XL: No Alert When Opening File Already Opened by Another User

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

In the versions of Microsoft Excel listed at the beginning of this article, if you open a file that has already been opened by another user, you may NOT receive the following alert message

   '<File.xls>' is being modified by

   <Another User's Name>

   Open as Read-Only, or choose Notify to be alerted when it is
   available.

Instead, Microsoft Excel opens the file as read-only without displaying the alert message and the Notify button.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when the following conditions are true:

• The file is saved in the Microsoft Excel 4.0 Worksheet format.

      -and-
  

• The file is stored on a Microsoft Windows NT server that is running Services for Macintosh (SFM) or File Server for Macintosh.

      -and-
  

  - The file is opened by a user who is running Microsoft Excel for

      Windows. The file is then opened by a user who is running Microsoft
      Excel for the Macintosh.
  

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, convert the Microsoft Excel 4.0 Worksheet format files to a later format. To do this, follow these steps:

1. In Microsoft Excel, open the file.

2. On the File menu, click Save As. In the list of file types, select a workbook format for Microsoft Excel 5.0 (or later).

3. Click OK.

4. After you save the file, click Close on the File menu.

NOTE: If anyone on your organization is still using Microsoft Excel 4.0, do not convert your files to a later format. Microsoft Excel 4.0 cannot open files stored in later formats.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.