Workbooks open in Read Only mode

**Hook** · 03-13-2012, 02:48 PM

I have two workbooks I have used for months and suddenly whenever I open them, they open in read only mode.

When I try to save them, I'm told to rename using different names.

Did as requested. When I open either freshly re-named file, it too opens in read only.
Several iterations produce the same result.

When I go to Properties>General it shows the read only box as being checked but it is grayed out for both.

I didn't change their status consciously and don't know to fix them.

Several other workbooks I tried don't have the problem.

The only thing that has changed recently is my update from Snow Leopard to Lion 10.7.3.

**dilipandey** · 03-13-2012, 02:55 PM

Hi Hook,

I believe it is happening because of change in user account .. something like I create a file as Mr. A and then I login as Mr. B and then I am not able to edit the files created by Mr. A.. some default security settings related to docs have done this... try opening that file as Admin.. Also if you are accessing those file on some remote servers (or citrix) then the previous instance of your user account, may have still opened that file and now if even you login and try accessing that file it will be Read Only.. Also try looking if that file has opened by some other user and he may have not closed the same and came out of the remote environment.. I think I have covered a lot of points.. but this should be really a easy fix and should not be that level deep down issue.

Regards,
DILIPandey

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**Hook** · 03-13-2012, 04:26 PM

Thanks for the tips.

However, I log on as the admin and I created the workbooks. There is no external access and no one else uses
them.

Did I miss something in your reply that I should have checked?

Still confused.

**dilipandey** · 03-14-2012, 12:41 AM

Ok..

Where have you kept those workbooks.. is it local or server (LAN) or citrix kind of environment ?
those are shared?

Regards,
DILIPandey

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**Hook** · 03-14-2012, 10:46 AM

Good morning DILIPandey,

The files are exclusively on my machine and have never exposed to another server. I'm not even backed up on another machine, only on my own Time machine disk.

Hook

**Hook** · 03-14-2012, 02:51 PM

I fixed the problem.

I'm using Excel 2011 on a Mac. The two workbooks have been saved in the .xlsx format as is expected.

As a test, I saved one of them with a new name with the old.xls format. Then I reopened it and saved it as a .xlsx.

Opened just fine. Looked at the properties and the read only box is unchecked.

DILIPandey, do you or anyone have an idea why what I did solved the problem? I have no clue. It was just a shot in the dark.

**dilipandey** · 03-14-2012, 11:27 PM

that's great....!!

Not sure... may be they were got created initially with xls format and going back to xls and coming to xlsx had solved the issue. I guess it is related with File Format conversion issue which I had faced when Excel 2007 launched.

Regards,
DILIPandey

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