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What do each of the error codes (Err:NNN) in OpenOffice.org spreadsheets mean?

Error Code Cleartext Explanation
501 Invalid character The error is a character that is invalid in this context, e.g. =1Eq instead of =1E2.
502 Invalid argument A function argument has an invalid value, e.g. a negative number for the root function.
503 Invalid floating point operation Division by 0 or other calculation that would result in an overflow of the defined value range.
504 Parmeter list error A function parameter is an invalid type, e.g. text instead of number, or domain reference instead of cell reference.
505 Internal syntax error
506 Invalid semicolon
507 Error: Pair missing
508 Error: Pair missing For example, closing parenthesis without opening parenthesis or missing closing parenthesis in the middle of the formula (missing closing parenthesis at the end of a formula is added automatically).
509 Missing operator E.g. =2(3+4) * operator missing between the 2 and the (.
510 Missing variable Two operators in a row, e.g. =1+*2.
511 Missing variable The function requires more variables than are provided, e.g. AND() and OR() without parameter.
512 Formula overflow Compiler: as the name indicates, the internal number of tokens that has nothing to do with the formula string length is indicated (max. 512) rather than the number of operators, variables, parentheses, etc. Interpreter: Formulas that create several matrices at once (max. 150), including basic functions that would receive too large an array as a parameter (max. 0xFFFE, i.e. 65534 bytes).
513 String overflow Compiler: an identifier in the formula exceeds 255 characters. Interpreter: a result of a string operation exceeds 255 characters.
514 Internal overflow Sort operations with too much numerical data (max. 100000) or calculation stack overflow.
515 Internal syntax error
516 Internal syntax error A matrix is expected on the calculation stack but is not available.
517 Internal syntax error Unknown OpCode, e.g. a document with a newer function is loaded in an older version that does not contain the function.
518 Internal syntax error A variable was supposed to be popped from the calculation stack but is not available.
519 No result (#VALUE is in the cell rather than Err:519!) A function could not deliver a value that corresponds to the definition or a cell referenced in the formula contains text rather than a number.
520 Internal syntax error The compiler created an unknown compiler code.
521 Internal syntax error No result on the calculation stack.
522 Circular reference A formula refers directly or indirectly to itself and the iterations are not activated under Tools/Options/Table Document/Calculate.
523 The calculation procedure does not converge Some financial statistics functions miss a targeted value or iterations of circular references do not reach the minimum change within the maximum steps set.
524 Invalid reference (#REF is in the cell rather than Err:524) Compiler: a column/row description name could not be resolved. Interpreter: in the formula, a cell is referenced whose column, row or table was deleted.
525 Invalid name (#NAME is in the cell rather than Err:525) Compiler; An identifier could not be resolved (no reference, no domain name, no column/row description, no macro, etc.) Interpreter: same as runtime, e.g. basic function or AddIn, not found
526 Internal syntax error Obsolete, no longer used, but could come from old documents if the result was a formula from a domain.
527 Internal overflow Interpreter: references too encapsulated (cell references cell, the cell references, the cell references,...)

Note: a '###' in a cell is not an error, but an indication that the column is too narrow to display the data properly. For more information read I see '###' in a cell that formerly held data. How can I see my data again?

Hint: The error code definitions live in the Help files.

  1. In an OpenOffice.org window, go to the Help drop-down menu, then select Contents.
  2. Select the Index tab by clicking on it.
  3. In the Search input box, type error codes. An index list will pop up, with "error codes" in it.
  4. Under the error codes section in the index list, double-click on OpenOffice.org Calc. This brings up the page of calc error codes.

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