Problems changing folders in "Open"

[Richardc]

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

In MS Word and Excel accessing folders when opening a new file does not work right.

If I go to File>Open, a window appears. On the left, it lists some high-level folders under the "Places" heading including "Applications" and "Documents." I also have one here where I keep my documents.

If I want to get to a specific folder, I single click on a high-level one (e.g., Documents). I see sub-folders in the right-hand pane. I can double click on one of these to open it. All this is obvious, of course.

If I want to go back up a level in the file structure, I can go back to the original high-level folder that I first selected on the left and click once. This moves all the folders on the right back up one level.

This has always worked in the Finder (and still does), but for some reason no longer works when I am in File>Open in Excel or Word. This is an annoying glitch and I can't seem to find any report of it.

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

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

In MS Word and Excel accessing folders when opening a new file does not work
right.

If I go to File>Open, a window appears. On the left, it lists some high-level
folders under the "Places" heading including "Applications" and "Documents." I
also have one here where I keep my documents.

If I want to get to a specific folder, I single click on a high-level one
(e.g., Documents). I see sub-folders in the right-hand pane. I can double
click on one of these to open it. All this is obvious, of course.

If I want to go back up a level in the file structure, I can go back to the
original high-level folder that I first selected on the left and click once.
This moves all the folders on the right back up one level.

This has always worked in the Finder (and still does), but for some reason no
longer works when I am in File>Open in Excel or Word. This is an annoying
glitch and I can't seem to find any report of it.

I'm not sure what you think is not working. Did you click on the three
column view?

 

[Richardc]

Bob

Thanks for your reply. I tried to send an email to you, but that did not work. It would be nice to be able to send a screen snapshot.

I am in the "two pane" mode in the "Open" window in Excel or Word. Click on the center selection in the display control bar at the top of the window. The high-level file folders are on the left, and the contents of currently the selected folder are on the right.

Try this:

1. Click on Applications.
2. View the folders and files inside that folder on the right.
3. Double click to open one of these sub-folders.
4. Normally, you can go back to the previous higher level in the hierarchy by clicking once on the folder you started with. So click once on Applications again. Nothing happens. You cannot go back up to the original level again.

Try the same thing in the Finder. It works there.

For many Mac OS versions now, you have been able to go back up a level in the folder structure by clicking back on the main folder you just opened.

This anomaly only started happening when I installed Office 2008 and OS 10.5.6. It did not happen with Office 2008 and OS 10.4.11.

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Richard;

PMFJI, but if your recollection is correct - and I'm not saying it isn't -
it must be a change in OS X Leopard itself. I'm honestly not sure because I
never use the Icon view ( I assume that's what you mean by "two pane"? ).
I've repeated your steps in several non-MS apps including Pages, all with
the same result you're describing. I'll take a look at what happens on my G5
this evening - it still has Tiger installed.

In the meantime, the only suggestions I can offer are:

1- Use one of the other 2 viewing modes [List or Columns] which do enable
going up one level, or

2- Use the dropdown list at the top of the Open dialog window where the
current folder name is displayed.

 

[Richardc]

Thanks Bob. Pardon me for jumping in = PMFJI? Had not seen one before. But, TFJI (thanks for jumping in).

Glad you saw the same thing as I am seeing.

When you do this in the OS 10.5.6 Finder, there is no problem. I checked Quicktime, and it does appear as a problem in this application. So it seems to be a problem in the OS, not in Microsoft Products. I'll call Apple!

 

[Richardc]

I called Apple and the Tech Support guy patiently listened to my story, and did see the same thing as we have been seeing in Quicktime. He is reporting it to his tech people.