Microsoft KB Archive/109246

Knowledge Base

XL: Cannot Open Microsoft Works 3.0 or 4.0 Files

Article ID: 109246

Article Last Modified on 8/16/2005

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Excel 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel 5.0 for Macintosh
• Microsoft Excel 5.0a for Macintosh
• Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q109246

For a Microsoft Excel 2000 and later version of this article, see 214048.

SYMPTOMS

In the versions of Microsoft Excel listed at the beginning of this article, you cannot open files that have been saved in the Microsoft Works 3.0 or 4.0 format.

WORKAROUND

To open a Microsoft Works 3.0 or 4.0 file in Excel versions 5.0 and later, the file must first be saved in a compatible file format in Works. To do this, in Microsoft Works for Windows version 3.0, follow these steps:

1. Open the file that you want Microsoft Excel to be able to open.
2. From the File menu, choose Save As.

3. From the Save File As Type list, select one of the following file formats:

      Format                                  Saves File with Extension
      -----------------------------------------------------------------
   
      Works for Windows 2.0/                  WKS
      Works for DOS SS
   
      Excel 4.0/5.0 SS                        XLS
   
      Lotus 1-2-3                             WK1
                       

4. Click OK to save the file in the new format.
5. Close the file before you attempt to open it in Microsoft Excel.

You should now be able to open the file in Microsoft Excel.

This information also applies to Microsoft Works version 3.0 for MS-DOS and Microsoft Works version 3.0 and 4.0 for the Macintosh. In these versions of Microsoft Works, follow the appropriate steps to save the file in any of the above file formats or in the symbolic link (SYLK) file format (which is also compatible with the versions of Microsoft Excel listed above).

MORE INFORMATION

When you open a file in the versions of Microsoft Excel listed above, the List Files Of Type list indicates that one of the file types Microsoft Excel can open is

Microsoft Works Files (*.WKS)

Even though no version information is mentioned, Excel can only open Microsoft Works files that are saved in the Microsoft Works 2.0 (or earlier) format. You cannot open Microsoft Works 3.0 or 4.0 files directly in Excel.

If you attempt to open a Microsoft Works 3.0 file, you receive the following error message:

Cannot read this binary file. If the file was created in a version of Microsoft Excel later than 5.0, use that version to save it as a Microsoft Excel 5.0 file. Open file as text?

NOTE: If you open the file as text, it is virtually unreadable.

Additional query words: 8.00 97 xl97

Keywords: KB109246

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