stuck in a loop

[mmichael02]

I am trying to open a excel spreadsheet using excel 2004 for the mac.
When I first open the file, it asks me if I would like to enable
macros. I say yes to enable macros and you would think that it would
then continue to open the file, but it doesnt. It keeps asking me if I
want to enable macros as if it is stuck in a continuous loop. I am able
to open the same file with excel 2001 on another mac.

Please help!


Matt

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I am trying to open a excel spreadsheet using excel 2004 for the mac.
When I first open the file, it asks me if I would like to enable
macros. I say yes to enable macros and you would think that it would
then continue to open the file, but it doesnt. It keeps asking me if I
want to enable macros as if it is stuck in a continuous loop. I am able
to open the same file with excel 2001 on another mac.

Do you get any other error messages, i.e., that would indicate that XL
was quitting and restarting?

What happens if you open the file with macros disabled?

 

[mmichael02]

No matter what option I choose,i.e. disable macros, it would still come
back with that dialog box. The other day when I was troubleshooting
this error, I was able to turn off the security setting that brings up
the enable\disable dialog box. Now when I open it up it just keeps
opening up in a continuous loop. It will also open up other
spreadsheets. When it is in this loop, excel is totally unaccessable
and I have to force quit the application. I you let it go it finally
comes back and says the application excel unexpectedly quit. I have
tried uninstalling and reinstalling office, but it just does the same
thing. I have tried running a virus scan tool called ClamXav and it
finds nothing.

help

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Michael-

Rare as it may be, the file could be infected by a macro virus, which
are often not detected by virus software. Or, it could just be a
malicious prank perpetrated by someone with access to the file.

Either way, by turning off the Security dialog box you have basically
specified the equivalent of 'go ahead & open the file regardless of
what macros it contains & let them do what they have been written to
do'.

Perhaps you can rid the file of whatever the demon is if you hold down
the Shift Key while you open it. If that lets you into the file without
the problem occuring, you will better be able to determine if it _is_ a
macro or VBA associated with the file. (Does this happen with any other
files? Did the file come from a PC, by any chance?)

HTH |:>)

 

[mmichael02]

What does holding the shift key do? Does it disable extensions? When I
used the shift key, it opened fine. I went back in and turned on the
security dialog box and after playing with things more I have a new
error which reads " The macro Macintosh HD: users: username: documents:
microsoft user data: saved attachments : filename.xls checkwindow
cannot be found.

Thanks for your help

 

[CyberTaz]

Hello-

Well, I didn't honestly expect it to have _that_ much of an effect! Glad it
helped, but there may still be some work to be done. It sounds like the book
was sent to you as an email attachment. Track down the sender & shoot
him/her in each kneecap

The Shift Key simply bypasses any startup items, such as automatic macros.

I'd still go to Tools>Macro>Macros and see if any macros are listed. If so,
select & delete in order to wipe them out. Also, check in the designated
location & see if there is anything there that shouldn't be & get rid of it
too. It probably wouldn't hurt to Ctrl+Click a sheet tab in that book &
choose Code Page to see if there is any code that shouldn't be there. Use
the Projects panel (usually upper left) to click on each sheet listed &
check them as well.

Once you're confident the book is 'clean', copy everything to a new workbook
file, save it, and delete the old file.

Regards |:>)

 

[mmichael02]

Thanks again for your help. The worksheet is actually a timecard
template on our receptionist's machine. The template may have been
designed using an old version on excel and possibly on a windows pc. I
believe this template uses macros, so maybe it is a version problem.
However, I dont have this problem on my mac which uses office 2001. It
doesnt seem to be just one single worksheet because you can open any
worksheet or even a new worksheet and this will happen.