XL97: Read-Only Recommended Opening 97 & 5.0/95 File Format

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, you may see the following message when you open a Microsoft Excel 97 file that you previously saved in the Microsoft Excel 97 & 5.0/95 Workbook file format:

     <Filename> should be opened as read-only unless you need to save
      changes to it. Open as read-only?

CAUSE

This behavior occurs when all of the following conditions true:

• You save the file in the Microsoft Excel 97 & 5.0/95 Workbook file format in Microsoft Excel 97.

      -and-
  

• You open the file in Microsoft Excel version 5.0 or 7.0 and click No when you are prompted to open the file as read-only.

      -and-
  

• You then save the file with the same name from Microsoft Excel version 5.0 or 7.0.

WORKAROUND

In order to recover the workbook in the Microsoft Excel 97 & 5.0/95 Workbook file type, you must use a backup copy of the original file.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel 97, you can use a new hybrid file format that allows you to save a file in both the Microsoft Excel 97 workbook format and the Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0 workbook format. This dual file format allows you to open and view the file in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0. It also allows you to maintain the advanced features in Microsoft Excel 97. A workbook that you save in this format contains two file formats; its file size is roughly twice as large as the Microsoft Excel 97 format. Note that Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0 do not recognize the Microsoft Excel 97 portion of the file. When you open and revise the file in Microsoft Excel 97, the changes are automatically updated in the Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0 portion of the file.

NOTE: If you edit the file and save the changes in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0, the Microsoft Excel 97 portion of the file is permanently lost, and the file contains only the data in the remaining Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0 workbook file portion.

The Read-Only Recommended option is selected for the Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0 portion of the file. However, you can still open and save the file in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0. Because Read-Only Recommended is selected by default for the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook format, the workbook file that you save also uses the Read-Only Recommended setting.

Disabling the Prompt and Resaving in the Microsoft Excel 97 & 5.0/95 File Format

1. On the File menu, click Open, click the workbook file name, and then click Open to open the file in Microsoft Excel 97.

2. When you are prompted to open the file as read-only, click No.

3. On the File menu, click Save As and click Microsoft Excel 97 & 5.0/95 Workbook in the Save As Type list.

4. Click Options in the Save As dialog box.

5. Clear the Read-Only Recommended check box. Then, click OK, and click Save.

   ARTICLE-ID: Q157497
   TITLE     : XL97: Using the Microsoft Excel 97 & 5.0/95 Workbook Format

REFERENCES

For more information about the Microsoft Excel 97 & 5.0/95 Workbook file format in Microsoft Excel, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

   file formats, using