"Filename is not valid" Error in Microsoft Excel

[warehouse peon]

Hi friends,
I am facing a very strange problem. Whenever I am opening or saving a file in the Microsoft Excel, I am getting an Error Message as "Filename is invalid". I didn't find such errors before. This error started coming from two days. I have tried to do lot of things but I as not successful. So thought that I might get some help from you guys, so posting on this forum. Please tell me the appropriate solution for the problem.!!

[Macarenas]

When you open or save a file in Microsoft Excel, one of the following error messages may appear :

1. Filename is invalid.
2. The file is inaccessible.
3. <filename> is found. Check the spelling of the file name and verify that the file location is correct.

This normally occurs when you are trying to open it in wrong way. There are some rules that you need to follow. I think that you are making the same mistake.!! First confirm that the specific file that you are opening is valid.

[JonathanD]

If you are using an loder version of an Excel, then you would have to keep in mind that Microsoft Office 2000 includes a built-in feature that allows to obtain more information about difficult to solve problems or error messages. If you want to enable this functionality for this error message and other Microsoft Office 2000, download the Microsoft Office 2000 Customizable Alerts from the website of Microsoft Office Update. If you reached this article by clicking the Info button on the Web in an error message, you are already Customizable Alerts enabled.

[Eric B]

This error message occurs when you save or open a file if the path to the file (including file name) not exceed 218 characters. This limitation includes three characters representing the drive, the characters of file names, the backslash character between folders and characters in the filename. I think that once you follow this, you will not get an error.

[Bigga Lexx]

This behavior is based on a limit of 256 characters in Excel for creating links to another file. This limit of 218 characters for the name of the path is based on the following :

1. Up to 31 characters in a sheet name.
2. Apostrophes and brackets used to indicate the name of the workbook.
3. An exclamation point.
4. A cell reference.

[super soaker]

Make sure the path to the file contains less than 219 characters. To do this, use the following methods :

• Rename the file so it has a shorter name.
• Rename one or more folders that contain the file so they have shorter names.
• Move the file to a folder with name path shorter.

Note that if you enter 255 characters in the File Name box in the dialog box Save As and click OK, you receive the following error message :
The path you entered, "<path> is too long. Enter a path shorter.