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Can't open excel file, maybe not install office excel

Question asked by Rich Harder on Dec 24, 2015
Latest reply on May 6, 2016 by Dan Cuadra

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I know the subject "Can't open excel file, maybe not install office excel" sounds like improper English but this is exactly the error message I'm receiving when I try to open my cable.xlsx in the Cable Wire Library Wizard/Excel spread sheet import.

Where I'm at with this - My VAR support has no idea what may be causing this. It's only happening on my workstation, not others. I've been the primary owner (admin) of this file and have never had an issue until recently. Nothing has changed as far as I know. I've uninstalled and reinstall EPDM and SolidWorks (2015sp3). I've tried resetting my Microsoft Office registry key. I've tried saving this cable.xlsx file from EPDM out to my desktop as a temp.xlsx and temp.xls file and opening from there. I've opened our existing cable.xml file and tried to save it out as a new cable.xlsx and still get the same error.

Nothing seems to work and I'm not getting anywhere with internet searching or VAR support. Short of re-imaging my workstation I'm hoping I can maybe get some other suggestions to try from you folks. Thanks in advance.

Rich

Rich Harder Dec 30, 2015 5:18 PM

Correct Answer

Thanks again Deepak. I had tried many if not all of the suggestions mentioned in the link you provided. None of these helped. Also, running the Microsoft Office repair option did not resolve it.

I finally found the solution by reinstalling all of the programs in question. I did a clean uninstall of Microsoft Office Professional 2010, SolidWorks 2015sp3 and EnterprisePDM 2015sp3. I then had IT reinstall Microsoft Office. The difference here was they installed version 2013, not the 2010 version I had. I don't believe this made the difference because everything was fine before with 2010. I then reinstalled SolidWorks from my admin image. I made sure I followed the SolidWorks KB solution (S-069490) for admin installation, otherwise my add-ins aren't loaded. I finally installed EPDM, and then did a get latest on our Library folder where our cable.xlsx file is stored. I'm now able to import this Excel file in the Cable Library Wizard without issue.

Since I had already done a clean uninstall/reinstall of SolidWorks and EPDM prior to uninstalling Microsoft Office and continued to receive the "Can't open excel file, maybe not install office excel" error message my guess is the Office/Excel installation became corrupt somehow. I don't know if it was just the Office reinstall, or the combination of things here.

Thanks again for your suggestions. In a case like this you never know what the trick is going to be.

Rich

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Deepak Gupta Dec 26, 2015 10:28 AM

There has a been a similar issue reported for non English version in KB: SPR #: 600420

What is your MS Office version? Can you open the excel files normally? Are you able to use design table in SW?

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Rich Harder @ Deepak Gupta on Dec 28, 2015 10:40 AM

Hello Deepak, thank you for your reply. The language issue was my VAR's first thought but that is not the case here. I've used the Cable Wire Library wizard for this same process many times previously. Our SolidWorks install comes from an admin image, so everyone has the same install. This works on other machines, just not mine now for some reason. Something has inadvertently changed obviously, but I have no idea what it could be. Microsoft Excel can open the file, modify it, and even save it as a different name. I’m also able to create and revise design tables.

Rich

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Deepak Gupta @ Rich Harder on Dec 28, 2015 10:50 AM

Check the language setting under control panel if that have changed accidentally.

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Rich Harder @ Deepak Gupta on Dec 28, 2015 10:53 AM

English (United States)

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Deepak Gupta @ Rich Harder on Dec 28, 2015 11:41 AM

Can you use SW settings from another machine and apply those on your machine to see if that helps.

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Rich Harder @ Deepak Gupta on Dec 29, 2015 5:25 PM

Good suggestion, not one my VAR or I had thought of trying. Unfortunately I get the same result.

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Deepak Gupta @ Rich Harder on Dec 30, 2015 3:28 AM

Try this solution offered here: Excel 2013 Pro won't open files when double -clicking the file.

I know that opening excel file directly is working for you but this could be worth trying.

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Rich Harder @ Deepak Gupta on Dec 30, 2015 5:18 PM

Thanks again Deepak. I had tried many if not all of the suggestions mentioned in the link you provided. None of these helped. Also, running the Microsoft Office repair option did not resolve it.

Thanks again for your suggestions. In a case like this you never know what the trick is going to be.

Rich

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Dan Cuadra Apr 5, 2016 12:25 PM

I'm having exactly the same issue.

I'm using SolidWorks 2016 SP2 and Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010. I just installed a brand new seat of SW and I'm unable to load Excel files or create tables from scratch in the Cable Wire Library Wizard. I get the same "Can't open excel file, maybe not install office excel." error message. SW seems to interact with Excel normally in every other instance. I can edit design tables with no problems. I have checked the language settings and reinstalled MS Office with no effect.

Is it possible there is a compatibility issue with Office 2010 specifically? Any other ideas what I can try?

