Excel Crashes when typing "False" in VLookup formula

[pcbins]

While typing a vlookup function, immediately after typing the "f" in "false",
Excel will crash with the following error:

Identify Label
There is more than one cell with this label:f
Select the cell containing the label to use:
[OK] [Cancel]

No matter what is entered following, the following error will occur:

Microsoft Office Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.

This problem has been around for almost 5 years now. Is there a hotfix for
it yet? Or should I give MS another 5 years to work on it?

 

[John]

This is your second post.
There's nothing wrong with XL and Vlookup, I've used it for years with
"FALSE".
The problem lies in your computer and your attitude toward others that are
trying to help you is not very nice. you will not make friends on the
newsgroups with you attitude.
Cool off, people are trying to help you.

 

[Mike H]

Hi,

If this was a general problem then someone in this community would be aware
of it and since you've adopted a scattergun approach in posting this problem
I'm guessing that someone would have responded by now if they knew the
answer.

So here's something else you might try.

Help|Detect and repair

I suggest you then ensure that your version of Excel is up to date by
loading all the servicepacks. Help|Check for updates.

Mike

 

[Fred Smith]

If you've had the problem for five years, we know you are frustrated. But
you'll have to choose between venting your anger and getting a solution. So
far you've chosen the former. When you want to choose the latter, let us
know.

Regards,
Fred.

 

[pcbins]

Fred, I've not had the problem for 5 years. I've been using VLookup for at
least 10 years. But only been having this "false" issue for the past month or
two...

I've been trying to be patient and hoping MS would fix it. Finally, while
waiting for a couple of rather large files to recover from this error, I
thought I might search the web for the solution myself.

When I came upon a blog entry about the same exact problem, I was hopeful I
would find a solution, until I read that he had contacted MS several times
and got no response. Then I noticed the date of the blog entry.... APRIL
2004...

That just ticks me off. I am sorry some dont care for my attitude, but it
comes from years of being forced to deal with microsoft's unprofessionalism
and trashy software.

It amazes me that so few of you think it is odd that we all have to resort
to helping each other to resolve these issues. Most companies have
professionally developed resources and trained technical support to help you
with these issues. Perhaps because they have good software and dont have to
spend all their time and resources on patching it up.

 

[Spiky]

That just ticks me off. I am sorry some dont care for my attitude, but it

comes from years of being forced to deal with microsoft's unprofessionalism
and trashy software.

Point is, you are giving attitude to volunteers trying to help. Do you
really think that will work? There are alternatives to most Microsoft
products, believe it or not.

It amazes me that so few of you think it is odd that we all have to resort
to helping each other to resolve these issues. Most companies have
professionally developed resources and trained technical support to help you
with these issues. Perhaps because they have good software and dont have to
spend all their time and resources on patching it up.

I'd say most agree with you, but you aren't bothering to notice that.
See, if people didn't agree with that, why would they be here helping
total strangers with Microsoft's garbage?

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

While typing a vlookup function, immediately after typing the "f" in "false",
Excel will crash with the following error:

Identify Label
There is more than one cell with this label:f
Select the cell containing the label to use:
[OK] [Cancel]

No matter what is entered following, the following error will occur:

Microsoft Office Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.

This problem has been around for almost 5 years now. Is there a hotfix for
it yet? Or should I give MS another 5 years to work on it?

I've never had that problem.

Does it happen to you on a new workbook? Or only on certain workbooks?
--ron

 

[pcbins]

Sorry, Spiky... and all you others...

I know there is better stuff out there. At the company I worked for
previously, they avoided microsoft for managing data whenever possible.

When interviewing for my current job, I let them know how I felt about
microsoft office for managing data. They assured me that there would be other
software being used as well. This turned out to be true, but for the most
part, MY job deals mostly with MS Access and Excel. Perhaps being the new
guy, I got dumped on... 'doh!

But it's ok, cuz I'm probably the only one here that can handle it as well.

 

[pcbins]

I'm not positive, but it seems to be more frequent when dealing with text
files created with fortran and loaded into an Excel spreadsheet.

I deal with many people who are novice Excel users or who have other
database systems and they have to download data into files to send to me. I
never know what I'll be getting. I've created some macros that help a lot,
though.

