XL: Shared Files May Open as Read Only

ID: Q161475


The information in this article applies to:


SYMPTOMS

When you open a file that was created in Microsoft Excel version 7.0, you may receive a Password dialog box containing one of the following error messages:

In Microsoft Excel 97

A shared list from Microsoft Excel 95 must be opened Read-Only.

To edit the workbook in Microsoft Excel 97, click OK, then click Save As on the file menu and save the workbook with a new name. You can then save the new workbook as a Microsoft Excel 97 shared workbook, if you want. For more information, click Help.


In Microsoft Excel 5.0

'<FILENAME.XLS>' is reserved by XL 95 Users. Open Read Only!

Enter password for write access, or open read only.


where <FILENAME.XLS> is the name of the file that you are opening.


CAUSE

This behavior occurs when you open a file that was saved as a shared file in Microsoft Excel 7.0. When you turn on the Multi-User Editing feature in a file in Microsoft Excel 7.0, you are not able to open the file with read-write access in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or Microsoft Excel 97.


MORE INFORMATION

When you receive the Password dialog box in Microsoft Excel 5.0 after opening a file that was saved as a shared file in Microsoft Excel 7.0, if you enter a password, whether the file has a password or not, you receive the error message "Incorrect password."

In Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and 97, when you open a file that was created in Microsoft Excel version 7.0 that was not saved as a shared file, the file opens normally; no dialog box appears.

NOTE: Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and 7.0 use the same file format. Microsoft Excel 97 uses a different format.

Additional query words: 5.00c 97 8.00 XL97


Keywords          : kberrmsg kbinterop kbualink97 xlloadsave 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c,7.0,7.0a,97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : 

Last Reviewed: April 14, 1999