Microsoft KB Archive/193650

= XL97: Error Message: Invalid Data Format =

Article ID: 193650

Article Last Modified on 10/22/2000

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q193650





SYMPTOMS
When you open a workbook in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows, the following error message may appear twice:

Invalid data format

If you try to activate, remove, or export a module in the Visual Basic Editor, or when you close the workbook, you may receive the same error message.



CAUSE
This problem occurs if the workbook contains a Visual Basic module named "dir" or "Dir."



RESOLUTION
If this problem occurs, it is not possible to remove the module from the workbook. It is also not possible to rename the module so that it can be removed or activated.

Because you cannot do anything to the module, you must copy all information from the workbook into a new workbook, save the new workbook with a different name, and then delete the original workbook.

To prevent this problem from occurring, do not name a Visual Basic module "dir" or "Dir."



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows.



MORE INFORMATION
For more information about recovering data, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

142117 XL: Summary of Methods to Recover Data from Corrupted Files

Additional query words: XL97

Keywords: kbbug kbnofix KB193650

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