KB171218 - XL97: Error Filling Large Numbers of Array Formulas

Article ID: 171218

Article Last Modified on 10/22/2000

Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q171218

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, if you fill or copy a very large number of array formulas in a worksheet, the following problems may occur:

You may receive the following error message:
This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.
If you click Details, you receive the following error message:
EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module EXCEL.EXE at 0137:3011f337.
-or-
Array formulas may not appear after a certain point in the worksheet. When entered, filled, or copied, the formulas disappear. -or-
An array formula may return a very small value, such as 3.2E-308 or 3.5E-308.

CAUSE

These problems may occur if the worksheet contains more than 32,704 array formulas that refer to another worksheet.

RESOLUTION

To resolve the first and third problems that are described in the "Symptoms" section, install Microsoft Excel 97 Service Release 1 (SR-1).

In Microsoft Excel 97, a single worksheet may contain a maximum of 32,704 array formulas that refer to another worksheet. If you want to use more formulas, split the data into multiple worksheets so that there are fewer than 32,704 references to a single worksheet.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows. The first and third problems that are described in the "Symptoms" section were corrected in Microsoft Excel 97 SR-1.

For additional information about SR-1, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

172475 OFF97: How to Obtain and Install MS Office 97 SR-1

NOTE: The maximum number of array formulas is still 32,704.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel 97, a single worksheet cannot contain more than 32,704 array formulas that refer to another specific worksheet. For example, in Sheet1 of a workbook, you can create the following:

32,704 array formulas that refer to Sheet2
32,704 array formulas that refer to Sheet3
32,704 array formulas that refer to Sheet4

If you attempt to create more than 32,704 array formulas that refer to a specific worksheet, you may receive an error message. If you do not receive an error message, the array formulas that you enter after the 32,704th formula may disappear when you enter them.

Additional query words: XL97 32700 sr1

Keywords: kberrmsg kbbug kbfix KB171218