[441ron]

We have been using Office 97 on both Win NT and Win 2000 on our network at work and now are using it on Win XP. We also use long file names a lot, including filenames with spaces in them, e.g., "May 2003 report.xls" On Win XP (and only on Win XP) the following problem happens:

When you open an Excel file from Windows Explorer by double-clicking the filename, and if the filename includes a space, Excel reports it "cannot open file *****" and shows a part of the filename where the asterisks are. It does this for each segment of the file name, and then finally opens the file. It seems to read each part of the filename (ending in a space) as a separate file request, e.g., open "May.xls", open "2003.xls", open "report.xls", and finally open"May 2003 report.xls"

This DOESN'T happen when you try to open the same file from any of the NT or 2000 (or 98!) machines on our network.

It doesn't matter if the Excel file is located on a network drive or on the local hard drive - same thing happens.

Also doesn't happen with Word files with spaces in the name, only Excel files.

Anybody run across anything similar? Any experts in settings that can point us to a really dumb setting we forgot to change? Any help is much appreciated!

We have a Netware 4.10 network, and we are using Office 97 locally installed on each machine with SP1 and SP2 applied.

 

[Anne Troy]

Make sure "Ignore other applications" is NOT checked under Tools-Options, General tab.

If that doesn't work, try re-registering Excel by doing the regedit shown under Excel troubleshooting at www.theofficeexperts.com/excel.htm

 

[441ron]

Thanks for the tips, Dreamboat - unfortunately, I'm still stumped!

The "ignore other apps" button is unchecked (and has been), and I did do the re-register, but nothing's changed.

Anyway, I'll keep checking for further suggestions & will post a solution if someone finds one (this is the kind of problem I like to gnaw at til we get it solved...)

Thanks again...

 

[441ron]

Clarification: "nothing's changed" means the problem still exists - the re-register did take place, and I now have both the "Excel" and "OldExcel" keys in my registry.

 

[Anne Troy]

K. Try this:
Open Windows explorer.
Tools-Folder options.
File types tab.
Choose xls.
Choose advanced.
Choose OPEN
Choose edit.

Make sure it looks like the picture in (the DDE area specifically):

 

[441ron]

Shoud have mentioned...I've tried that before, too.

I just tried it again, matching your entries. Same results.

The one thing that's curious is that the %1 parameter is already at the end of the "Application used to perform action" field, and even if I delete it, it is restored. In other words, I get

/e %1

the next time I open that screen.


All the other entries are identical to yours (pathname excepted).

Don't know what controls that reappearing parameter entry.

I'm thinking of reading up further on DDE next.

 

[Anne Troy]

Sounds like you don't have registry rights on the machine you're on....