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From: ftmds1@acad3.alaska.edu (SMITH MICHAEL D)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: Re: Damaged Excel Files (They're BACK !!)
Message-ID: <1991Jan30.030533.1492@ims.alaska.edu>
Date: 30 Jan 91 03:05:33 GMT
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A week ago I had some corrupted Excel spreadsheets. I got a lot of requests to 
post what I found out. So here is a list of methods that I tried and the 
results.

1. Using DeltaGraph 1.5 Import Excel Ability: This worked well until it got to 
the problem area, then it stopped. Good if Excel reads to 90+% and then says 
Unable to Open File.

2. Used  a program called XL-lint Recover which is supposed recover damaged 
Excel spreadsheets, unfortunately it didn't work for me

3. Used the external linking ability of Excel. I got this from a Microsoft 
support person on CIS, and it worked wonderfully. Only about 10% didn't get 
recovered. Here's how to do it.


 RECOVERING FILES
 ----------------
 In many cases, you can recover data from a damaged file that will not
 open by linking to the information in that file. The following steps
 can be used to link to an unopened spreadsheet:
 1. Open a blank spreadsheet in Excel.
 2. Select a range of cells the size of the area on the worksheet you
    wish to link to. For example, to link from A1 to D25 of the closed
    worksheet, highlight that range on the new worksheet.
 3. Type an equal sign (=), an apostrophe ('), the name of the file to
    be linked to, another apostrophe, an exclamation point (!), and
    then the range of the cells that are currently selected using
    absolute references. For example, enter the following:
       ='data file'!$A$1:$D$25
 4. Hold down the COMMAND key and press the ENTER key on the numeric
    keypad.
    At this point, the block of data from the closed spreadsheet should
    appear in the selected range.
 5. Select Copy from the Edit menu.
 6. Select Paste Special from the Edit menu.
 7. Specify Values and click OK.
 You can use this procedure as many times as necessary to recover the
 entire file. The data ranges can be varied as long as the range is not
 too large. If the selected range is too big to enter an array formula,
 the program will display a dialog box to notify you of this and then
 you can try again with a smaller range.
 If the data range you specify extends to blank cells in the closed
 spreadsheet, the array formula will return 0 for the blank cells.


Hope this helps. If anybody has any further questions or would like a copy of 
the XL-lint recover program (sorry but the docs asked that it not be generally
posted or I'd just send it to Sumex), let me know.


                                         Michael D. Smith
                                         University of Alaska, Fairbanks
                                         Institute of Arctic Biology
                                         BitNet:FTMDS1@Alaska
                                         Internet:FTMDS1@Acad3.Alaska.Edu