File remains open exclusively after exiting Excel

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steve Johannessen
  • Start date Start date
S

Steve Johannessen

I have a file that tracks all cash activity for my
business. It has 5 inter-related sheets. I used the file
today, added some entries, and exited Excel. I do not
remember if I saved it first, but Excel did not ask me if
I wanted to save it.

I later tried to open it, but I am being told it is
already open exclusively. It cannot be open since it
resides on my local hard drive. Turning on, then
off, "read only" in properties did not help. The file
seems corrupted because properties only shows one tab.

I need this file and don't relish the thought of re-
building it. Is there any way to get it repaired?
 
Hi Steve,
Turning on, then
off, "read only" in properties did not help. The file
seems corrupted because properties only shows one tab.

I need this file and don't relish the thought of re-
building it. Is there any way to get it repaired?
Click to expand...

Have you tried rebooting the computer?

If that does not help,maybe any of these:

Options to try and open a corrupt file

- Set calculation to manual
- open the file, but disable macros (assuming you've set macro security
to medium: Tools, Macro, security)
- As soon as you've clicked the disable macros button, press
control-pageup or control-pagedown, thus changing sheets.

If that does not work, try creating a link to the file:

='c:\my documents\[MyFileName.xls]Sheet1'!A1

and copy right and down. This at least gets you the worksheets values.

if you don't know the sheet names, enter this:

='C:\PathToFile\[MyFileName.xls]'!A1

and press enter

If XL (2000) is able to extract them, it will prompt you for a sheet
name.

Sometimes the Excel viewer, Word or even Internet explorer (v5) enables
you to open the file and copy information out of it.

If the file is not protected, maybe you can open it with OpenOffice
(www.Openoffice.org).

Also, Excel XP can sometimes repair XL files with trouble.


Regards,

Jan Karel Pieterse
Excel MVP
 
Look at my post of Nov 17, from me, GW about Windows XP
and Excel.

It is more related to network issues but it sounds about
the same. Let me know on (e-mail address removed) please if it
works.

-----Original Message-----
Hi Steve,
Turning on, then
off, "read only" in properties did not help. The file
seems corrupted because properties only shows one tab.

I need this file and don't relish the thought of re-
building it. Is there any way to get it repaired?
Click to expand...

Have you tried rebooting the computer?

If that does not help,maybe any of these:

Options to try and open a corrupt file

- Set calculation to manual
- open the file, but disable macros (assuming you've set macro security
to medium: Tools, Macro, security)
- As soon as you've clicked the disable macros button, press
control-pageup or control-pagedown, thus changing sheets.

If that does not work, try creating a link to the file:

='c:\my documents\[MyFileName.xls]Sheet1'!A1

and copy right and down. This at least gets you the worksheets values.

if you don't know the sheet names, enter this:

='C:\PathToFile\[MyFileName.xls]'!A1

and press enter

If XL (2000) is able to extract them, it will prompt you for a sheet
name.

Sometimes the Excel viewer, Word or even Internet explorer (v5) enables
you to open the file and copy information out of it.

If the file is not protected, maybe you can open it with OpenOffice
(www.Openoffice.org).

Also, Excel XP can sometimes repair XL files with trouble.


Regards,

Jan Karel Pieterse
Excel MVP

.
Click to expand...
 
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