The Microsoft Excel File Format - OpenOffice.org

4 Worksheet/Workbook Stream
• Internal Names
All internal names are stored in the Global Link Table in a list of DEFINEDNAME records (➜5.33). There exist two
types of internal names: global names which are valid in the whole workbook and local names which are attached to a
specific sheet. For instance the local name “MyCell” of the sheet “Sheet1” can be used from everywhere in the
workbook by entering =Sheet1!MyCell. Each DEFINEDNAME record contains the name itself and a one-based
index to the preceding EXTERNSHEET records to indicate a local name, or the index zero to indicate a global name.
Inside of a formula a global name or a local name of the own sheet is represented by the token tName (➜3.9.1) with a
one-based index to the DEFINEDNAME record list. Local names from other sheets (with explicitly denoted sheet name)
are represented by the token tNameX (➜3.9.14) with an index to a special EXTERNSHEET record and an index to the
DEFINEDNAME record list.
In defined names, only 3D references are allowed. The special syntax =! allowed in defined names only
( being a 2D cell reference or range reference) makes it possible to refer to cells or ranges in the same
sheet that contains the formula cell with the defined name.
Example: A document contains the global name “GlobalName”, and the local names “Sheet1!LocalName” and
“Sheet2!LocalName”. In “Sheet1” there are the formulas
=GlobalName,
=LocalName,
=Sheet1!LocalName, and
=Sheet2!LocalName.
The defined name “GlobalName” contains the formula
=!$A$1.
The Global Link Table (together with the list of DEFINEDNAME records) contains the following records:
EXTERNCOUNT Number of EXTERNSHEET records = 3
EXTERNSHEET 1
EXTERNSHEET 2
EXTERNSHEET 3
DEFINEDNAME 1
DEFINEDNAME 2
DEFINEDNAME 3
Name = “” (Current sheet for defined names, ➜2.5.9)
Name = “Sheet1”
Name = “Sheet2”
Name = “GlobalName”, EXTERNSHEET = 0 (Global)
Formula = tRef3d token with EXTERNSHEET = –1 (negative
one-based index to EXTERNSHEET 1, ➜3.9.15)
Name = “LocalName”, EXTERNSHEET = 2 (Sheet1)
Name = “LocalName”, EXTERNSHEET = 3 (Sheet2)
The Local Link Table of Sheet1 contains the following records:
EXTERNCOUNT Number of EXTERNSHEET records = 1
EXTERNSHEET 1
Name = “” (Unspecified sheet in own workbook, ➜2.5.9)
The two former formulas contain a tNameV token each. The token in the first formula refers to DEFIN-
EDNAME 1 and the token in the second formula to DEFINEDNAME 2.
The two latter formulas contain a tNameXV token each. Both contain a reference to EXTERNSHEET 1 in the
Local Link Table. The token in the third formula refers to DEFINEDNAME 2 and the last formula refers to
DEFINEDNAME 3.
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