Lotus 1-2-3 .WK4 File Converter Readme The Lotus 1-2-3 .WK4 file converter provides the functionality to easily convert your existing Lotus 1-2-3 version 4.0 and 5.0 files for Windows into Microsoft Excel 5.0 files. Note that the Lotus 1-2-3 .WK4 file converter is not designed to work with Microsoft Excel for Windows NT. Network Setup ------------- If you want to copy the files to a network server and run the Setup program from the server to install the converter to each workstation, you must copy the files from the WE1130 disk to a directory named DISK1 on the server. The DISK1 directory may be a subdirectory of another directory, for example X:\WK4CONV\DISK1. External References Not Converted --------------------------------- When you open a file that refers to a name in another workbook, and the name is defined on a sheet other than the first worksheet in the workbook, the reference is not converted. To convert the external reference, do the following: 1. In the workbook that contains the link, choose Links from the Edit menu. 2. Choose the Open Source button to open the supporting file. 3. Save the supporting file to the Microsoft Excel Workbook format. Then save the file that contains the link to the Microsoft Excel Workbook format. Large File Sizes ---------------- When you open a Lotus 1-2-3 .WK4 file, and you save the file to the Microsoft Excel Workbook format, the file size may increase by a large amount. This can occur if you apply formatting to an entire column or row. For example, if you select column C, apply a currency format, and then enter values in a few of the cells in column C, the file size may increase by a large amount when you save the file as a Microsoft Excel workbook. To avoid a large increase in your file size, do the following: 1. Select all of the blank cells below and to the right of the last cell on your worksheet that contains data. 2. From the Edit menu, choose Delete. Choose OK. Cell Displays #VALUE! Error Value --------------------------------- When you open a Lotus 1-2-3 .WK4 file in Microsoft Excel, if a cell on the worksheet displays the #VALUE! error value, even though the formula bar contains the correct formula, do the following to correct the value: 1. Select the worksheet that contains the cell that is displaying the error value. 2. From the Edit menu, choose Replace. 3. In the Find What box, type "=" (without the quotation marks) and in the Replace With box, type "=" (without the quotation marks). Choose Replace All. This method enters each formula on the worksheet again, and assures that each cell on your worksheet is converted properly. Note that if only one or two cells on your worksheet display the #VALUE error value, you can enter the individual value again by selecting the cell, pressing F2, and then pressing ENTER. Error Message: "This document contains links. You can re-establish them with the Edit Links command" -------------------------------------------------------- Because of the way that Microsoft Excel uses converters, if you are working with a file that contains external links, you must update the links manually. Once you've updated the links, you can resolve and calculate them by doing the following: 1. From the Edit menu, choose Links. 2. In the Links box, select the appropriate file (or files), and choose Update Now or Open Source. Note that if you save the file in the Microsoft Excel file format (.XLS), you will not have to repeat this procedure. Error Message: "This document contains formulas which failed to convert" ------------------------------------------------------------ Certain functions are not compatible between Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel. This error message indicates that the converted spreadsheet contains any number of these incompatible functions. When you receive this error message, you must go through each sheet of the workbook and look for cell notes that are attached to error cells (these cells will also contain the #VALUE! error value). To quickly find these cells, choose Note from the Insert menu in each sheet of the workbook. The Notes In Sheet box of the Cell Note dialog box will contain a list of cells that have functions that were not successfully converted. You Are Unable to Use Converted WK3 Macros ------------------------------------------ WK3 macros are supported to a very limited extent. When you use WK3 macros, the following restrictions apply: - The commands in the macro must be backward compatible to Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2 (note that Release 2 lacks many of the macro commands available in Release 4). - When you run the macro, the sheet containing the macro code must be active. NOTE: This restriction means that if you have a separate sheet containing the macro code, you cannot use those macros with data that is contained on a different sheet. Drawing Layer Objects Are Not Converted --------------------------------------- With the exception of chart objects, drawing layer objects are not converted. Drawing layer objects include macro buttons, text boxes, lines, arrows, and so on. Worksheet Names Are Not Converted --------------------------------- Worksheet names are not converted. Instead, worksheets are named A, B, C, and so on. Localized Lotus 1-2-3 Files --------------------------- The Lotus 1-2-3 .WK4 file converter allows you to open any localized Lotus 1-2-3 .WK4 file, with the exception of Arabic and Far East languages in the US version of Microsoft Excel. Use of this converter is not supported in international versions of Microsoft Excel.