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Typical error messages, symptoms, and solutions for Spanner are:

• File Cannot be Created (Spanner error message in Excel) - The file name specified for the .X2A file is not valid. Review the path and file name listed in the dialog box. Possible causes are:
  • the directory specified does not exist,
  • the directory specified is read-only or you do not have write privileges for the directory,
  • the directories or file name make use of the long filename feature of Windows95 and you are using Excel 5.0 (or an earlier version) which does not support long file names.

  
  

• File Format Not Recognized (Spanner error message in AutoCAD) - There is a problem with the .X2A file being imported. Possible causes are:
  • the .X2A file contains no data. Only blank cells were selected in Excel when the .X2A file was created.
  • the .X2A file has become corrupted, try recreating the file from Excel, if it still doesn't work test the process without using a network.

  
  

• Dialog File Not Found (Spanner error message in AutoCAD) - The file Span12.dcl cannot be found. This file must be in a directory which is on the AutoCAD path. Either move the file to a directory on the AutoCAD path or change the path to include the appropriate directory. To change the AutoCAD path:
  • if using R14, 2000 & 2000i; type "preferences" at the command prompt, select the "Support File Search Path", add to the list of directories listed to include the directory where Span12.dcl is located, choose "OK" to close the dialog box.
  • if using R13 for Windows; type "preferences" at the command prompt, select the "Environment" tab of the dialog box, edit the list of directories listed for "Support" to include the directory where Span12.dcl is located, choose "OK" to close the dialog box.
  • if using R12 for Windows; type "preferences" at the command prompt, select the "Environment" button, edit the list of directories listed for "Support" to include the directory where Span12.dcl is located, choose "OK" to return to the main preferences dialog box, make sure that "save in acad.ini" is selected, choose the "OK" button to close the dialog box.
  • if using DOS AutoCAD (R12 or R13); exit AutoCAD, edit the SET ACAD= statement to include the directory where Span12.dcl is located (the SET ACAD= statement is probably located in the batch file used to run AutoCAD or in the autoexec.bat file), restart AutoCAD.

  
  

• Exceeded Max String Length (message in AutoCAD) - One or more cells in the Excel sheet being transferred contain more than 132 characters of text. This often happens when notes are placed along the bottom of an Excel sheet. This limit is imposed by AutoCAD, the only fix is to shorten the amount to text in each cell.
  

  
  

• Malformed String, Malformed List, or Invalid Dotted Pair (messages in AutoCAD) - There is an unusual text character in one of the Excel cells being transferred. Possible causes are:
  • a backslash (\) character is used. Use two backslashes (\\) in Excel, this will be translated as a single backslash when the sheet is imported into AutoCAD;
  • a cell contains a control character, such as a control-Z code. This often happens when text was pasted into Excel from another application.

  
  

• Bad Function or Null Function (messages in AutoCAD) - One or more of Spanner's functions or AutoLisp's built-in functions has been overwritten by some other 3rd party software or customized AutoLisp code. Try re-loading Spanner immediately before using it. If that doesn't work, try using Spanner in a "clean" AutoCAD session by restarting AutoCAD while ensuring that no 3rd party software or customized AutoLisp routines are loaded.

  
  

• Spanner Crashes (in AutoCAD after the main Spanner dialog box briefly appears, no message) - Possible causes are:
  • the Spanner.dat file (which is used to store default settings) has become corrupted. Find all copies of the Spanner.dat file on your system and erase them (it may be helpful to use the Windows 'Find Files or Folders' feature). Copy the Spanner.dat file from your original Spanner floppy disk into the directory where your Span12.lsp file is located.
  • Quote marks were used in the Excel sheet name (on the tabs at the bottom of the Excel window). Rename the sheet without using quote marks, try Sheet1, not "Sheet1".

  
  

• Bad Entmod List Value (message in AutoCAD R14 when trying to resize columns or rows using the SheetModify command) - The AutoCAD command 'Convert' has been used to convert polylines to lightweight polylines. Spanner will draw the borders as regular polylines (despite the AutoCAD system variable PLINETYPE) but if they are then converted to lightweight polylines Spanner cannot modify them. To restore the borders to regular polylines:
  1. at the AutoCAD command prompt, type 'SheetUp' and select the Spanner sheet
  2. un-check the Draw Borders check box and select OK, the sheet will be redrawn without borders
  3. type 'SheetUp' and select the Spanner sheet again
  4. re-check the Draw Borders check box and select OK, the sheet will be redrawn with new polylines as borders

  
  

• Sorry an error occurred. Spanner cannot continue (Spanner error message in Excel) - Possible cause is:
  • The .xls Excel file being used has single quotation or an apostrophe as part of the file name. This confuses Spanner when a single cell is selected as the Spanner transfer area (ordinarily, Spanner will default to sending the entire sheet). Either select the area to transfer or rename the Excel file to not include single quotes or an apostrophe.

  
  

• Text centered in Excel is left justified in AutoCAD - Spanner does not support merged cells. Spanner does, however, support the alignment "center across selection". To correct the text centering within X number of horizontal cells:
  • In Excel, highlight the cells you want the text to be centered within and right click to bring up the pop up window. Highlight "Properties". From the next pop up box, click on the tab for "Alignment". Uncheck the box for "Merge cells" in the "Text Control" area and under the "Text Alignment", select "Center across selection".