Microsoft KB Archive/30583

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Excel Err Msg: &quot;File Format Is Not Valid&quot; with Linked Document

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 2.2, 3.x, 4.x, 5.0, 5.0a
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.x, 4.x, 5.0, 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 7.0

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SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel, if you attempt to update links to a closed file that is saved in a file format other than Microsoft Excel (for example if you save it in the text file format), you may receive the following error message:

External Copy: file format is not valid

CAUSE
For a list of the file types that you cannot update links to if the linked- to file is closed, see the following table. In the table, &quot;x&quot; means that the file format causes the error message and &quot;No error&quot; means that the file format does not cause the error message.

  Formats that may return an   MS Excel 3.0 error message   or earlier         MS Excel 4.0   MS Excel 5.0 -

Text             x                  x                 x   CSV               x                  x                 x   SYLK              x                  x                 x   WKS               x                  x                 No error WK1              x                  x                 No error WK3              x                  x                 No error DIF              x                  x                 x   DBF2              x                  x                 x   DBF3              x                  x                 x   DBF4              x                  x                 x   MS Excel 2.1      x                  No error          No error MS Excel 3.0     No error           No error          No error MS Excel 4.0     N/A                No error          No error

WORKAROUNDS
To avoid receiving this error message, use any of the following methods.

Method 1: Open the external file before you attempt to update links to it.

Method 2: Save the file in a file format that allows you to update links when the linked-to worksheet is closed.

MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft Excel 5.0 and later:

For more information about File Formats (Windows) or File Formats (Macintosh), choose the Search button in Help, and type the following:

  file formats, defined

For an Overview of Linking and Embedding, choose the Search button in Help and type the following:

  Links command (Edit menu), purpose

Microsoft Excel 4.0:

&quot;User's Guide,&quot; version 4.0, pages 127-136

Microsoft Excel 3.0:

&quot;User's Guide,&quot; version 3.0 for Windows, pages 316-325

&quot;User's Guide,&quot; version 3.0 for the Macintosh, 308-317

Additional query words: 1.0 1.00 1.03 1.04 1.06 1.5 1.50 2.20 3.0 3.00 4.0 4.00 5.00c OLE

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