Microsoft KB Archive/229815

= XL98: Errors Saving to an Earlier File Format When Transition Formula Evaluation Is Enabled =

Article ID: 229815

Article Last Modified on 9/11/2002

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh

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This article was previously published under Q229815





SYMPTOMS
When you save your file, you receive one or more error messages similar to the following:

A formula in a cell (Cell:B7) could not be converted because it contains a function that is not available in the file format to which you are saving. If you continue the save, the formula and result will be saved, but the function itself will be converted to an error value.

followed by:

Microsoft Excel cannot convert some of the cells. The total number of errors found is 3.

followed by:

This workbook contains features that are not supported by the file format that you selected. To avoid the possible loss of formatting or information, be sure to save a copy in the most recent Microsoft Excel Workbook format.



CAUSE
This problem occurs when the following conditions are true:

 You saved your file to one of the following file formats:

 Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook Microsoft Excel 97/98 & 5.0/95 Workbook Microsoft Excel 4.0 Worksheet Microsoft Excel 4.0 Workbook

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</li> Your worksheet contains any of the following functions:

 AVERAGE</li> MIN</li> MAX</li> STDEV</li> STDEVP</li> VAR</li> VARP</li></ul>

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</li> The Transition formula evaluation check box on the Transition tab of the Preferences dialog box is selected.</li></ul>

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WORKAROUND
To work around the problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Disable Transition Formula Evaluation
To disable Transition Formula Evaluation, follow these steps:
 * 1) On the Tools menu, click Preferences.
 * 2) On the Transition tab, click to clear the Transition formula evaluation check box, and then click OK.

Method 2: Use the Corresponding "A" Function
For each of the functions listed in the "Cause" section of this article, Excel includes a set of functions that are designed to be 100 percent compatible with Lotus 1-2-3. These functions are known as the "A" functions because all of the function names end with the letter A.

For additional information about using the A functions, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

181709 XL98: New A Functions in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

Additional query words: XL98 tfe

Keywords: kbprb KB229815

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