Apple’s latest innovation—Numbers TELLS me when it malfunctions! “Cannot Save Spreadsheet”

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Level 1

40 points

Apple’s latest innovation—Numbers TELLS me when it malfunctions! “Cannot Save Spreadsheet”

Another case of the amazingly and persistently bad Save function in the Apple methodology. I’m having a constant issue now with my favorite spreadsheet where it pops up this cursed error:

Numbers spreadsheet error: “couldn't save this spreadsheet”

And it’s entirely too persistent. I’ve created two copies, one in the cloud, the other on the iPad Pro. Both copies required that the copy be SAVED. Both also flag the error.

What is going on (and on) with Apple’s inability to Save documents? Are they trying to drive me off the Apple platform?

iPad Pro, iPadOS 16

Posted on Sep 11, 2024 1:27 PM

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Answer 1

Jakib Author

Level 1

40 points

Sep 14, 2024 4:28 PM in response to Jakib

Okay. I debugged it without any help from Apple’s coding team. The error should make clear “Why” the failure is occurring. I.e. “Too many tables in sheet 1 ”.

To debug, I took my best guess, and started going back in time. I realized I had added small tables around one tab’s main table to use as a quick copy and paste of dates as well as a means of tracking percentage changes of my stock portfolio.

THAT was the issue. I finally had to delete about a dozen small, two cell subtables and 5 or 6 tables with maybe 50 cells each.

Now it is able to save again. A Baffling limitation.

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Answer 2

Jakib Author

Level 1

40 points

Sep 14, 2024 4:31 PM in response to SGIII

Look, you introduced Autosave. I clearly indicated that the “Save” function was the issue.

i eliminated the iCloud issue by saving it to the iPad itself, so also not relevant.

But thanks for chiming in.

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Answer 3

SGIII

Level 8

36,134 points

Sep 14, 2024 4:40 PM in response to Jakib

Well, I am glad your problem has been solved to your satisfaction.😀

Whatever it was, it very likely had nothing to do with the number of tables in your document, unless you had hundreds.

Sometimes Numbers has trouble saving to cloud services other than iCloud, or to drives on a network.

That is why I asked that question, which I suppose now should just remain unanswered.

Good luck with your project.

SG

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Answer 4

Jakib Author

Level 1

40 points

Sep 14, 2024 5:27 PM in response to SGIII

Thanks for the well wish, SG.

Any time there is an immediate resolution to a persistent problem after an action, there is a very solid reason to connect the two.

So, I’m going to state that the small tables I added (actually to two tabs) WERE in fact the cause of the Save Failure, any doubts you may express to one side.

Additional data is that deleting the larger, small tables in tab1 allowed the Sheet to Save. But the problem became intermittent then, and while it was failing to Save again, I went ahead and deleted the rest of the small tables in tab2 and it immediately was able to save. It’s had no problem since.

This is a clear example of Cause and Effect, and really doesn’t need doubt to be cast in an offhand way. Other users who may come along later and find this solution should feel confident in implementing this workaround.

Cheers,

HJ

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