Excel Window with multiple Files 2

[ltromans]

Office 2000
Win XP Sp2

Usually when I (or anyone else here) open an excel file, I do so from Windows Explorer - it opens right up and if I open another excel file from windows explorer, it opens a 2nd window, and a third, etc etc. I have multiple instances of excel in my task bar and life is good. I thought this was pretty much a default setting as I never have had to do anything to make this happen.

Now, I have a guy who opens excel from windows explorer and when he opens the 2nd or subsquesnt excel files (from explorer) they open in the same window. They are all there - just all in the same window, like as if he opened them from within excel. He said this has happened ever since Office was re-installed on his laptop. I have re-installed on another pc just to test it and it works correctly.

I have looked at all the settings I can think of, and can't find out what is happening. The user wants it "fixed" and I am stumped. Any ideas?

 

[kjv1611]

Tell him his version is actually called, "Excel 2000 Rebel Edition".

Actually, I'd first try a repair install of Office.

Next, I'd try removing everything, Office-wise, run a system clean-up tool that checks for dead shorcuts, registry issues, etc, then install Office from scratch again. See if that fixes it.

Then toss the laptop down the stairs for at least 15 minutes. If Excel still gives the same problems, then that's one mean rebel. [LOL]

Okay, so the last bit and the name are a stretch. It's rainy here, and been sleepy all day. Not to mention a little bit of humor never hurts in relieving such headaches.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[AnotherHiggins]

The default behavior when you double click an excel file (or right click > open) is to open both in the open session. At least that's been the default since 2003 - I don't remember what 2000 did.

If you want to change that so each file opens in a different instance, or session, of Excel, then follow these steps:
[ul][li]In Windows Explorer, go to Tools > Folder Options > File Types[/li]
[li]Scroll down to .XLS[/li]
[li]Go to Advanced[/li]
[li]Under Actions, select Open[/li]
[li]Select Edit[/li]
[li]Under "Application used to perform action:" add this to the end of the line:[/li][ul]
[li]"%1"[/li][/ul][/ul]

NOTE: make sure to include the quotes around %1

That should do it.

[tt][blue]-John[/blue][/tt]
[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]

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[kjv1611]

Hey, that sounds like a pretty nifty trick, ah! I'll have to take a look in there myself some time. Amazingly, I don't recall ever even looking that closely at those particular options.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[ltromans]

Thank You! Have a star. It worked.

 

[Gavona]

The default behavior when you double click an excel file (or right click > open) is to open both in the open session. At least that's been the default since 2003 - I don't remember what 2000 did.

Yes that is the default that I find EXCEPT annoyingly on a laptop that has both 2007 and 2003 installed (2007 pre-installed, 2003 installed second). Been trying half heartedly to resolve for months (without uninstalling 2007 which I believe may resolve several niggles).

Gavin

 

[AnotherHiggins]

I've had to dual-install 2003 and 2007 on a secondary computer (desktop) that lives on my desk and, more recently, on my primary computer (laptop). And I agree, there are some weird problems.

And what problems you wind up with seems to depend, at least partially, on the order in which you load the Office versions. Yippie!

I really wish someone with the authority would force all users to upgrade to 2007 already.

Anyway, I'm glad I could help, ltromans.


[tt][blue]-John[/blue][/tt]
[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]

Help us help you. Please read FAQ 181-2886 before posting.

 

[Servamatic]

Curious, why install both version when 2007 will save as 97-2003?

Richard S. Anderson, RCDD

http://www.servamatic.net

 

[kjv1611]

@why both

So you can develop/troubleshoot for both if need be. I don't think saving the document type is the real issue there.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[cmeagan656]

In my case I have both 2003 and 2007 installed because I support both versions. For various reasons, including incompatibility with other software over which they have not control, my clients may only have one version or the other installed. I also try to answer questions in these forums that relate to one version or the other.

Hope this helps.

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[Servamatic]

Thanks, I should have thought of that....

Richard S. Anderson, RCDD

http://www.servamatic.net

 

[AnotherHiggins]

What others have said - testing in multiple versions since some of our users are still on 2003.

But one of the main reasons I'm running both is Pivot Tables. Sometimes 2003 users cannot interact with Pivot Tables produced in 2007 - even when saving the file as 2003 format.

You can control the Pivot Table version you're using when creating Pivot Tables via VBA, but that's not very convenient to do on the fly.

[tt][blue]-John[/blue][/tt]
[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]

Help us help you. Please read FAQ 181-2886 before posting.

 

[kjv1611]

Thanks for the note on Pivot Tables, another. Something else I learned today.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[TonyJollans]

And what problems you wind up with seems to depend, at least partially, on the order in which you load the Office versions. Yippie!

I run several systems with multiple versions of Office - one machine with 95, 2000, 2003, and 2007 (just don't ask why!) - and all of them work just fine.

The key - and it is essential - is to install the versions in order, oldest to newest. The primary reason for this is shared dlls. If, when you install an older version, a shared dll is overwritten by an older version, the newer version (of Office) can then have problems. In an ideal world, I suppose, the install process should not be so presumptive and should, at least, prompt the user before acting, but we don't live in such a world and so, oldest to newest it must be.

Sometimes a repair install (of the newer version) can solve problems. Sometimes just identifying the dll and loading the newer version (after extracting from the install package) can do the trick. Sometimes its just easiest to bite the bullet and uninstall everything and start again.

Enjoy,
Tony

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