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JamesTX10Flag for United States of America

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open excel files in new windows

We use office 2000 and 2003. I would like to know how to have excel open in a new window. Right now I open by clicking on an icon. If I open another excel file it opens in the same window. I want them to each open in their own window.
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LoNeRaVeR9
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JamesTX10:

This should do what you want.

- Right-click on your Start Menu
- Select Search
- Search for Excel.exe
- Once you find it create a new shortcut to it on your desktop or where you keep your shortcuts
- Right-click on the shortcut and select properties
- You should see a Target location similar to the following

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE"

Change this line to say

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" -n

- Click the OK button

Now whenever you use this shortcut it will open a new instance of Excel.

Kindest Regards,

Jaes
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ASKER

will that work if I click on the *.xls file too?

if I have 5 different *.xls files I want to be able to click each one and have each one open in it's own window.
JamesTX10:

To have this happen for every spreadsheet you open you can do the following.

- Right-click on your Start Menu
- Select Explore
- Select the menu Tools>Folder Options
- Select the File Types tab
- Scroll down to the XLS file type and select it
- Click the Advanced button
- Select Open from the list
- Select Edit
- In the Application used to perform action: you will see something like the following

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" /e

- Change this to

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" /n

- Click the two OK buttons
- Click the Close button

This will always open in a new Excel instance.

Kindest Regards,

Jaes

when I make that change it adds %1 after the /n.

When I open a xls file then I get an error. I have on my desktop copy.xls. I dbl click, excel opens, C:\documents.xls could not be found, hit ok, and.xls could no be found. That goes on for each word until it gets to the end. Then my file opens. When I click on another xls file also on my desktop I get no error, it opens right away, but it is still in the same window.
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[ fanpages ]

Hi,

Replace the %1 addition with "%1"

[that is, %1 surround by double quote characters]

BFN,

fp.
ok
no error now but if I open copy.xls excel opens one main window with two sub windows called "copy.xls" and "copy"

I only want the document opened once

I want to click on copy.xls and it opens a main window with the sub window copy.xls in it. Then click on paste.xls and it opens another main window and a sub window with paste.xls in it.
I also noticed that at first you wanted it to be -n then /n for the .xls file type. Does that matter? I have it set at /n.

I will be leaving work in a min and will check back in the morning.

Thanks for your help so far.
JamesTX10:

Well both - and / are switch characters.  I'll do some research and see what will make it work from the worksheet open level.

Thanks,

Jaes
Hi,

OK... let's start over...

Go into Windows Explorer, and click the "Tools" / "Folder Options..." menu item.

Click the "File Types" tab & select the entry for "XLS" from the list of 'Registered file types".

Click the [Advanced] button & then double-click the entry for "Open" in the "Action" list.

Make sure the "Use DDE" check-box has a tick in it, and that the following are set:

DDE Message:
[open("%1")]

Application:
Excel

DDE Application Not Running:
<blank - clear this field if there is something here>

Topic:
system


Also, verify that the "Application use to perform action:" is set to something similar to:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" /n

(where "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\" is the folder where the EXCEL.EXE application is installed).

Ensure the /e parameter is outside of the quoted file path.


Click [OK], [OK] again, then [Close].

BFN,

fp.
Here is what is in each box:

&Open
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" /n "%1"
check in the box for DDE
[open("%1")]
Excel

system
SOLUTION
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Ok
I removed the /n so the line looks like:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" "%1"

I unchecked the DDE and hit ok. I then opened it again and it auto reselected DDE but there was nothing in the message box or DDE application not running box.

I also have browse in same window unchecked.

IT WORKS!!!!

Thanks so much for your help
JamesTX10:

Can you please reply with your current settings for clarification should we need to refer to this question for the answer at a later date?  Thanks for the grade.

Thanks!

Jaes
Uncheck "browse in same window" in advanced window.

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" "%1"
DDE checked with the message box and the DDE application not running box blank.
application box:  excel
Topic: System
JamesTX10:

Thanks for your reply.

Jaes