Microsoft KB Archive/171019

= XL97: Error Creating Circular References Between Instances =

Article ID: 171019

Article Last Modified on 10/22/2000

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q171019



SYMPTOMS
When you quit Microsoft Excel 97, you may receive the following error message:

This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.

If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

If you click Details, you receive the following error message:

EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module EXCEL.EXE at 0137:30295ab2.



CAUSE
This problem may occur if you create a circular reference between two separate instances of Microsoft Excel 97, and then attempt to quit both instances.

NOTE: This problem does not occur in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, avoid creating circular references between cells in worksheets in different instances of Microsoft Excel 97.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
In Microsoft Excel, a circular reference is formed when a cell refers to itself through one or more other cells. For example, both of the following sets of formulas create circular references   A1: =B1      E1: =F1 B1: =A1     F1: =G1+K2

G1: =E1 because at least one of the cells refers to itself through other cells.

Microsoft Excel warns you if you create a circular reference, either by displaying a dialog box or by displaying a message in the status bar.

However, if you create a circular reference between cells in different instances of Microsoft Excel, you are not warned about the presence of the circular reference. Also, depending on the way you quit Microsoft Excel 97, you may receive an invalid page fault when you close the second instance of Microsoft Excel 97.

Additional query words: XL97

Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb KB171019

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.