I use Excel 2000 on Windows XP Professional. I choose File|Open and
then click on "Name" to sort my files alphabetically. It does not sort
them properly. See below:

Name Size Type Modified
Prod Assign 20060502.xls 309 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 5/3/2006 7:36
AM
Prod Assign 20050510.xls 289 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 7/7/2005 2:49
PM
Prod Assign 20050721.xls 299 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 9/2/2005 7:15
AM
Prod Assign 20050902.xls 299 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 1/19/2006
3:57 PM
Prod Assign 20050525.xls 291 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 7/21/2005
7:52 AM
Prod Assign 20060126.xls 299 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 1/26/2006
1:48 PM
Prod Assign 20050213.xls 19 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 2/16/2005
8:31 AM
Prod Assign 20050216.xls 69 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 2/28/2005
3:33 PM
Prod Assign 20050307.xls 212 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 4/19/2005
8:03 AM
Prod Assign 20050419.xls 257 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 5/10/2005
8:21 AM

Does anyone know why?

Do you get a different sequence when you use plain old Windows Explorer to sort
the filenames?

I've never seen a problem with windows explorer or the file|open dialog,
though. Any chance you have extra spaces in your real filenames--or maybe some
other funny characters?

wrote:

I use Excel 2000 on Windows XP Professional. I choose File|Open and
then click on "Name" to sort my files alphabetically. It does not sort
them properly. See below:

Name Size Type Modified
Prod Assign 20060502.xls 309 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 5/3/2006 7:36
AM
Prod Assign 20050510.xls 289 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 7/7/2005 2:49
PM
Prod Assign 20050721.xls 299 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 9/2/2005 7:15
AM
Prod Assign 20050902.xls 299 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 1/19/2006
3:57 PM
Prod Assign 20050525.xls 291 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 7/21/2005
7:52 AM
Prod Assign 20060126.xls 299 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 1/26/2006
1:48 PM
Prod Assign 20050213.xls 19 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 2/16/2005
8:31 AM
Prod Assign 20050216.xls 69 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 2/28/2005
3:33 PM
Prod Assign 20050307.xls 212 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 4/19/2005
8:03 AM
Prod Assign 20050419.xls 257 KB Microsoft Excel Worksheet 5/10/2005
8:21 AM

Does anyone know why?

--

Dave Peterson

Windows Explorer sorts them correctly. I thought it might have
something to do with the DOS 8 dot 3 naming constraints. I looked at
the files' short name equivalents and they did not look like they were
properly sorted either.

It also doesn't seem to have anything to do with file size or date
created/modified. I created a bunch of Excel files today, all the same
size and they would not sort correctly after clicking on "Name".
However, when the dialog box initially opens, they are sorted
correctly. It is only when you click on the "Name" header that they
get messed up.

I know that if you click the Name header that the sort is reversed (click it
again and it reverses again).

I don't have a guess why your names aren't sorted correctly.

wrote:

It also doesn't seem to have anything to do with file size or date
created/modified. I created a bunch of Excel files today, all the same
size and they would not sort correctly after clicking on "Name".
However, when the dialog box initially opens, they are sorted
correctly. It is only when you click on the "Name" header that they
get messed up.

--

Dave Peterson