XL: Explorer Shortcut Menu Commands Do Not Work As Expected

 Last reviewed: December 12, 1996
Article ID: Q145762
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

If you use Windows Explorer to print a Microsoft Excel file (by using the right mouse button to click the file and then clicking Print), and if the file has a long file name that includes spaces, you may receive one or more error messages, and then the file opens.

MORE INFORMATION

If Microsoft Excel 5.0 is installed after Microsoft Excel 97 or 7.0 or Microsoft Office 97 or 7.0, you may experience problems trying to print a Microsoft Excel file that has a long file name with spaces by using the Print command available on the shortcut menu in Windows Explorer. For example, if you try to print the following file in Windows Explorer 

   c:\long file name.xls
you may receive the following error messages: 

   1st error: Can't open long.xls

   2nd error: Can't open file.xls

   3rd error: Can't open name.xls
After these error message, the file opens with an 8.3 MS-DOS file name and the print dialog box is displayed.

You may also experience this same problem if you use the Open command on the shortcut menu in Windows Explorer to open a Microsoft Excel file that has a long file name that includes spaces.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, reinstall Microsoft Office 97 or 7.0 or Microsoft Excel 97 or 7.0 using Setup /y and select the Reinstall option. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Start button, click Run, and type the following command in the Run box 

          <drive> setup /y"

    where <drive> is the letter of the drive from which you are running the Setup program.

  2. Click OK.

The reinstallation will update the registration database entries for Microsoft Excel, and then the Print and Open commands will run correctly.

KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory: xlwin offsetup
Additional reference words: 7.00 8.00 97

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Last reviewed: December 12, 1996
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