Knowledge Base

XL97: Alert for Previous Version Displays Using OnSave Property

Article ID: 193481

Article Last Modified on 11/23/2006

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q193481

SYMPTOMS

When you save a workbook to an earlier version of Excel, you may receive the following message, where <filename> is the name of the workbook that you are trying to save:

<filename> was created in a previous version of Microsoft Excel.
Do you want to update it to the new format?

To update it, click Yes.
To save it in the existing format, click No. Some types of changes may be lost.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs when you have run a macro that uses the OnSave property of the ActiveWorkbook, and you are saving to an earlier version of Microsoft Excel.

WORKAROUND

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified Partner or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified Partners, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:

https://partner.microsoft.com/global/30000104

For more information about the support options that are available and about how to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

To avoid this message when you save the workbook, temporarily change the default workbook format. The following macro example illustrates how to do this:

   Dim bFlag As Boolean
   Sub Auto_Open()
      ' Automatically invoke the OnSave property when user clicks Save
      ' and redirect to the Save_Macro routine.
      ActiveWorkbook.OnSave = "Save_Macro"
   End Sub
   Sub Save_Macro(bFlag)
      ' Change the default file format to Excel 5.0.
      Application.DefaultSaveFormat = xlExcel5
      ' Save the workbook.
      ActiveWorkbook.Save
      ' Change the default file format back to Excel 97.
      Application.DefaultSaveFormat = xlWorkbookNormal
   End Sub

MORE INFORMATION

The OnSave property is included in Excel 97 for backward compatibility with Excel 7.0. The OnSave property was introduced in Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0, but can still be used in Excel 97. The OnSave property returns or sets the name of a Visual Basic procedure to run after the user invokes the Save command, but before the workbook is actually saved. The OnSave property has been replaced by the BeforeSave event in Microsoft Excel 97.

For additional information about the OnSave property, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

157951 XL97: OnSave Property Not Available in Object Browser

REFERENCES

For more information about the BeforeSave event, from the Visual Basic Editor, click the Office Assistant, type BeforeSave click Search, and then click to view "BeforeSave Event."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If the Assistant is not able to answer your query, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

176476 Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions

Additional query words: XL97

Keywords: kbprb KB193481

Microsoft KB Archive/193481

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