Weird problem with Excel 2000...Worksheets disappearing in a shared Excel file

[BrianL_SF]

Hello All,

This is my first time posting in any Usernet group. We have an issue
at work where multiple worksheets would disappear in a shared Excel
file randomly. We are running Excel 2000 with about 10 users accessing
and update these four shared spreadsheets. Every few days or so, I
would get users complaining that two worksheets have disappeared. I
checked to make sure that they are not hidden and also they are unable
to delete the worksheets since we password-protected it. People would
have to unprotect the worksheet, then unshare it before they can
actually delete the worksheet.

Do you know if this is a bug in Excel 2000 or if there a fix for this?
We are running Office Service Pack 3. I searched all over Google and
others have experienced this problem, but have never found a resolution
to this.

Thanks for all yoru help.
Brian

 

[RagDyer]

What prevents the files from being deleted through Windows Explorer?

Have you checked the recycle bin?

 

[Earl Kiosterud]

Brian,

You say worksheets, but you may mean workbook (xls) files. Are worksheets
disappearing from a workbook (.xls) file, or are entire workbooks
disappearing from the folder in which they're stored? By "sharing," do you
mean single workbook files, set as shared within Excel, or do you mean
workbook files shared by virtue of being stored in a common
network-accessible folder?

If worksheets are disappearing from a workbook, it may be that someone is
deleting the sheet, then saving the file. If the entire workbook (at the
file level) is disappearing from the folder, it could be a network problem,
or someone is removing the whole file.

 

[BrianL_SF]

Earl,

Just to clarify, I meant worksheets are disappearing from the workbook
(.xls) file. Not the actual .xls file that is being deleted. By
"sharing", I meant that it is being shared within the Excel application
where multiple users can update the data, not network file sharing.

The worksheets are somehow disappearing at random times...the people
who accesses the spreadsheet are unable to delete any worksheets
because we password protected them within the Excel application. In
order for anyone to delete a worksheet within a shared Excel file, they
would first have to know the password to unprotect the worksheet, then
they would have to unshare the worksheet, then they can delete the
worksheet. It's impossible for them to delete the worksheet, but
somehow the worksheets are disappearing. Very weird problem.

Thanks for your help and time.
Brian.

 

[Earl Kiosterud]

Brian,

Sharing the workbook, whether by Tools - Protection - Protect and shart
workbook, or by Tools - Share workbook, should disallow deleting sheets.
You'll see that the Delete Sheet item is dimmed in the Edit menu, and also
in the right-click menu on a sheet tab. Also, the Move Workbook item is
unavailable, as should be. Just for grins, check that those items are
dimmed.

It seems to me that workbook sharing has its bugs, from what I've heard.
You might check the knowledge base at www.microsoft.com to see what gives
for some possibilities.