During this last month none of Edward's Excel workbooks can be opened by double-clicking the file. They all return an error message: "There was a problem while sending the command to the program." If he opens Excel first, then opens the workbook from within Excel, they open normally. Edward wonders what caused this change and how he can fix it.
At first blush, it may appear that Edward's problem is related to file associations in Windows. (Fixing file association errors has been covered in other ExcelTips, albeit for a much earlier version of Excel.) While this is possible, it is not the likely culprit, as problems related to file associations generally produce a different error message.
It appears that Edward's specific problem isn't that uncommon. Microsoft has suggested that the problem can be corrected through one of seven methods:
Rather than reinvent the wheel here, you can see what Microsoft suggests in order to implement each of these possible solutions by visiting this Knowledge Base page:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3001579
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (5649) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016.
Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel 2013 Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!
Ruminations and reflections about significant digits in Excel. Includes examples of how significant digits can affect the ...
Discover MoreWhen looking at a number, you may wonder how many significant digits it contains. The answer is not always an easy one, ...
Discover MoreHave you noticed that when you close the last workbook in Excel, the program window itself often stays open? This ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2016-04-04 06:12:58
Edward
Thanks for the advice.
Repairing the MS Office installation using the office disc cleared the problem, though I'm still in the dark as far as the cause of the problem is concerned.
2016-04-04 04:53:01
Duncan
@Howard - Bad news: no real suggestions but good news: You're not alone, this happens to me as well, also in XL13.
My best theory to date had been some sort of memory complexity problem if there are too many things open. Which is another way of saying restarting Excel seems to let me open the file sensibly. But doesn't indicate wy it happens.
2016-04-02 09:44:26
Howard
Similarly, I have a problem opening excel files. My problem: If I have excel open and click on a file to open it, I get a ghost screen. The toolbars are in place, but where I should see my file's data, it is blank. If I click on the reduce down button, then the data appears. If I click on a file without excel open, then Excel starts, loads the file, and I see all of the file's data.
Any suggestions?
I am using Excel 2013.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2021 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments