Excel giving error message on docs with long file names

[bhorv67]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Recently Excel is giving an error message on open files that contain long file names after the file has been open for several minutes. I believe this is only happening after the latest update for Office has been installed.
Additionally, if the file lives on a network volume, and I try to open the file over the network, Excel will give an 'unable to open file' error message. I'd have to copy the file to my local machine, and then Excel will open. This is not appearing to be a permissions issue- I believe this is a file name length problem that has not been an issue in the past.

Is there a fix?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Recently Excel is giving an error message on open files that contain long
file names after the file has been open for several minutes. I believe this
is only happening after the latest update for Office has been installed.
Additionally, if the file lives on a network volume, and I try to open the
file over the network, Excel will give an 'unable to open file' error
message. I'd have to copy the file to my local machine, and then Excel will
open. This is not appearing to be a permissions issue- I believe this is a
file name length problem that has not been an issue in the past.

Is there a fix?

To have any idea whether there's a fix, you'll need to be more specific
than "Excel is giving an error message", especially since the files
apparently open fine and work fine, at least for several minutes.

What do you consider a "long filename"?

Does this happen with files with long filenames on local volumes, or
just remote ones?

How are you trying to open the file on the remote volume (e.g., Finder,
XL's File/Open...)?

 

[bhorv67]

Recently Excel is giving an error message on open files that contain long
file names after the file has been open for several minutes. I believe this
is only happening after the latest update for Office has been installed.
Additionally, if the file lives on a network volume, and I try to open the
file over the network, Excel will give an 'unable to open file' error
message. I'd have to copy the file to my local machine, and then Excel will
open. This is not appearing to be a permissions issue- I believe this is a
file name length problem that has not been an issue in the past.

Is there a fix?

To have any idea whether there's a fix, you'll need to be more specific
than "Excel is giving an error message", especially since the files
apparently open fine and work fine, at least for several minutes.

What do you consider a "long filename"?

Does this happen with files with long filenames on local volumes, or
just remote ones?

How are you trying to open the file on the remote volume (e.g., Finder,
XL's File/Open...)?
[/QUOTE]

These files in question will have file names of 22-25+ characters. Some will have non- alpha numeric chars- like '()/-&' and so on.
If the file in question is on a local volume, the file will open, but after a few minute, Excel will give an error saying 'unable to locate file ......' and then a second error appears saying that' auto-recovery is disabled for this session'.

If the file lives on a server, I'll sometimes double click on the file to open across the network. What I'm noticing is that if the file name is too long if the file is on a server, the file won't open at all. Excel gives an error saying ' can't open file....' but then if I drag that file in question to my workstation, it opens just fine.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

These files in question will have file names of 22-25+ characters. Some will
have non- alpha numeric chars- like '()/-&' and so on.
If the file in question is on a local volume, the file will open, but after a
few minute, Excel will give an error saying 'unable to locate file ......'
and then a second error appears saying that' auto-recovery is disabled for
this session'.

If the file lives on a server, I'll sometimes double click on the file to
open across the network. What I'm noticing is that if the file name is too
long if the file is on a server, the file won't open at all. Excel gives an
error saying ' can't open file....' but then if I drag that file in question
to my workstation, it opens just fine.

That sounds to me like XL's having trouble accessing the file over the
network - perhaps timing out. THe auto-recovery error may be the same
error or a permissions error.

Why it should be limited to long filenames, I haven't a clue...