XL97: Error Activating Worksheet That Contains Controls

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

If you right-click an embedded Microsoft Excel 97 worksheet contained in a Microsoft Word 97 document, point to Worksheet Object on the shortcut menu, and then click Open, you may receive one or more of the following error messages:

   Microsoft Excel
   File not found

   -and-

   Microsoft Excel
   Path/File access error

   -and-

   Microsoft Word
   Word cannot edit the Microsoft Excel Worksheet.

CAUSE

These problems occur if the following conditions are true:

• The embedded worksheet contains one or more controls (such as a command button, an option button, or a check box).

      -and-
  

• An instance of Microsoft Excel 97 is already running.

      -and-
  

• You already switched to the embedded worksheet once before by right- clicking the embedded worksheet, pointing to Worksheet Object, and then clicking Open.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods:

• Instead of clicking Open on the shortcut menu, click Edit.

  If you edit the worksheet in Microsoft Word 97 instead of Microsoft Excel 97, the problem does not occur.

      -or-
  

• After you click the Microsoft Excel 97 worksheet and return to Microsoft Word 97, quit both Microsoft Word 97 and Microsoft Excel 97. When you restart Microsoft Word 97, you can switch to the embedded worksheet without receiving any error messages.

  NOTE: If you attempt to switch to the worksheet a second time, the problem may still occur.

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.