First, you can edit any workbook you can open -- even the readonly files. But
you won't be able to save it back to its original location using the same name
if its marked readonly.

Second, my guess is that the file is located on a network share that you only
have readonly access to. Excel and windows work together nicely. If excel sees
that the file is in a location that you cannot save to, it won't even bother
giving you a prompt.

There's nothing that you can do at that point that can change the way it's
opened.

(But excel does like to warn you by putting "[Read-Only]" in the title bar!

jim wrote:

Have a Excel 2007 file that will opens only as read-only. When opening the
file it does not ask if you want to open it as read-only €“ just opens it as
read-only. Using the drop down €œopen€� button in the open file still makes
the file read-only. Security Warning options indicate the read-only file
itself is the danger! Finally, file read-only attribute is unchecked in file
properties. Want to be able to edit the spreadsheet. Ideas?

--

Dave Peterson