Microsoft KB Archive/103169

Microsoft Knowledge Base

Excel: Can't Define Names with Backslash and Single Character

Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
Article ID: Q103169

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 4.0

In Microsoft Excel version 4.0, if you attempt to create a defined name in a worksheet and the defined name contains only a backslash character (\) and a single digit or letter, you will receive the following error message:

   That name is not valid.

Page 268 of "User's Guide 1" states that the first character in a defined name must be a letter or an underline character. This information is not entirely correct: names can also begin with the backslash character. For example, you can define a name such as "\totals".

However, if you attempt to define a name that consists of only a backslash character and a single digit or letter (such as \x or \5), you will receive an error message.

This error message is likely to appear when you import a Lotus 1-2-3 worksheet that contains Lotus macros. When a Lotus 1-2-3 worksheet containing macros is loaded in Microsoft Excel, the names of the macros often appear in the Define Name dialog box as a single letter preceded by a backslash. If you try to redefine the name of the macro, you will receive the above error message.

NOTE: This problem does not occur in macro sheets.

REFERENCES

"User's Guide 1," version 4.0, pages 263-272

KBCategory: kbdocerr KBSubcategory: Additional reference words: 5.00 4.00 4.00a define.name wk1 wks wk3 THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Last reviewed: September 12, 1996 ©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.