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I’ve been using the Foxit PDF Writer that comes with the Foxit Reader for years. In the last couple of weeks, I noticed that it started adding a number to the end of the file name when I selected an existing file. Prior to that, it would offer the standard “Replace existing?” type of prompt. When I went into the Preferences for the Printer, it has only two file-handling options: “Overwrite existing file” and “Add a numeric suffix.” I’m not sure how this was changed to the suffix option, but when I changed to the overwrite option, it simply overwrote any file that happened to exist, without any warning whatsoever.

I’ve been communicating with Foxit support, but they seem to be puzzled that I’m even asking this question. That is, they seem to think that overwriting an existing file without alerting the user with a confirmation dialog is desirable behavior. Well, there might be situations where this is true, but not if that is the only option offered. After all, it is extremely easy to accidentally click on a file name while trying to navigate folders. The other option of automatically adding a suffix is obviously not desirable if you wanted to replace the file.

Has anyone else run into this? Why would an interface designer think that a “replace after confirmation” option is not the proper default for a potentially destructive command (and at least make that a choice)?

So glad that I am not the only one tearing my hair out over this behaviour. I agree with you completely – it’s a dumb design.

I reviewed the referenced article again, and found some additional information. After much experimentation, I was able to get XL2016 to open as it should. Below is what I posted on the article that was referenced earlier.

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I would have agreed with you about 24 hours ago, but my computer finally opens XL2016 when I double-click on a filename in Explorer. Also, the jumplist of files in the Excel shortcut on my Windows taskbar works properly by opening XL2016.

None of these steps worked independently, but ***something*** finally clicked to make it work. Perhaps all four are required???

1. Set the association between XLS and XL2016
2. Use the “update” function built into XL2016. Access from Excel via File > Account > Office updates
3. Manually edit the Windows Registry. By searching through the Registry, I found three instances where “Excel Protocol” was associated with Office 2010, instead of Office 2016 as it should be, and one instance where it was associated with Office 2016. I created a new .reg file to change the 2010 entries to match the 2016 entry.
4. Using Control Panel > Programs and Features > Office 2016 > Change, I was able to repair the O2016 installation.

ONLY after completing the final step did the file association work properly (and then it took many seconds for XL2016 to launch. That behaviour seems to have disappeared today). Furthermore, a Registry-monitoring program that I use alerted me that the Repair in step 4 tried to create an association with O2010, instead of the correct O2016. I rejected that change, and kept the O2016 association. Overall, the repair seems fragile.

I don’t claim that any of these steps will work for anyone else, nor that it will continue to work on my computer. I only write this to provide a glimmer of hope for anybody else struggling with this inexcusable behaviour. What is Microsoft doing by allowing such a glaring bug to remain for so long on their flagship product? It’s beyond comprehension.

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Microsoft responded with yet another “we are working on the problem” reply.

Thanks for your response – I had actually seen that article earlier, tried some of the suggestions, and gave up after reading about 20 entries. The article spans 15 pages of entries, from about October 2015 to July 2016 (maybe 250 entries). If this problem has been discussed in the Windows Secrets forum earlier, and I overlooked it in my search, I apologize for not finding it.

I am not sure if your answer was intended to be 1) you will find the answer here, or 2) you will find that many people are frustrated by this problem and there is no definitive answer. Upon first seeing your reply, I thought it was #1, but now I am not sure. Regardless, here is a typical response from about 10 days ago, so it seems to be an unresolved issue that Microsoft has not dealt with adequately:

I worked my way through dozens of entries, finally jumped to the end (page 14) and see that there is still no solution. I have Windows 10/Office 365 Pro on my desktop, laptop, and Surface. Surface works just like you would expect, but I don’t use that for development. On the desktop, I can’t get to an Excel file from the File Manager, but I can get to them from Excel’s memory list. The only way I can get to one that isn’t on the list is to (1) create a new Excel file imposter with the name of the file I want to open (FileName.xlsx), put one number in a field, and save it. Then I do a copy/paste of the real FileName.xlsx to replace the imposter, and tell mr. filemanager that yes, I really do want to replace it. Then Excel has a recent record of having talked with FileName.xlsx and when it is asked to open it, lo and behold it opens the old one in the new place. Then I have to do a “Save As” to put it where I really want it.
If this sounds like an idiotic approach, it is. It seems to me that a problem this fundamental could/would have been fixed LONG AGO. (I reinstalled Office 365 Pro yesterday, and that is no better.)

Here’s hoping that Microsoft cleans up an unresolved bug that seems to be causing a lot of confusion, and makes their solution easy to find and implement.

Sorry – posted in wrong forum. Have added new thread in Spreadsheets forum.

I went back to my previous version, and you are correct: .Open raises an error. I had trapped that error in my original code, but incorrectly described it in the original posting. sorry about that. However, there is still a difference in behaviour with XL 2016. The program hangs at the .Open command, rather than jumping to the error handler.

