Unable to open this file

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill Ridgeway
  • Start date Start date
B

Bill Ridgeway

On opening a linked spreadsheet I get the message "unable to open this
file". However, when I open the file in question it opens OK and, of
course, then I can update the link. Any ideas why the link wont work but
opening direct will?

Thanks.

Bill Ridgeway
 
ShaneDevenshire said:
Hi,

Here is some information which may apply to your case
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823026/en-us

If this helps, please click Yes
Click to expand...

Thanks Shane,

The link refers to Excel 2002 but you weren't to know I have Excel 2003. The
only article I can find that is a near fit is KB819853 "Unable to read
file - error message when you open Excel file that contains a Pivot Table
Report". However, this doesn't quite fit because it advises to install
Excel SP3 (done some while ago) and in any case opening the file is OK. It's
only when I open another file that tries to links to this file I see the
error message.

I've now resolved this problem. On pasting a list of links I found a number
of cells in the source file referring to cells in the target file (which
couldn't be opened). Also, the relevant source cells had lost their 'name'.
Deleting all the names resolved the problem. It's a mystery why they should
have been linked in the first place let alone why the source cells lost
their name - but we wont go into that one.

Bill Ridgeway
 
Back
Top