invalid file format error

[SteveDB1]

Hi.
I've tried posting this before, but what the heck....
When I open Excel 2007, I get a series of error messages stating that all of
the Word 2007 templates that I've made are not valid file formats.
It does not happen when I open a blank word document, or even a word
template.
It never happens with InfoPath, Access, Powerpoint, etc....
I only get the error messages with Excel, and they are all specifically
referencing dot, dotm, doc, etc.... file formats.
I've spoken with our internal IT people, and they just throw up their hands,
and say deal with it.
I've run the diagnostics utility, and nothing.
It'd sure be nice to get this to stop.
This has been going on since about 2 months after we upgraded to 2007 from
2000. Which we'd done back in March, or April.
Thanks.

 

[Chip Pearson]

The first thing to test is the startup folder setting. Click the Office
button, choose Excel Options then the Advanced tab. There, scroll down and
look at the value of "At startup, open all files in:". Excel will
automatically open all files in the folder specified in that setting. Delete
this setting and restart Excel.


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel, 10 Years
Pearson Software Consulting
www.cpearson.com
(email on the web site)

 

[SteveDB1]

Chip,
Thanks for your timely response.
Ok, I've found that, and I have to ask the question-- so please bear with me.
Does this have anything to do with the startup location where Excel/Word
looks, or saves my files to?
I looked around and cannot see that option. I'd thought it was on one of the
basic "tab" settings.
Again-- thanks.

 

[SteveDB1]

doh!
Ok, I found the "default file location" that I was referring to. It's under
the Save "tab."
That appears to have done it. Thank you.
Of course this now brings up the "stupid" question.
In that "template" directory I have 2 custom made xlt templates, along with
numerous custom dot, and dotm templates. It never bothered giving any kind of
error/warning message box for those. Why did it make a stink about files not
associated with excel-- dot/doc/dotm?
And then, I just looked in Word>Options>Advanced, and found something
similar, but definitely different. It had a "file locations" button, and when
I clicked it, showed all of the locations that it could pull files from. I
then clicked ok, closed, and then restarted Word (with Excel/all other office
programs closed), and got no message boxes like I did in excel.
It'd sure be nice to understand why it works that way on one program, but
not that other.....
Anyway, it appears that my problem is now resolved, and for the time being,
no longer an issue.

On another note-- those sum/countbycolor, etc... functions you wrote up work
really great. Thank you.
Thanks again for your help.