sudden "file corrupted" message w/Mac Excel 98 file on PC

[ellaguru]

I've been giving my Excel 98 files to someone on a PC for weeks, and
he's been able to open them with no problem. There are 2 different
files, and I've been updating them on a rolling basis. Suddenly, one
of them will not open for him without this huge "file corrupted" &
"repairing" song and dance, after which it opens with all formatting,
colors and graphs missing.

Oddly, he's been able to open the same file without a hitch on his
home desktop (a Mac, of course). I have not changed file formats or
anything during my saves, and there are no similar problems with the
other file. What could be going on? Has anyone here ever experienced
this particular stituation? Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[CyberTaz]

How are you "giving" him the file - email? If so, zip the copy before
sending & make sure he's saving the file to his HD rather than opening the
attachment directly.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[ellaguru]

I'm "giving" him the file from my ftp server space and from a flash
drive. Again, the same copy of the same file opened on his Mac at
home and email-related file corruption is not an issue.

 

[CyberTaz]

Is he opening the file on the PC directly from the flash drive? That's a
sure road to destruction of the file. (Same is true of just about any
removable media, actually.) Make sure he copies to his HD & works with that
copy, then moves/copies back to the flash drive after closing the working
copy... Same on the Mac side.

I can't speak to the ftp issue, but in just about any transfers any more I
prefer to zip/stuff the files.

There could also be a matter of the file's content or structure that isn't
surviving the trip from OS to the other. Graphics, fonts, Track Changes,
Versions, nested tables and more can influence the situation.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[little_creature]

Can you try this:
If you copy that file on your Mac HDD and open it, navigate to cel A1 and
then press Command+shift+end. Where do you end up? At the end of your data
entry or far away from your last data? If far away somewhere in your
spreadsheet is *wrong* character. You can try either to remove all
columns/rows that are onwards of your data or better to carefully copy just
your data into new spreadsheet - be carefull not to take any cell more.

 

[little_creature]

And another one (the german guy Alzheimer is visiting me still more ofen
Does your spreadsheet contain any macro?