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Dan Cuadra @ Dan Cuadra on May 8, 2016 11:21 AM

Resolved!

With an excessive amount of help from my local VAR, I tried every possible combination of fixes short of fully reinstalling windows. Along the way I upgraded to MS Office 2016 and SW 2016 SP3, but what finally solved the problem was installing SW in a directory other than the default C:/Program Files/SOLIDWORKS Corp. My theory is that the installation of 2016 was having a conflict with some remnant of an earlier installation. I did a complete clean uninstall and reinstalled, placing the program in a new folder C:/Program Files/SolidWorks 2016. Since then everything has worked exactly as it should.

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10 Replies

Deepak Gupta Dec 26, 2015 10:28 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
There has a been a similar issue reported for non English version in KB: SPR #: 600420

What is your MS Office version? Can you open the excel files normally? Are you able to use design table in SW?
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- Rich Harder @ Deepak Gupta on Dec 28, 2015 10:40 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Hello Deepak, thank you for your reply. The language issue was my VAR's first thought but that is not the case here. I've used the Cable Wire Library wizard for this same process many times previously. Our SolidWorks install comes from an admin image, so everyone has the same install. This works on other machines, just not mine now for some reason. Something has inadvertently changed obviously, but I have no idea what it could be. Microsoft Excel can open the file, modify it, and even save it as a different name. I’m also able to create and revise design tables.
  
  Rich
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  - Deepak Gupta @ Rich Harder on Dec 28, 2015 10:50 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Check the language setting under control panel if that have changed accidentally.
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
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    - Rich Harder @ Deepak Gupta on Dec 28, 2015 10:53 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      English (United States)
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      - Deepak Gupta @ Rich Harder on Dec 28, 2015 11:41 AM
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        Correct Answer
        Can you use SW settings from another machine and apply those on your machine to see if that helps.
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
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        Rich Harder @ Deepak Gupta on Dec 29, 2015 5:25 PM
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        Correct Answer
        Good suggestion, not one my VAR or I had thought of trying. Unfortunately I get the same result.
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
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        Deepak Gupta @ Rich Harder on Dec 30, 2015 3:28 AM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Try this solution offered here: Excel 2013 Pro won't open files when double -clicking the file.
        
        I know that opening excel file directly is working for you but this could be worth trying.
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
        Actions
        Rich Harder @ Deepak Gupta on Dec 30, 2015 5:18 PM
        Unmark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Thanks again Deepak. I had tried many if not all of the suggestions mentioned in the link you provided. None of these helped. Also, running the Microsoft Office repair option did not resolve it.
        
        I finally found the solution by reinstalling all of the programs in question. I did a clean uninstall of Microsoft Office Professional 2010, SolidWorks 2015sp3 and EnterprisePDM 2015sp3. I then had IT reinstall Microsoft Office. The difference here was they installed version 2013, not the 2010 version I had. I don't believe this made the difference because everything was fine before with 2010. I then reinstalled SolidWorks from my admin image. I made sure I followed the SolidWorks KB solution (S-069490) for admin installation, otherwise my add-ins aren't loaded. I finally installed EPDM, and then did a get latest on our Library folder where our cable.xlsx file is stored. I'm now able to import this Excel file in the Cable Library Wizard without issue.
        
        Since I had already done a clean uninstall/reinstall of SolidWorks and EPDM prior to uninstalling Microsoft Office and continued to receive the "Can't open excel file, maybe not install office excel" error message my guess is the Office/Excel installation became corrupt somehow. I don't know if it was just the Office reinstall, or the combination of things here.
        
        Thanks again for your suggestions. In a case like this you never know what the trick is going to be.
        
        Rich
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Dan Cuadra Apr 5, 2016 12:25 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I'm having exactly the same issue.

I'm using SolidWorks 2016 SP2 and Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010. I just installed a brand new seat of SW and I'm unable to load Excel files or create tables from scratch in the Cable Wire Library Wizard. I get the same "Can't open excel file, maybe not install office excel." error message. SW seems to interact with Excel normally in every other instance. I can edit design tables with no problems. I have checked the language settings and reinstalled MS Office with no effect.

Is it possible there is a compatibility issue with Office 2010 specifically? Any other ideas what I can try?
Like • Show 0 Likes0
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- Dan Cuadra @ Dan Cuadra on May 8, 2016 11:21 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Resolved!
  
  With an excessive amount of help from my local VAR, I tried every possible combination of fixes short of fully reinstalling windows. Along the way I upgraded to MS Office 2016 and SW 2016 SP3, but what finally solved the problem was installing SW in a directory other than the default C:/Program Files/SOLIDWORKS Corp. My theory is that the installation of 2016 was having a conflict with some remnant of an earlier installation. I did a complete clean uninstall and reinstalled, placing the program in a new folder C:/Program Files/SolidWorks 2016. Since then everything has worked exactly as it should.
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions

Can't open excel file, maybe not install office excel

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