opening txt crash's excel on OS X

[Mike Boland]

After upgrading Excel via the 10.1.2, 10.1.4, 10.1.5 update path
(F*^%$^% idea) Excel now crash's when a txt (tab delim) file is
dropped on the app or double clicked (after SAVING from Excel) after
providing the warning "SYLK: File format is not valid".
Has anyone come across this before?
Has anyone a solution? Please?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

After upgrading Excel via the 10.1.2, 10.1.4, 10.1.5 update path
(F*^%$^% idea) Excel now crash's when a txt (tab delim) file is
dropped on the app or double clicked (after SAVING from Excel) after
providing the warning "SYLK: File format is not valid".
Has anyone come across this before?
Has anyone a solution? Please?

I've not seen this before.

I assume you've already verified that you're not saving the files as
SYLK, and that you've given the files a .txt extension.

Can you open the files using File/Open?

Can you open the files using TextEdit to verify they're being saved
properly?

You can find some basic troubleshooting tips at

http://www.mcgimpsey.com/macoffice/excel/troubleshooting.html

 

[Michael Boland]

I have now varified that even using File/Open causes the error message and
then Excel quits.
The only way to open the files is to import the data.
I have used Excel for years as a tool to manipulate data for database import,
without problems, including now, except for opening them with Excel.
So the files are always plain tab delim text files.
All have .txt suffix, no garbage, correct permissions, and can even be saved
as tab delim from Excel and have the right icon, and still crash on direct
open via drag and drop, double click, File/open.
This seems to have happened after installing a new CLEAN OS X.3.3 as I
don't recall it happening previously.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I have now varified that even using File/Open causes the error message and
then Excel quits.
The only way to open the files is to import the data.
I have used Excel for years as a tool to manipulate data for database import,
without problems, including now, except for opening them with Excel.
So the files are always plain tab delim text files.
All have .txt suffix, no garbage, correct permissions, and can even be saved
as tab delim from Excel and have the right icon, and still crash on direct
open via drag and drop, double click, File/open.
This seems to have happened after installing a new CLEAN OS X.3.3 as I
don't recall it happening previously.

Here's the reason - the fact that it happens with File/Open reminded me
I'd seen this happen in previous versions:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;215591