Excel issue saving files to hexadecimal filenames on terminal server...

[Default User]

Hi,

I have a customer who has an issue with Excel. He has people connecting to
a terminal server where the spreadsheets and excel is installed and they
open the sheet, make changes, and then save/close the sheet. The issue is
that sometimes the saved sheet ends up with an 8 digit hexadecimal filename.
The users do not get an error and we don't see anything in an eventlog. Any
ideas?

We read something about excel and the way it saves files. First to the hex
name, then it deletes the original file, then it renames the hex name to the
normal name. I have to assume something is messing up this process, but
what? Why no error?

Thanks,

Alan

 

[Dave Peterson]

When xl2003 and older saves the file, it saves it as a temporary file with a
funny name (8 characters--no extension) in the same folder.

If the save is successful, xl will delete the original (or rename it to its
backup name (like "backup of book1.xlk)) and if that's successful, xl will
rename the funny named file to the original's name.

Common things that get blamed for interruptions to this process are antivirus
software poking its head in or network errors--either permissions or physical
problems.