Opening excel files from windows explorer

flightjock · May 3rd, 2002, 04:48 AM

When I open excel files from the windows explorer they are opened in read-only and a "1" is automatically added to the filename. E.g. when the file in explorer is called filename.xls and is doubleclicked to open it, it is renamed in the Excel title bar to filename1.xls. Opening the file normally from Excel this problem does not occur. Has anyone ever seen this and is there an explanation and a way to prevent it. It must be something on my PC because my colleague has no such problems

Q · May 3rd, 2002, 06:56 AM

May I guess you are using Windows 2000 or XP? What has happened is the last time you closed this workbook Windows did not delete the copy of the file it keeps as a most recent document or backup file. When you open this workbook again, i.e. filename.xls, Windows "sees" a copy in the folder and allows you to open it by adding a 1 to the end of the filename. (If you were using NT 4 you would have gotten an error message with some type of sharing violation.) What you need to do is perform a search on your PC, on all HD's'. Search for the filename that you are looking for but add wild cards on either end, example: *filename*. Now unless you’re an Admin the folder in which these files are stored (something like 1033) won't be visible to you if you search for it through My Computer or Explorer. In fact sometimes the search will return no hits if you are a regular user. If this happens you will have to ask your IT department to log on as an Admin and do this for you. The search will return a few hits of both files and shortcuts. First don't delete the shortcuts yet, delete the extra files (not the one you are working on of course). Then as for the shortcuts, right click on the shortcut and go to Properties. Click on the Shortcut tab. Click on Find Target. In the Explorer window delete the files with the filename you are looking for. Once that is done for each shortcut delete the shortcuts. Now you should to be able to open the workbook with no problems.

flightjock · May 7th, 2002, 07:33 AM

I'm not running Windows 2000 or XP. Excel is running on NT but I didn't get a warning as you suggested. I'll try to get our administrator to do what you suggested anyway to see what comes up. Thanks.

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May 3rd, 2002, 04:48 AM	#1
flightjock New Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Schiphol Airport, Netherlands Posts: 48	When I open excel files from the windows explorer they are opened in read-only and a "1" is automatically added to the filename. E.g. when the file in explorer is called filename.xls and is doubleclicked to open it, it is renamed in the Excel title bar to filename1.xls. Opening the file normally from Excel this problem does not occur. Has anyone ever seen this and is there an explanation and a way to prevent it. It must be something on my PC because my colleague has no such problems

May 3rd, 2002, 06:56 AM	#2
Q Board Regular Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: 20 Minutes outside Manhattan Posts: 64	May I guess you are using Windows 2000 or XP? What has happened is the last time you closed this workbook Windows did not delete the copy of the file it keeps as a most recent document or backup file. When you open this workbook again, i.e. filename.xls, Windows "sees" a copy in the folder and allows you to open it by adding a 1 to the end of the filename. (If you were using NT 4 you would have gotten an error message with some type of sharing violation.) What you need to do is perform a search on your PC, on all HD's'. Search for the filename that you are looking for but add wild cards on either end, example: filename. Now unless you’re an Admin the folder in which these files are stored (something like 1033) won't be visible to you if you search for it through My Computer or Explorer. In fact sometimes the search will return no hits if you are a regular user. If this happens you will have to ask your IT department to log on as an Admin and do this for you. The search will return a few hits of both files and shortcuts. First don't delete the shortcuts yet, delete the extra files (not the one you are working on of course). Then as for the shortcuts, right click on the shortcut and go to Properties. Click on the Shortcut tab. Click on Find Target. In the Explorer window delete the files with the filename you are looking for. Once that is done for each shortcut delete the shortcuts. Now you should to be able to open the workbook with no problems.

May 7th, 2002, 07:33 AM	#3
flightjock New Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Schiphol Airport, Netherlands Posts: 48	I'm not running Windows 2000 or XP. Excel is running on NT but I didn't get a warning as you suggested. I'll try to get our administrator to do what you suggested anyway to see what comes up. Thanks.