But, instead of trying to "clean" their file for uploading it into Access, I
will download related data from access into a spreadsheet and use vlookup to
pull in the information we need from their file.

With my "clean" spreadsheet and their data added to it, I can easily upload
it into the Access Database.

Usually I have no trouble. But lately (I think since HQ decided Office sp3
was safe to use) these particular spreadsheets are giving me this trouble.

While typing a vlookup function, immediately after typing the "f" in "false",
Excel will crash with the following error:

Identify Label
There is more than one cell with this label:f
Select the cell containing the label to use:
[OK] [Cancel]

No matter what is entered following, the following error will occur:

Microsoft Office Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.

This problem has been around for almost 5 years now. Is there a hotfix for
it yet? Or should I give MS another 5 years to work on it?

I've never had that problem.

Does it happen to you on a new workbook? Or only on certain workbooks?
--ron

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

I'm not positive, but it seems to be more frequent when dealing with text
files created with fortran and loaded into an Excel spreadsheet.

I deal with many people who are novice Excel users or who have other
database systems and they have to download data into files to send to me. I
never know what I'll be getting. I've created some macros that help a lot,
though.

But, instead of trying to "clean" their file for uploading it into Access, I
will download related data from access into a spreadsheet and use vlookup to
pull in the information we need from their file.

With my "clean" spreadsheet and their data added to it, I can easily upload
it into the Access Database.

Usually I have no trouble. But lately (I think since HQ decided Office sp3
was safe to use) these particular spreadsheets are giving me this trouble.

I'd wonder about the content of the files that "crash", or whether your macros
are somehow changing the Excel environment in some method that contributes to
this tendency. Maybe some strings in the files that cause Excel to do
something odd.

If you can't locate the issue, perhaps you could work around the problem by
typing zero (0) instead of FALSE for the range_lookup argument.
--ron

 

[Chuck Conlin]

I have run into this quite a few times. When I start to type "false" in the vlookup function, Excel displays a screen with "There is more than one cell with the label" and then crashes.
BUT IT IS WORSE. IF I USE THE WORKAROUND, BOGUS RESULTS ARE GIVEN FOR THE LOOKUP FUNCTION! This is far more serious than the crash.
I am using Excel 2003.
I rebooted my PC but still had the problem.
I just tried saving both files to csv, closing them & opening them again, and the VLOOKUP worked, even with the "false" argument.

While typing a vlookup function, immediately after typing the "f" in "false",
Excel will crash with the following error:

Identify Label
There is more than one cell with this label:f
Select the cell containing the label to use:
[OK] [Cancel]

No matter what is entered following, the following error will occur:

Microsoft Office Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.

This problem has been around for almost 5 years now. Is there a hotfix for
it yet? Or should I give MS another 5 years to work on it?

On Friday, January 30, 2009 9:45 AM John wrote:
This is your second post.
There's nothing wrong with XL and Vlookup, I've used it for years with
"FALSE".
The problem lies in your computer and your attitude toward others that are
trying to help you is not very nice. you will not make friends on the
newsgroups with you attitude.
Cool off, people are trying to help you.

news:[email protected]...

 

[James Ravenswood]

I have run into this quite a few times. When I start to type "false" in the vlookup function, Excel displays a screen with "There is more than one cell with the label" and then crashes.
BUT IT IS WORSE. IF I USE THE WORKAROUND, BOGUS RESULTS ARE GIVEN FOR THELOOKUP FUNCTION! This is far more serious than the crash.
I am using Excel 2003.
I rebooted my PC but still had the problem.
I just tried saving both files to csv, closing them & opening them again,and the VLOOKUP worked, even with the "false" argument.

On Friday, January 30, 2009 9:34 AM pcbin wrote:
While typing a vlookup function, immediately after typing the "f" in "false",
Excel will crash with the following error:

Identify Label
There is more than one cell with this label:f
Select the cell containing the label to use:
[OK] [Cancel]

No matter what is entered following, the following error will occur:

Microsoft Office Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.

This problem has been around for almost 5 years now. Is there a hotfix for
it yet? Or should I give MS another 5 years to work on it?

Post the equation you are trying to enter.