoft Excel Version 3.0 ---

Microsoft Excel version 3.0 opens WK3 files with 3-D links in a  workspace and modifies the filename by appending a lowercase letter starting with &quot;b&quot; to the filename. Microsoft Excel 3.0 cannot translate formulas containing 3-D references, however Microsoft Excel will bring across the corresponding value.

Microsoft Excel Versions 4.0 and 4.0a -

Microsoft Excel version 4.0 or 4.0a opens WK3 files with 3-D links in a workbook and modifies the filename by appending an uppercase letter starting with &quot;A&quot; to the filename. Microsoft Excel version 4.0 or 4.0a translates formulas containing 3-D references correctly.

Microsoft Excel Version 3.0
Microsoft Excel 3.0 opens WK3 files with 3-D links in a workspace, and modifies the filename by appending a lowercase letter starting with &quot;b&quot; to the filename. For example, if your WK3 file is called &quot;EXAMPLE.WK3&quot;, and it has 4 plies, it will be opened as follows:

EXAMPLE.WK3, EXAMPLEb.WK3, EXAMPLEc.WK3, and EXAMPLEd.WK3. When you open a Lotus 1-2-3 WK3 file with 3-D links in Microsoft Excel 3.0, the following messages will appear Cannot convert 3-D reference:[reference] Total number of file errors:[number] where [number] represents the total number of references and/or functions that Microsoft Excel could not translate. Note: This is not a problem in Microsoft Excel 4.0.

Microsoft Excel 3.0 does not handle 3-D referencing. In most cases, Microsoft Excel will bring across the corresponding values correctly and will also generate a note in the cell in which the 3-D reference was located. The note will state that the &quot;Formula Failed to Convert.&quot;

A 3-D reference will reference multiple sheets without specifying all of the corresponding sheet names. For example, in Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3.x, the following formula adds cell A1 of sheets (plies) A, B, C, and D:

Sum(A:A1..D:A1)

Microsoft Excel version 4.0
Microsoft Excel 4.0 opens WK3 files with 3-D links in a workbook, and modifies the filename by appending an uppercase letter starting with &quot;A&quot; to the filename. For example, if your WK3 file is called &quot;EXAMPLE.WK3&quot;, and it has 4 plies, it will be opened as follows:

[EXAMPLE. WK3]A, [EXAMPLE.WK3]B, [EXAMPLE.WK3]C, and [EXAMPLE.WK3]D. In Microsoft Excel 4.0, the 3-D links will be converted successfully, and the plies will be opened in a workbook.