Character limit when retrieving indirect text from external sheet

[Guest]

I have a results workbook that uses a VLOOKUP function to return text from
another source workbook. As long as the source workbook is open then the
formula works correctly, but if it is closed then the returned text is
truncated to 255 characters. Open the source workbook again and the text
magically reappears... etc.

I suspect this is a 'feature' of Excel 2003 but is there any workaround
available?

Thanks

TM

 

[Dave Peterson]

I think that the workaround is to open that sending workbook.

Or have less text in the sending workbook???

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply.

Some users will be working with the spreadsheet off-line so always having to
open the workbook is not an option (I wouldn't mind if you could open the
workbook, choose not to update the links but still see the full text but that
doesn't work either). Equally I'd prefer not to have less text in the source
workbook.
Since my original post I have found a programmatic way round this that I
could use to copy the text from the source worksheet if (and only if) its
available. See http://www.j-walk.com/ss/excel/tips/tip82.htm. But I'd prefer
to avoid embedding macros in the results sheet if possible.

 

[Dave Peterson]

You sure that returned more than 255 characters when the sending workbook was
closed?