Microsoft KB Archive/211999

= XL2000: Unable to Use File URL in Linking Formulas =

Article ID: 211999

Article Last Modified on 9/25/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q211999





SYMPTOMS
If you try to enter a linking formula in a cell using a File URL format, the formula will return the #REF! error.

For example, if you have a file called "Test.xls" (without the quotation marks) on the network share called "\\server\share" (without the quotation marks), the linking formula using a File URL format would be:

='file:///\\server\share\[test.xls]Sheet1'!A1



CAUSE
Microsoft Excel only supports Internet links using either the HTTP URL or the FTP URL formats.



RESOLUTION
If you know the path to the file, you can create a link using a UNC path. In the example given in the "Symptoms" section, the linking formula using a UNC path would be:

='\\server\share\[Test.xls]Sheet1'!A1



MORE INFORMATION
The following linking formulas are examples of how you can manually create Internet links in Excel to HTTP or FTP servers:

HTTP
='http://webserver/webpage/[bookname.xls]Sheetname'!A1

When you enter this formula, it may initially resolve to the #REF! error value, but after a few seconds, the source cell value will display in the linked cell.

FTP
='ftp://server/[bookname.xls]Sheetname'!A1

