Upgrading to Excel 2000

Using a Dual File Format in Excel

A dual file format saves two formats in a single file. This format is an ideal solution for organizations that are upgrading gradually to Microsoft Excel 2000. You can standardize your organization on the Microsoft Excel 97-2000 & 5.0/95 dual file format until all Excel 95 and Excel 5.0 users have upgraded. Selecting the dual file format ensures that all Excel users have a common file format with which to collaborate on shared workbooks during the transition period.

System Policy Tip   You can use a system policy to define the default value for the Save as type option in the Save As dialog box (File menu). In the System Policy Editor, set the Microsoft Excel 2000\Tools | Options\Transition\Save Excel files as policy. For more information about the System Policy Editor, see Using the System Policy Editor.

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Saving two file formats in one compound document

When you save a workbook in the Excel 97-2000 & 5.0/95 dual file format, the workbook is saved in a single file. This file includes two data streams: one data stream for Excel 97-2000 and another data stream for Excel 5.0 and Excel 95. Excel first writes the Excel 5.0/95 data stream to the file and then writes the Excel 97-2000 data stream.

When Excel 95 or Excel 5.0 users open a workbook saved in a dual file format, Excel 95 or Excel 5.0 reads only the Excel 5.0/95 data stream; and the Excel 97-2000 data stream is disregarded. Consequently, if an Excel 95 or Excel 5.0 user saves the workbook, the Excel 97-2000 data stream and features are permanently lost.

Excel 95 and Excel 5.0 users are prompted to open the workbook as read-only, although they can open the file with read/write permission. To avoid losing work performed in Excel 2000, you can protect a workbook by requiring a write password or by making the workbook read-only.

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Working with objects in a compound document

An Excel workbook saved in a dual file format is called a compound document. When an Excel 2000 user creates or inserts an object in a compound document, Excel 2000 detects the setting in the Default Save subkey in the Windows registry. If the Microsoft Excel 97-2000 & 5.0/95 dual file format is set as the default, Excel 2000 uses the dual file format for the object linking and embedding (OLE) object.

When not activated, OLE objects are represented in container applications as either an icon or a portion of the document, such as a worksheet range. This portion of a document is actually a Windows Metafile (WMF) graphic that represents a portion of the Excel 97-2000 data stream from the workbook file. In most cases, the graphic represents either the 97-2000 data stream or the 5.0/95 data stream of the object. If the graphic includes features unique to Excel 2000, users of previous versions of Excel might initially see a graphics image that differs from the actual embedded object after they activate the object.

For example, if a compound document contains an embedded object that uses the Excel 2000 merged cell feature, and an Excel 5.0 user activates the object, then the merged cells appear as unmerged cells. The Excel 2000 merged cell feature is permanently lost, and the graphic reverts back to the Excel 5.0 unmerged cell form either when the Excel 5.0 user saves the compound document or when the application saves the document automatically.

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Deciding when to use a dual file format

The following examples identify some uses for dual file formats.

• A Microsoft Office 95 user receives a compound document from an Office 2000 user. The compound document includes an embedded object in Excel 97-2000 & 5.0/95 format. The Office 95 user does not want to alter the format of the embedded object, but needs to activate the object.
• It is recommended that the Office 95 user open the compound document as read­only.
• An Excel 2000 user wants to publish a workbook in Excel 97-2000 & 5.0/95 format or to an audience of Excel 2000 and Excel 95 users. However, the Excel 2000 user does not want any Excel 95 users to alter the workbook.
• The Excel 2000 user can enter a write­reservation password for saving the workbook and then distribute the password to only Excel 2000 users. The write-reservation feature allows Excel 95 users to open the workbook but not save it.
• An Excel 2000 user wants to send a workbook to Excel 5.0 or Excel 95 users by using a modem. The Excel 2000 user can save the workbook in Excel 5.0/95 format rather than in a dual file format because the resulting file is much smaller and is transmitted more quickly.
• When you save an Excel 2000 workbook in Excel 5.0/95 format, you might encounter some conversion limitations. For more information, see Saving Workbooks in Excel 5.0/95 Format.
• You can specify the default format for Excel 2000 to save new workbooks. For more information, see How to Specify the Default Format in Which to Save Files.