Microsoft Excel for Mac doesn’t generate a detailed error log in the same way some other applications might, such as those running on Windows. However, there are still a few ways you can try to diagnose issues like crashes:
The macOS Console application can be a useful tool to view system logs that might contain information about application crashes, including Excel:
- Open Console: You can find the Console application in the
Applications > Utilities folder. Launch it.
- Filter for Excel: In the Console app, use the search bar at the top right to type “Excel” to filter out logs related specifically to Microsoft Excel.
- Look for Crash Logs: Pay particular attention to any crash reports or error messages that occur around the time of the Excel crash.
Crash reports specifically are usually found in the Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports folder, which can be accessed using the Finder:
- Open Finder.
- Go to Folder: In the Finder menu, choose
Go > Go to Folder.
- Type in Path: Enter
~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports and press Enter.
- Search for Excel Reports: Look for files that might be named similarly to
Microsoft Excel_2023-04-15-123456_MacBook-Pro.crash.
When an application like Excel crashes, you might see Microsoft’s error reporting tool prompt you to send data about the crash to Microsoft. This tool sometimes provides an error code or a brief description of the problem, which can be useful for troubleshooting:
- Details of Error: When prompted by the error reporting tool after a crash, look for any detailed information it might provide.
- Copy or Take Note: You can copy this information for further research or to provide details to support forums or technical support.
If Excel doesn’t crash but hangs or becomes unresponsive, using Activity Monitor might provide some clues:
- Open Activity Monitor: Found in
Applications > Utilities.
- Find Excel: Look for Excel in the list of processes.
- Sample Process: If Excel is unresponsive, you can select it and use the gear icon in the toolbar to choose
Sample Process. This will generate a report that could help identify what Excel is doing at that time.
Sometimes, issues are known bugs that get fixed in updates, so ensure your version of Excel and macOS are fully updated.
If you suspect the issue is related to your VBA macro or the interaction with your dylib:
- Use VBA Debugger: Open the VBA editor in Excel (using
Tools > Macro > Visual Basic Editor), set breakpoints, and step through the code to see where it might be failing.
These methods should help you gather more information about what might be causing Excel to crash when using your dylib on Intel Macs.