Verified bug with hyperlinks within Excel 2002 spreadsheets on XP

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Guest

I recently got a new computer with XP Pro on it. I transferred over my files from the old Win 2000 computer and got things running fine for the most part. The problem is I am seeing weirdness with MS Excel 2002 in one regard...the relative path of the file you wish to save to.

The problem manifests itself as an inability to use the Save As command in Notepad when you create a hyperlink pointing to a file that's in a directory other than the one containing the spreadsheet.

Steps to recreate this bug:
1. create a temporary directory on your hard drive (i.e., c:\temp)

2. open c:\temp and create a subdirectory (i.e., c:\temp\test)

3. open c:\temp\test and create a Notepad text file placing any text in it you like and saving it as c:\temp\test\mytext.txt

4. open a new MS Excel spreadsheet and save it to the c:\temp directory (i.e., save as c:\temp\mytest.xls). Be sure to save the file before going to the next steps. If you don't, then the following steps won't replicate the problem.

5. in the first column create a hyperlink (right click on the cell and select Hyperlink from the context menu) to the text file you created (c:\temp\test\mytext.txt)

6. Within the spreadsheet, click on the new hyperlink and the text file will open in Notepad.

7. In Notepad, attempt to save the file as another file name using the Save As command.

At that point, I get this error dialog box popped up:

NOTEPAD

Common Dialog error (0x3002).


The only way around the problem appears to be that you mnust enter the fully qualified path to the file in the Address section at the bottom of the Save As dialog, instead of allowing the default. For example, enter this:
c:\temp\test\mytest.txt.

This Save As command worked fine in Windows 2000, but seems to be specific to XP.

For comparison purposes, try copying the text file into the same directory as the spreadsheet. Then change the hyperlink in the spreadsheet to point to that file. In that case, you CAN use the Save As command as expected. It seems to only occur when pointing to a sub-directory or directory other than the one containing the spreadsheet.
 
I use xl2002(SP2) and win98 and I followed your instructions.

I actually created three hyperlinks--one via Insert|hyperlink, one via
rightclick|Hyperlink and one via =hyperlink().

All worked without a problem.

I'm not sure if this means that there's a difference between win98's notepad and
winxp's notepad, but it doesn't look like a problem with excel to me.

Can you find another pc with winXP and xl2002 on it to test?

Or maybe someone with the same OS Version and xl version will try it out.
 
Followed your instructions and could not replicate your results.

What all did you transfer over from your old computer? Just data files or
program files as well?

: I recently got a new computer with XP Pro on it. I transferred over my files
from the old Win 2000 computer and got things running fine for the most part.
The problem is I am seeing weirdness with MS Excel 2002 in one regard...the
relative path of the file you wish to save to.
:
: The problem manifests itself as an inability to use the Save As command in
Notepad when you create a hyperlink pointing to a file that's in a directory
other than the one containing the spreadsheet.
:
: Steps to recreate this bug:
: 1. create a temporary directory on your hard drive (i.e., c:\temp)
:
: 2. open c:\temp and create a subdirectory (i.e., c:\temp\test)
:
: 3. open c:\temp\test and create a Notepad text file placing any text in it you
like and saving it as c:\temp\test\mytext.txt
:
: 4. open a new MS Excel spreadsheet and save it to the c:\temp directory (i.e.,
save as c:\temp\mytest.xls). Be sure to save the file before going to the next
steps. If you don't, then the following steps won't replicate the problem.
:
: 5. in the first column create a hyperlink (right click on the cell and select
Hyperlink from the context menu) to the text file you created
(c:\temp\test\mytext.txt)
:
: 6. Within the spreadsheet, click on the new hyperlink and the text file will
open in Notepad.
:
: 7. In Notepad, attempt to save the file as another file name using the Save As
command.
:
: At that point, I get this error dialog box popped up:
:
: NOTEPAD
:
: Common Dialog error (0x3002).
:
:
: The only way around the problem appears to be that you mnust enter the fully
qualified path to the file in the Address section at the bottom of the Save As
dialog, instead of allowing the default. For example, enter this:
: c:\temp\test\mytest.txt.
:
: This Save As command worked fine in Windows 2000, but seems to be specific to
XP.
:
: For comparison purposes, try copying the text file into the same directory as
the spreadsheet. Then change the hyperlink in the spreadsheet to point to that
file. In that case, you CAN use the Save As command as expected. It seems to
only occur when pointing to a sub-directory or directory other than the one
containing the spreadsheet.
:
: --
: Thanks much,
: Gerry
 
Thanks for your responses, Lady Layla and Dave.

As I indicated, this seems to be a problem that's specific to Win XP...maybe just XP Pro, which is what I'm using. So I wouldn't expect this to be verifiable on other operating systems. And I brought over just data files from the old computer, installing Office from the CDs.

As for replicating the problem on another computer like mine, I posted the same instructions to another group and someone there replied indicating she had the same problem.

Doesn't mater whether I use files copied over from the old computer or whether I try it with a brand new file in a different directory. I get the same result either way.
 
WinXP Pro, can't reproduce this. Works fine following your instructions, no
error message or anything,
text file save as works fine

--
Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

(No private emails please, for everyone's
benefit keep the discussion in the newsgroup/forum)



Gerry said:
Thanks for your responses, Lady Layla and Dave.

As I indicated, this seems to be a problem that's specific to Win
XP...maybe just XP Pro, which is what I'm using. So I wouldn't expect this
to be verifiable on other operating systems. And I brought over just data
files from the old computer, installing Office from the CDs.
As for replicating the problem on another computer like mine, I posted the
same instructions to another group and someone there replied indicating she
had the same problem.
Doesn't mater whether I use files copied over from the old computer or
whether I try it with a brand new file in a different directory. I get the
same result either way.
 
It's possible you might be doing the test slightly different, Peo. First question, though, is are you using Excel 2002 as well as XP Pro?

In Step 5, when you open Insert Hyperlink dialog box, you should be navigating down one directory to the test subdirectory and then clicking on the file located there. That will display "test\mytest.txt" as the file name in the Address field of the Insert Hyperlink. Then click on the OK button. Perform the remaining steps. If you're using XP Pro (SP1) and Excel 2002 (SP-1) I would think you'd get the same result as me and this other person who verified the result I got.
--
Thanks much,
Gerry


Peo Sjoblom said:
WinXP Pro, can't reproduce this. Works fine following your instructions, no
error message or anything,
text file save as works fine

--
Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

(No private emails please, for everyone's
benefit keep the discussion in the newsgroup/forum)



Gerry said:
Thanks for your responses, Lady Layla and Dave.

As I indicated, this seems to be a problem that's specific to Win
XP...maybe just XP Pro, which is what I'm using. So I wouldn't expect this
to be verifiable on other operating systems. And I brought over just data
files from the old computer, installing Office from the CDs.
As for replicating the problem on another computer like mine, I posted the
same instructions to another group and someone there replied indicating she
had the same problem.
Doesn't mater whether I use files copied over from the old computer or
whether I try it with a brand new file in a different directory. I get the
same result either way.
 
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