Microsoft KB Archive/26722

Translating Long Formulas from Lotus 1-2-3 to Excel PSS ID Number: Q26722 Article last modified on 02-26-1993 PSS database name: W_eXceL

2.x 3.00 | 2.20 3.00

WINDOWS | OS/2

Summary:

When loading a Lotus 1-2-3 worksheet that contains very long formulas (over 255 characters), Excel will not translate the long formulas.

More Information:

Excel parses each formula as it is entered or while a worksheet is translated. Each parsed formula must contain no more than 255 bytes. The length of a formula when parsed may be greater than its length when typed; therefore, Excel may not be able to accept formulas that are almost, but not quite, 255 characters long. Some formulas may also be shorter when parsed than they are when typed in, so formulas with more than 255 characters may sometimes translate properly.

The workaround is to reduce the length of the formulas in Lotus. This is usually done by using two cells to calculate the formula rather than putting the entire formula in a single cell.

Additional reference words: 2.1 2.10 3.0 3.00

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.