Microsoft KB Archive/124113

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XL5: Changing Links Does Not Prompt for Worksheet Name

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0

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SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel 5.0, if you change links by clicking Links on the Edit menu, you may receive the following error message:

External reference not valid.

CAUSE
You may receive this error message if the following conditions are true:


 * The file you are changing the link to is open.
 * The file you are changing the link to does not contain a worksheet with the same name as the worksheet name originally used by the link.

WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use the following appropriate method.

Method 1
If it is not possible to keep the same worksheet names in both files, close the file that you are changing the link to. When the file that you are trying to link to is closed, and it does not find the same worksheet name, it will prompt you for what worksheet within the workbook you want to link to.

Method 2
If it is possible to keep the same worksheet names, then you can change a link without receiving error messages. If the worksheet names are the same, you can change the link with the workbook open or closed. Once the link has been successfully changed, then you can change the name of the worksheet and the link will update with the new worksheet name for you.

STATUS
This is a known problem in the versions of Microsoft Excel listed at the beginning of this article. The problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0, Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows, and Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.

MORE INFORMATION
When you change a link by clicking Links on the Edit menu, you can select a workbook filename to link to. If the file that you are changing the link to is open, Microsoft Excel assumes the workbook contains a worksheet that has the same worksheet name as the link(s) you are changing. If the same worksheet name does not exist in the other workbook, you will receive an error message.