odd behavior with excel file names

[Dave F]

Well this is a new one.

Say I have a file, report.xls and I want to change its name to file.xls

All of the sudden if I do that a warning pops up: "If you change a file name
extension, the file may become unusable. Are you sure you want to change it?"

I've never had that happen before and I'm not changing the extension, only
the file name. Thoughts?

Dave

 

[mattyboy150279]

It's doing this because of your version of windows is configured to
have the .xxx extensions showing at the end of each filename you have.
If you try to change just the filename without having .xls at the end
Windows thinks you are trying to change the file extension.

Try writing in the new name, but typing in .xls at the end of it and
that should sort your problem.

Additionally you can hide the file extensions so that the problem no
longer occurs:-

1) In any explorer window, click the Tools menu and select Options
2) In the folder options window, click the View tab
3) Check the box next to 'hide file extensions for known file types'

That should solve your problem.

HTH.
Matt

 

[Dave F]

Great, thanks.
--
Brevity is the soul of wit.

It's doing this because of your version of windows is configured to
have the .xxx extensions showing at the end of each filename you have.
If you try to change just the filename without having .xls at the end
Windows thinks you are trying to change the file extension.

Try writing in the new name, but typing in .xls at the end of it and
that should sort your problem.

Additionally you can hide the file extensions so that the problem no
longer occurs:-

1) In any explorer window, click the Tools menu and select Options
2) In the folder options window, click the View tab
3) Check the box next to 'hide file extensions for known file types'

That should solve your problem.

HTH.
Matt