Article ID: 177537
Article Last Modified on 9/11/2002
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh
This article was previously published under Q177537
SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, if you click Properties on the File menu, click the Custom tab, enter file property values, and then click Add, you may receive the following error message:
Also, if you click Properties on the File menu, and then click the Custom tab, values you previously entered in the dialog box may be changed.
CAUSE
The first problem occurs when the following conditions are true:
- On the File menu, you click Properties, and then click the Custom tab. -and-
- You enter a name in the Name box, or click a property in the list below the Name box, and then click Date in the Type list. -and-
- In the Value box, you enter a date greater than or equal to February 7, 2040 (2/7/2040). -and-
- You then click Add.
After you receive the error message, the date appears, but it is converted to text.
The second problem (previously entered values are changed) occurs when the following conditions are true:
- You open a workbook that was created in Microsoft Excel for Windows. -and-
- On the File menu, you click Properties, and then click the Custom tab. -and-
- One or more of the previously entered custom properties contain a date that is greater than or equal to February 7, 2040.
When this problem occurs, Microsoft Excel replaces the previously entered dates that start at February 7, 2040 with dates that start at January 1, 1904 (1/1/1904). Note that Microsoft Excel may repeat the cycle multiple times for exceptionally large dates.
In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, you cannot enter a date that is greater than or equal to February 7, 2040 in the Custom tab of the Properties dialog box.
WORKAROUND
To work around the problem in which dates in Microsoft Excel for Windows file are changed when you view them in the Custom tab, click Cancel in the Properties dialog box. By clicking Cancel, you prevent Microsoft Excel from retaining the changed dates. If you click OK, the changed date values are retained.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
MORE INFORMATION
In Microsoft Excel, you can use the Properties dialog box to set or view properties for a workbook. The tabs in the Properties dialog box allow you to set or view the file properties.
The design of the Macintosh computer does not allow you to set or view dates greater than or equal to February 7, 2040 in the Custom tab of the Properties dialog box. If you enter such a date, it is converted to text; if you open a workbook that contains such a date, it is replaced with another date when you view the Custom tab.
Additional query words: XL98 changed unexpectedly
Keywords: kberrmsg kbbug KB177537
