Saves as an Excel Temp file but without XLS

[overlytall]

I have a user who accesses a network resource to save an XLS
spreadsheet. They work on it saving periodically, like a good user
should, but sometimes it says that the file is in open elsewhere and
cannot be saved - the server shows only thatsingle user connected to
that location/file.

The user saves the file automatically given to them by Excel, a temp
file name of C385B100.

When the user attempts to re-open the file using Excel as a start
point it does not locate the file. When you use Windows Explorer as a
start point it it finds the file without an XLS extension. Double
clicking it without the XLS opens it within Excel without a problem
with all the changes there.

User has Windows XP Pro, Excel 2003 and has unchecked "Hide extensions
of known file types". The problem is only recently logged.

Can anyone offer a bit of advice? Or better yet, a solution?

 

[Dave Peterson]

When excel 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.

If you're seeing that funny named file, then something is going wrong.

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.