copy PC to Mac date changes

[Sandy.Sans]

When I copy cells containing dates from a file that was created on a Mac to
a file that was created on a PC They change! The change is always the same
1 day and 4 years. I can be doing teh cutting and pasting on either
platform.

I am using office 98 on the Mac and Office 2000 on the PC.

 

[J.E. McGimpsey]

XL has two date systems - the original (Mac default) 1904 date
system which is based on the number 0 being 00:00 on 1 January 1904,
and 2) the (Windows default) 1900 date system which is based on the
number 1 being 00:00 on 1 January 1900.

To copy from a book with one setting to a workbook with the other,
you should change the date system on one workbook:

PC: Tools/Options/Calculation, check the 1904 Date system checkbox.

or

Mac: Preferences/Calculation, uncheck the 1904 Date system checkox.

 

[BH]

When I create a file in Excel v. X with dates and then try to save it
as a .wk1 file to import into a database application, the dates change
(by the 4 years and 1 day as described below) in the .wk1 file. I try
opening the .wk1 file and checking the 1904 date system box, but
whenever I save it again as a .wk1 file and reopen the .wk1 file, it
goes back to the default where the 1904 date system box is not
checked. How can I save an Excel v. X file as .wk1 without the dates
changing?

-bh