XL97: "Illegal Operation" Opening a Non-Microsoft Excel File

When you open a file that does not use the Microsoft Excel file format, you may receive the following error message: If you click Details, you receive an error message similar to the following:

This problem may occur when both of the following conditions are true:

• In an open workbook, you use either the Camera tool or the Paste Picture Link feature to create a picture that is linked to a range of cells. -and-
  
  
• You attempt to open a file that is in a format other than the Microsoft Excel file format.

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

Method 1: Method 2:

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows, Service Release 1.

You can create pictures of worksheet data, charts, and other objects and use them as illustrations in a worksheet or a document that you create in another program. You can resize, move, and edit a picture like a drawing object.

To update a picture of worksheet cells after the original data changes, link the picture to the source worksheet. For example, if you add numbers to the original cells you copied, the linked picture is automatically updated to include the new numbers.

You cannot link a picture of a chart. To create a chart that reflect changes in its source data automatically, copy the chart and paste a linked chart object in the destination file.

You can copy a picture in the picture or bitmap format. The picture format uses less memory and disk space than the bitmap format, and allows Microsoft Excel to display the picture more quickly. Images you save in the picture format are displayed well at any resolution and work well when you want to produce a high-quality printout or online presentation, such as a chart for a presentation.

For more information about creating linked pictures to cell ranges, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Create pictures of cells, charts, and other objects" topic.