XL: Error Opening File That Refers to Shortcut (213650)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 2000
  • Microsoft Excel 2002
This article was previously published under Q213650
For a Microsoft Excel 97 and earlier version of this article, see 132976.

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you open a workbook that contains a reference to a shortcut to a workbook, one of the following symptoms occurs:
  • If the workbook that you open contains the defined name "Auto_Open" that refers to a macro in the shortcut to the workbook, you receive the following error message
    Cannot find 'filename'!macro, which has been assigned to run each time [book] is opened. Continuing could cause errors. Cancel opening [book]?
    where filename is the name of the shortcut to the workbook that contains your macro, macro is the name of the macro you want to run automatically, book is the name of the workbook that you are opening that contains the Auto_Open defined name.
  • If the workbook that you open contains a link to a cell in the shortcut to the workbook, the File Not Found dialog box appears (if you choose to reestablish the link).

CAUSE

In Microsoft Windows, you can create a shortcut to any program, document, or printer, and put this shortcut in any folder or on the desktop. This makes it easy to access the objects that you use most frequently. However, if you create a link or reference to a shortcut to a workbook in a Microsoft Excel workbook, the behavior described in the "Symptoms" section occurs because Microsoft Excel does not recognize the workbook that the shortcut refers to.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, create the link or reference to the original workbook instead of to a shortcut to the workbook.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/3/2003
Keywords:kberrmsg kbpending kbprb kbProgramming KB213650
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