Microsoft KB Archive/106676

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

XL: Links Command Unavailable Unless Links Are External
Last reviewed: March 27, 1997

Article ID: Q106676

5.00 7.00 | 5.00

WINDOWS  | MACINTOSH kbusage kbtlc

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0

SYMPTOMS
If you click the Edit menu, the Links menu item may be grayed out and the Links dialog box may not show links between two different worksheets.

CAUSE
You may experience this behavior if your workbook does not contain links to external documents. Links between worksheets that are located in the same workbook will not appear in the Links dialog box as the Links dialog box will only show external links (that is, links between different workbooks). Therefore, in this situation, the Links menu item on the Edit menu would be dimmed.

This is by design.

MORE INFORMATION
The purpose of the Links dialog box is to handle the pathing issues that result when links are made between different files. Since sheets in the same workbook are part of the same file, it is not necessary to display them in the Links dialog box.

In Microsoft Excel versions earlier than 5.0, links between different sheets in the same workbook would appear in the Links dialog box regardless of whether the workbook was bound or not.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
  In cell A1 on Sheet1, type: =Sheet2!A1 

Note that the the Links command on the Edit menu is unavailable (dimmed).

 Open a new workbook (for example, Book2). Switch to the previous workbook.  In cell A2 type: =[Book2]Sheet1!A1 

The Links command is now available on the Edit menu.