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I can't open my Excel file, as it has two locations on my Mac

Every since I installed the new Dropbox on my Macbook, the list of where my files are stored in Excel has gone wonky. For example, when I open Excel and look at the list of files I could open, the file 'spanish vocab' is shown as being stored here:

Macintosh HD/Users/[removed]/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/mabword/Spanish

When I try and open the file from this menu, I get the attached message.

Screenshot 2023-12-01 at 6.13.33 AM.jpg

However, when I use Finder to locate the file it shows it stored here:

Dropbox/mabword/Spanish

Using Finder, I can open the file.

I'm not sure what is going on or how to fix it. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your help.

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Jay

Hi @Mary Ann B., thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Could you attach screenshots showing the location of the file as shown by Excel and in Finder itself?

This will help me to assist further!

Mary Ann B.

I have attached two screenshots - one showing how the file is listed when I open Excel and the second with how it is listed in Finder.

Thanks for your help.

In Excel: Screenshot 2023-12-02 at 8.50edit.42 PM.jpg

Finder:

Screenshot 2023-12-02 at 8.54.52 PM.jpg

Hannah

Hey @Mary Ann B., sorry to jump in here.

If you navigate to the file through the CloudStorage path, and right click on it, do you see a "make available offline" option?

If you do, click on it and then try to open the file through Excel again and let us know how it goes.

Mary Ann B.

I am able to navigate to the location of the file in Finder following this path:

Macintosh HD/Users/[removed]/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/mabword/Spanish

When I did that, I noticed an icon next to the folder mabword, which was a cloud with a downward facing arrow. I clicked on that icon and tried again but no joy. 😞

When I navigated there again, the icon was gone. So, not sure how to proceed.

Thanks for your help,

Walter

Hey there @Mary Ann B. - sorry to jump in here, but could you send us a screenshot of the options you get when you right click on the file?

Mary Ann B.

I did as you suggested for both the folder 'mabword' and the file 'spanish vocab'. Now, every file and folder has a small checkmark in a green circle to the right of the file/folder name in Finder. (see attached screenshots). However, when I try and open the file from Excel, I get the same error message (see attached.).

I'm open to more suggestions. Thanks for your help. Screenshot 2023-12-05 at 9.36.21 PM.jpg

Mary Ann B.

Here's what the right click looked like (before I chose 'make available offline' (so I could respond to your message above):

. Screenshot 2023-12-05 at 2.53.59 PM.jpg

Walter

Thanks for the screenshots @Mary Ann B. - much appreciated!

Could you try making the file available offline on your computer by selecting the relevant option and let us know if it still gives you an error when opening it from another app, like Excel?

Mary Ann B.

In the step above, I right clicked on the file and selected 'make available offline'. I believe the checkmark within the small green circle to the right of the file name 'spanish vocab' (see screenshot two replies ago) is 'icloud speak" for "available offline". So, now when I right click on the file name, this is what the menu shows:

Screenshot 2023-12-06 at 8.43.15 AM.jpg

And when I try and open through Excel, I get the same error message. I would like to clarify that I am trying to open the file from the following screen:

Screenshot 2023-12-06 at 8.49.20 AM.jpg

If I open the file from the main toolbar using 'File/OpenRecent/spanish vocab', it works! See screenshot below for this manuever.

Screenshot 2023-12-06 at 8.50.36 AM.jpg

Confusing! Why one way and not the other?

Thanks for your help.

Hannah

Hmm, pretty strange situation, indeed, Mary Ann.

However, since the file can be opened directly from the Dropbox folder, I don't think it has to do with Dropbox at this point.

I see that the file is pinned in the Excel app, right? If you unpin it and then pin the correct file, what do you see?

If that doesn't work, I think you might need to look into it with Microsoft, to be honest.

Mary Ann B.

Whether it's pinned or unpinned, I get the same error message. Here's another question: is there a way to remove these files and folders from CloudStorage? I'm not sure how they got there in the first place, but I don't need them to be in that folder.

Thanks for sticking with me and all your suggestions!

Hannah

CloudStorage is the location of the Dropbox folder if you have the new Dropbox for macOS version for File Provider.

I'm afraid the location cannot be changed.

This should be your working Dropbox folder.

Is it working correctly otherwise? If you add files to it, do they sync to your account online?

Mary Ann B.

Yes, everything else working properly, I just wish I could open them directly from the Excel opening screen.