Excel file names

P

Paul

I am trying to operate on excel worksheets created in the
windows98 operating system in the windowsXP operating
system. The windowsXP has truncated the filenames. Does
anyone know have any idea on how to fix this problem?
 
J

Jim Rech

If by truncated you mean that the file extensions are not displayed then you
can change that with a change to your Windows settings.

-Double click My Computer
-Select Tools, Folder Options
-Select the View tab
-Uncheck "Hide extensions of known file types"
-Check OK

--
Jim Rech
Excel MVP
|I am trying to operate on excel worksheets created in the
| windows98 operating system in the windowsXP operating
| system. The windowsXP has truncated the filenames. Does
| anyone know have any idea on how to fix this problem?
 
D

Dave Peterson

And if truncated means that a workbookbook's name has changed to a single
character (a.xls), then maybe this???

From a previous post:


There have been a few posts describing the same problem. I searched google and
found this:

http://google.com/[email protected]

The last post in the thread suggested an answer. (I think it has something to
do with WindowsXP). I don't think I've ever seen this option in Win98 or
WinNT.)

Copying from that post:
From: Donut Man ([email protected])
Subject: Re: excel save problem
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.excel.misc
Date: 2003-04-24 21:10:48 PST

I think I have the solution to the problem:

Excel was running in Windows 95 compatibility mode. When I disabled
compatibility mode the file name problem went away.
 
P

Paul

Truncated might be the wrong word. In the file manager the file appears as "May 12, 2004.XLS" With Excel open and the open command is activated the menu lists the file as "May12_"~1.XLS" and the following error message appears "file format not valid" How do I change the compatibility mode? Changing the windows setting did not solve the problem, but thanks for the suggestion, it was worth a try.
 
R

RagDyer

I hope I'm wrong, but this sounds familiar to me.
When you said,
<<"In the file manager the file appears as "May 12, 20004.XLS">>,
It clicked a memory of XL5.0, where Windows 3.x was the last version to use
"File Manager".

If you *never* used or creared any of these WBs in XL5.0, then you don't
have to read any further, since this wouldn't apply to your present
situation.

I had created a vast number of files in 5.0, and when I upgraded to Win98
and XL97, a great many files were corrupted by the transformation.
I had to instruct the office staff to *never* save the old files to the new
version, but retain the 5.0 format.

Eventually, the older WBs were used less and less, as the newer ones took
over by attrition.

Then, along comes XP.
Everyone is now out of the habit of watching the "SaveAs", since XL97, and
XL2K, and XL02 are compatable.
Accounting then goes into some "old" files for some legal reasons, and what
happens?
They open some files from XL97, *BUT* these were created in 5.0, and needles
to say, after automatically saving these WBs after a cursory viewing, these
files became corrupted and were lost, AND the error message when re-opening
was attempted, was exactly what you have posted here ("file format not
valid").
In fact, the files in *Windows Explorer* look almost exactly as you
described yours ("May12_"~1.XLS").

As I said before, I hope this doesn't pertain to your situation.
--


Regards,

RD
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Truncated might be the wrong word. In the file manager the file appears as
"May 12, 2004.XLS" With Excel open and the open command is activated the
menu lists the file as "May12_"~1.XLS" and the following error message
appears "file format not valid" How do I change the compatibility mode?
Changing the windows setting did not solve the problem, but thanks for the
suggestion, it was worth a try.
 
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