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Numbers opening a saved file alias snafu

MBAir2010

MBAir2010

macrumors 604
Original poster
May 30, 2018
7,851
7,170
there
Hello everyone
I can't open a saved MBA m1 NUMBERS file from Tahoe as this file won't open in Monterey.
that "fix alias" appears.
yes I kicked my self several times for not air dropping that to my iPad.
even a copy did not open in Tahoe M1 on the mini.
while all my PAGES saved files opened.

the file is cycling stats as that has the latest NOV records.
there is a copy on my MBP Mojave but that won't open the Tahoe one.
the file reads 912 bytes and has a white icon instead of the logo of NUMBER
I tried opening in Libre office, no success.

thank in advance!
 
I'm going to take A GUESS that the "alias error" is less a problem with the alias itself as the fact that you're trying to open a "newer version" (Tahoe) of a Numbers files using an older version of Numbers?

Again, only a guess, and I could be wrong.

I'd like to offer a couple of suggestions:

First, do this from your Tahoe version of Numbers (on the MBair?).

Open the file in question.

Go to File --> Export and try exporting to Numbers '09.
Give the file an appropriate name "modification" so you won't get confused as to which is which.
export to.jpg

Then, move the file to the Mac (or is it an iPad ?), and see if it will open from that format.

DON'T use an alias. Move the actual file.

ANOTHER OPTION:
Repeat the above process, but instead of exporting to Numbers '09, try Excel instead.
Then, IMPORT from the Excel file on the other Mac/iPad.

If one way doesn't work, perhaps the other way will...
 
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Fishrrman said:
I'm going to take A GUESS that the "alias error" is less a problem with the alias itself as the fact that you're trying to open a "newer version" (Tahoe) of a Numbers files using an older version of Numbers?

Again, only a guess, and I could be wrong.

I'd like to offer a couple of suggestions:

First, do this from your Tahoe version of Numbers (on the MBair?).

Open the file in question.

Go to File --> Export and try exporting to Numbers '09.
Give the file an appropriate name "modification" so you won't get confused as to which is which.
View attachment 2582037
Then, move the file to the Mac (or is it an iPad ?), and see if it will open from that format.

DON'T use an alias. Move the actual file.

ANOTHER OPTION:
Repeat the above process, but instead of exporting to Numbers '09, try Excel instead.
Then, IMPORT from the Excel file on the other Mac/iPad.

If one way doesn't work, perhaps the other way will...
Click to expand...
I tried everything you suggested, I never had this snafu!
thanks for your depth effort, Fishrrman
 
If you still have the Numbers (Tahoe) file that won't open, take it to another Mac running Tahoe and export it (to a flashdrive or something) into a Numbers 09 file. See if that helps.

You might be able to do this at an Apple Store... (no promises).
 
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Fishrrman said:
If you still have the Numbers (Tahoe) file that won't open, take it to another Mac running Tahoe and export it (to a flashdrive or something) into a Numbers 09 file. See if that helps.

You might be able to do this at an Apple Store... (no promises).
Click to expand...
thanks, that is a solution I might OCLP a spare drive on the MBP 12' or just call this snafu a day!

I should have air dropped that as this file is the only thing on my iCloud.
but I figure, hey I saved the file like the other 78GBs other ones that open, go figure!
the apple store is 37 mile bike ride on vigorous roads that hate cyclists.
too bad no one here in my village uses the computer.......
 
Is there senstive personal info in this file?
If not, why not attach it here, and let us have a crack at it?
 
MBAir2010 said:
wow thanks, aaaah, the extension is not valid here.
I could try to add a suffix?
Click to expand...
If you want to attach a Numbers file to a post, compress it to a ZIP file first, then attach the ZIP file.

I think the current limit on the size of attachments is 16MB. Larger files are rejected.

EDIT

I just finished some testing of file size limits, and the upper limit is around 15MB, using the Finder's "Get Info" size. That turns out to be around 14.5MiB.

TLDR; The size limit is closer to 15MB than 16MB.
 
Last edited:
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OP:

Copy the file to the finder, so it's easy to see.

CONTROL-click on it and choose "Compress xxx".

You should end up with a .zip file.

Try posting that here.

IMPORTANT:
As chown mentions above, if the "zipped" file is larger than 16mb, it may not work.

If that doesn't work, there are other potential solutions.
 
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The contents of your ZIP files is just an alias. That is, it "points to" another file. It contains none of the actual original file's data. It's little more than the file-system data needed to locate the original file.

If you've lost or deleted the original file, then it's gone, unless you can restore it from a backup.

Here's a longer description of what an alias file is:

Alias (Mac OS) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

An analogy for those who remember old library technology: An alias is like a card in the library's card catalog. It tells you a few small things about an actual book, and gives you a piece of data about where to find it. It isn't even close to being the whole book.
 
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chown33 said:
The contents of your ZIP files is just an alias. That is, it "points to" another file. It contains none of the actual original file's data. It's little more than the file-system data needed to locate the original file.

If you've lost or deleted the original file, then it's gone, unless you can restore it from a backup.

Here's a longer description of what an alias file is:

Alias (Mac OS) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

An analogy for those who remember old library technology: An alias is like a card in the library's card catalog. It tells you a few small things about an actual book, and gives you a piece of data about where to find it. It isn't even close to being the whole book.
Click to expand...
thank you,
that is wha t I thought AFTER reverting to Monterey, that file did not open on my Mac mini Tahoed.
the dat was about 4 weeks of cycling stats on 3 bicycles as I figured out the mileage by using their cyclometers.

live and learn.......
 
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