I heard back from the client that the new version works properly with XL2016 on her computer, so this is an exercise only to satisfy my curiosity what causes the difference on her computer. I appreciate any insight you can offer, but understand if you do not pursue it any further.

In the code below, FileName will contain a fully-qualified name of the file, including an XLS extension supplied by the calling program. Previous versions and my development computer work OK if the file extension is omitted. I have presumed this is a separate issue.

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Calling function snippet
+++++++++++++++

i = OpenXL(sPath & CustomerID)
if i 0 Then
LoadCustomerXLS = i
End If

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Modified version below
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Function OpenXL(FileName As String) As Integer
Dim objXL As Object
‘ get a reference to the Excel object
If Not GetRunningApplication(“Excel.Application”, objXL) Then
MsgBox “there is a problem with Excel”
OpenXL = 1
Exit Function
End If

On Error GoTo error_XL
With objXL
If Len(Dir(FileName)) > 0 Then
.Workbooks.Open (FileName)
Else
.Workbooks.Add
.activeworkbook.SaveAs FileName
End If
.Visible = True
End With
OpenXL = 0
Exit Function

error_XL:
Select Case Err.Number
Case 1004
With objXL
.Workbooks.Add
.activeworkbook.SaveAs (FileName)
.Visible = True
End With
Case Else

MsgBox “There is a problem in Automation to Excel …” & Err.Description, vbInformation
Err.Clear
OpenXL = 1
Set objXL = Nothing

End Select

End Function

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Original version below
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Function OpenXL(FileName As String) As Integer
Dim objXL As Object
‘ get a reference to the Excel object
If Not GetRunningApplication(“Excel.Application”, objXL) Then
MsgBox “there is a problem with Excel”
OpenXL = 1
Exit Function
End If

On Error GoTo error_XL
With objXL
.Workbooks.Open (FileName)
.Visible = True
End With
OpenXL = 0
Exit Function

error_XL:
Select Case Err.Number
Case 1004
With objXL
.Workbooks.Add
.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs (FileName)
.Visible = True
End With
Case Else

MsgBox “There is a problem in Automation to Excel …” & Err.Description, vbInformation
Err.Clear
OpenXL = 1
Set objXL = Nothing

End Select

End Function

Good idea, but… On my computer, the files are located in a random folder of the C: drive which is not referenced in the Trust Center. However, the folder also appears as a subfolder of My Documents by means of a Soft Junction. My Trust Center contains nothing but the default locations, none of which reference My Documents. I doubt very much whether the client’s Trust Center contains anything besides the defaults.

However, it’s worth experimenting on her client’s computer to see if referencing the actual file locations might make a difference.

Thanks for the idea!

Dang… what a way to get recognition in the Windows Secrets newsletter. Oh well…

Mea culpa – a typo in a fieldname explains the problem.
Also, DLookup fails “quietly” if a fieldname is entered incorrectly. Rather than crashing in VBA, or giving a meaningful error message in the Immediate Window, it just returns an incorrect value, and carries on…

It worked. I removed McAfee using Control Panel, and Windows Defender became activated. There was a bit of futzing to get everything to work properly (e.g. *something* turned off the WiFi, and it was a pain to figure that out). Seems to be running now. Thanks both for the input.

Martin – thank you for your thoughtful response.

Jack

chowur and Jock

Older Inspiron computer that is not on the list at the URL listed. None of the keystrokes had any effect.
Tried using Device Manager to disable the touchpad, but it only has “uninstall” option, and I am I bit nervous about doing that…
Disabling the ghost mice had no effect when I tried several hours ago, now it seems to work. Go figure…

Thanks for your input!

Jack

Further info. Using the keyboard and Device Manager, I can delete the HID-compiant mouse entries. The deletion survives a Windows logoff and logon. However, if I restart Windows, then the multiple HID-compliant mouse entries return, and the mouse jumps all over the screen.

If I delete the mice again, and use Device Manager to “scan for hardware changes”, then two instances of HID-compliant mouse reappear on the Device Manager list. This occurs WITHOUT an external mouse being connected to the computer. Only the touchpad is physically available to the computer.

The computer is virtually unusable in this state. I sure could use some help. (Writing this from a different computer).

Thank you!

Ian and Joe – you are both correct, of course. It’s just like deleting a shortcut from the desktop. I should have realized that myself!

The Options checkbox is checked, as suggested, but it still does not delete the file.

On the other hand, when I go to the Music > Artists section of the WMP, and press Delete, a confirmation dialog appears warning me that I am about to delete the file. This dialog does not appear when I attempt to delete the file from the Auto playlist. The behaviour from the two different locations is different. Am I doing something wrong, or is that the expected behaviour?