Knowledge Base

You receive an error message when you use right bracket in text file name in Excel 2003 and earlier versions

Article ID: 154876

Article Last Modified on 1/6/2007

Microsoft Office Excel 2003
Microsoft Excel 2002 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh

This article was previously published under Q154876

SYMPTOMS

In the versions of Microsoft Excel that are listed in the "Applies To" section, you may receive the following error message when you try to rename a sheet tab:

While renaming a sheet, you entered an invalid sheet name. The following are possible reasons for this:

The error message then goes on to explain potential reasons why the error is occurring.

CAUSE

This error message occurs if you open a text file whose name contains a right bracket character (]) and then try to rename the file's sheet tab.

RESOLUTION

To avoid this problem, make sure your text file name does not contain a right bracket character (]) before you open the file in Microsoft Excel. Preferably, the file name should also not contain a left bracket character ([).

MORE INFORMATION

In Excel, the left and right bracket characters ([ and ]) have special meaning. In worksheet formulas, they are used to separate the workbook name from the names of sheets contained within the workbook. For example:

   =[Book1.xls]Sheet1!$A$1

If you open a file whose name contains either a left or a right bracket, Excel may mishandle the file's name.

Note A file whose name contains a left bracket character but not a right bracket character should not be affected by this problem.

REFERENCES

For more information about renaming sheet tabs, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

renaming sheets

and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Rename a sheet" topic.

Additional query words: right bracket left brace square XL

Keywords: kbexpertisebeginner KB154876