Modify date being changed on spreadsheets at time of open

[JShrimps, Jr.]

Several users (except myself) are experiencing their spreadsheet's modify
date
being changed at the time they open a spreadsheet. Even if they immediately
close the spreadsheet without making any changes, they modify date on that
spreadsheet
is changed - I checked all the users and found the AutoSave add-on was not
enabled.
Is there some kind of background save going on, and how do I disable it?

 

[Norman Harker]

Hi J Shrimps!

This is probably because of the use of volatile functions which get
recalculated whenever Excel opens the workbook.

Volatile functions can be an annoyance or a blessing. Volatility of a
function refers to its independent recalculation. Normally on entry of
data with calculation set to automatic:



a.. Cells that are referred to by the function are recalculated
together with cells that refer to them and so on.
b.. Cells that refer to the cell being changed are also
recalculated.
c.. Volatile cells are recalculated and in turn that means that
cells that are referred to by the function etc are also recalculated.
Volatility comes at a “cost” because re-calculation can impact upon
performance. Volatility can be an annoyance because if a workbook is
opened, the volatile function recalculate and even if no changes are
made the closure of the workbook will draw forth the prompt on whether
or not you want to save the changed workbook.


See Charles Williams for a definitive guide to Excel’s volatile
functions:



http://www.decisionmodels.com/calcsecretsi.htm




--
Regards
Norman Harker MVP (Excel)
Sydney, Australia
(e-mail address removed)
Excel and Word Function Lists (Classifications, Syntax and Arguments)
available free to good homes.

 

[JShrimps Jr.]

Thanx for the prompt reply.
With this experience, we are not getting a prompt
to save/not save the spreadsheet.
Upon closing, the spreadsheet date stamp is updated
to the current date/time.
I downloaded the spreadsheet on Charles' web page,
but it didn't seem to apply to this situation.

 

[Norman Harker]

Hi JShrimps!

The message you get before saving indicates that there has been a
change of some sort.

By all means send a copy to me and I'll track down what is the change.

--
Regards
Norman Harker MVP (Excel)
Sydney, Australia
(e-mail address removed)
Excel and Word Function Lists (Classifications, Syntax and Arguments)
available free to good homes.

 

[Dave Peterson]

Excel does change the date on the file when you open the workbook. But it
usually changes the date back if you close without saving.

The only time I ever noticed it not doing that was over a Wide Area Network.
I'd open a file that was stored on a server 2000 miles away. When I closed the
workbook--w/o saving, the time/date didn't revert. (It never misbehaved on a
local network drive.)

But I don't think it was excel's problem. I think it was an operating system
problem. We didn't update our version of office, but the problem disappeared
and never came back.

I'm not sure if the IT folks made a change in windows (NT 4.0) settings or what
they did. But I was happier.