Excel 97 cannot open long filenames

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fec - 26 Oct 2004 10:34 GMT

Weird glitch when upgrading Win 98 machine to XPPro - Excel will now not
open any file name with 27 characters (not including the '.xls suffix') or
longer. The error message asks to check file location & spelling. If
filename is shortened to 26 characters or less - opens fine.

However, after a Excel 97 reinstall, a long file name opened (1st file
opened) but excel returned an error along the lines of 'you cannot open more
than 1 file with the same name at a time' & on trying to open another long
file name, the same error as above.

These 'long files' open okay across the network with another XP Pro/Excel 97
machine.

Anybody offer any help?

Fec

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Dave Peterson - 26 Oct 2004 14:10 GMT

Sometimes one of these works:

Tools|Options|General|Ignore other applications (uncheck it)

--- or ---

Close Excel (both instances) and
Windows Start Button|Run
excel /unregserver
then
Windows Start Button|Run
excel /regserver

The /unregserver & /regserver stuff resets the windows registry to excel's
factory defaults.

> Weird glitch when upgrading Win 98 machine to XPPro - Excel will now not
> open any file name with 27 characters (not including the '.xls suffix') or
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Fec

Signature

Dave Peterson
ec35720@msn.com

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fec - 27 Oct 2004 11:43 GMT

Thanks but found that earlier on a website Dave & it doesn't work. I have
upgraded to excel on Office 2003 but still the same problem :-( The same
(long file named) file can be opened on another pc across the network and
can even be opened by word on the same pc with the problem??

Total mystery - any other hints?

Fec

> Sometimes one of these works:
>
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>>
>> Fec

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Dave Peterson - 27 Oct 2004 14:14 GMT

No, sorry.

> Thanks but found that earlier on a website Dave & it doesn't work. I have
> upgraded to excel on Office 2003 but still the same problem :-( The same
[quoted text clipped - 45 lines]
> > Dave Peterson
> > ec35720@msn.com

Signature

Dave Peterson
ec35720@msn.com

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Gord Dibben - 28 Oct 2004 01:07 GMT

fec

Shot in the dark...........verrryyy dark<g>

There is a 256 character limit on path names in Windows.

Perhaps you are exceeding that by a few characters?

As in--your user name is longer than others' names?

Gord Dibben Excel MVP

>Thanks but found that earlier on a website Dave & it doesn't work. I have
>upgraded to excel on Office 2003 but still the same problem :-( The same
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>>>
>>> Fec

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SteveW - 28 Oct 2004 09:43 GMT

From memory (so possibly wrong) but doesn't the 256 include the full UNC path
of the network loaction as well? So you would see this issue in the case of
\\servername\sharename\stupidlongname\stupidlongname\.......\stupidlongname.xls

Steve

> fec
>
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> >>>
> >>> Fec

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fec - 28 Oct 2004 09:58 GMT

You were right - but it wasn't the file name that was too long, but the
entire name (back to the root folder) including all sub-folders was over the
256 limit.

Shortened the folder names & it worked.

Only curious thing is why Word would open the files?

Cheers

Fec

> fec
>
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>>>>
>>>> Fec

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Gord Dibben - 28 Oct 2004 19:25 GMT

fec

Thanks for the feedback.

I was thinking that perhaps the 256 limit was being exceeded in one case and
not in others because a username(not filename) in the path was longer than
other usernames.

As in C:\Documents and Settings\username\rest of path\ where username is
"usernamelongerthanothers"

Glad you're in business.

Gord

>You were right - but it wasn't the file name that was too long, but the
>entire name (back to the root folder) including all sub-folders was over the
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>>>>>
>>>>> Fec

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