Microsoft KB Archive/108001

Microsoft Knowledge Base

XL5: Copying a Sheet with Identical Local and Global Names

Last reviewed: May 14, 1997
Article ID: Q108001

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows version 5.0
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 5.0
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, if you have a local name "sales" and a global name "sales" that refer to Sheet1, and you make a copy of Sheet1 in that same workbook, you may receive one of the following messages:

   Use existing definition of 'sales'

   -or-

   A formula or sheet you want to move or copy contains the name 'sales',
   which already exists on the destination worksheet

To keep the names defined as they are in the original sheet, choose Yes.

MORE INFORMATION

The following example shows what happens when you have identical local and global names on the same sheet and you copy the sheet within the workbook.

Example

1. Open a new workbook.
2. On the Insert menu, point to Name, and then click Define.
3. Type "sales" in the Names In Workbook box.
4. Click OK. This creates a global name, accessible from every sheet in the workbook.
5. Select cell C1.
6. From the Insert menu, choose Name, and then choose Define.
7. Type "Sheet1!sales" (without quotation marks) in the Names In Workbook box.
8. Click OK. This creates a local name accessible only from Sheet1 that overrides the global name.
9. Hold down the CTRL key and drag the Sheet1 tab past the Sheet2 tab. The message, "Use existing definition of 'sales'," is displayed.

If you choose Yes, the local name "sales" is copied to the new sheet. The global name "sales" is overridden by the local name, just as it was in the original Sheet1. Note, when you are in a sheet that has a local defined name the same as a global defined name, you cannot see the global defined name when this sheet is active.

If you choose No, you are asked to enter a new name which is assigned to the cell that contains the original global name. This new name, however, is now a local name. The local name "sales" is copied to the new sheet.

REFERENCES

"User's Guide," version 5.0, pages 142-151

Additional query words: 5.00 7.00 Keywords : kbusage kbusage Version : 5.00 7.00 | 5.00 Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS 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: May 14, 1997 ©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.