Always open excel in separate Excel window

Hello brokeMyLegBiking,

you could try  in excel to set it under tools | options | general TAB | then check the box for "Ignore Other Applications"

hope this helps a bit
bruintje

no, no I'm not talking about worksheets, I want each workbook to open with it's own icon in the task bar. (like Word)  

Currently I have to go to the "window" dropdown and choose "compare side by side". But the problem with this is it only uses one screen instead of two.

Now if I manually open a new, blank instance of Excel and then open the 2nd spreadsheet I get what I want: two separate excel windws, one on each screen so I can compare them side by side. But I don't like having to manually open a new, blank instance of Excel to get what I want... I'm hoping there is a setting I can change to match the behavior of Word.

mike is right, you can't do that

you can make a copy of a workbook so it will display mybook:1 and mybook:2

under window > new window

but still not exactly what you need

strike 3, no suggestions are working yet.

bummer. It seems like a simple thing. Maybe office 12 will work?

Hi,

Try the following in Windows Explorer ("My Computer").

Click "Tools" / "Folder Options..." menu item.

Click [File Types] tab.

Locate entry in "Registered file types" for "XLS".

Click [Advanced] button.

Ensure check-box labelled "Browse in same window" is clear (unchecked).

Click [OK] to confirm.

Click [OK] to confirm.

BFN,

fp.

Hi brokeMyLegBiking,

Have you tried this?

Tools>Options>View (tab)> Windows in Taskbar (check)

Jim

jeverist, yes, that gives each workbook its own taskbar icon, with the name of the workbook, but they are still open in the same instance of Excel. So I still can't compare them side by side :(

fanpages , they still open in the same window.

broke,

I have had a similar situation at work.

To compare two workbooks side by side.  I just go to start, excel and open up a new instance of excel.  From that instance your free to open another workbook.  

So you'll havey our first and second instances of excel.

Start -> Programs -> microsoft office -> excel


Wherever you have it (I have mine right on the start menu because I use it often.

Regards,

Kelvin

kevin81, yes that is how I do it today, I was hoping for an easier soluion, but it looks like there may not be one.

-Joseph

Sorry Joseph,

Maybe another place to put a pointer would be in the Windows XP TA to this question.  They may be able to shed some light on it?

AFAIK There is no easier way of getting it to open a completely new instance.

What version of Excel are you using? The older version loaded all workbooks into one instance of Excel (you could only get multiple instances by loading Excel ...and then using file open)...the newer versions still use one insatnce of Excel...but windows will make it look like multiple instances.

Try Opening new instances of Excel and loading each workbook into it's own instance.

Also, you might find they are stacked on the windows task bar....i.e. once you get many insatnce...the task bar displays just one...and theres a drop down for you to activate the instance you want.

Hope this sheds some more light

yes Kevin81, you are correct.

A quick workaround is to start the first instance of MS-Excel, load the appropriate workbook, then open a dialog box (like the File/Open, or even Tools/Options).

Now, double-click on any other ".xls" file on your desktop, or in Windows Explorer, and magically a new instance starts :)

Return to the first workbook & close the pending dialog box when required.

I could write you some code so that everytime the first instance of excel is opened it asks you if you want to open another instance?

Dont know wether that is what you are wanting?

Cheers
Matt

The accepted solution is not even a solution...
My computer > tools > file types >
goto .xls
click advanced
select Open
click Edit
add "%1" to the end of the command lke below:
     "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Outlook\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" /e "%1"
check use DDE

nic_b - Thx, however, this solution was broken with a recent update.

I had this problem and taking fanpages suggestion, I went to windows explorer/tools/File types/Advanced to check the settings. The Browse in same Window was already unchecked so out of idle curiosity I checked it.
Poof! .xls files now open in a new window. (they must have the code backwards)

=======
nic_b
10.29.2007 at 04:19PM MST, ID: 20173957
The accepted solution is not even a solution...
My computer > tools > file types >
goto .xls
click advanced
select Open
click Edit
add "%1" to the end of the command lke below:
     "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Outlook\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" /e "%1"
check use DDE
=======

I solved this problem by doing exactly what Nicb stated above, only I unchecked use DDE. and it worked for me. (for whatever it is worth.)

Something like this:

MontyDogs solution works perfectly! Thank you!

nic_b
10.29.2007 at 04:19PM MST, ID: 20173957
The accepted solution is not even a solution...
My computer > tools > file types > 
goto .xls
click advanced
select Open
click Edit
add "%1" to the end of the command lke below:
     "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Outlook\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE" /e "%1"
check use DDE
=======

I solved this problem by doing exactly what Nicb stated above, only I unchecked use DDE. and it worked for me.

Unchecking DDE worked for me

Ok, I don't know why this is so screwy.  I expect it to have all changed tomorrow, but here is what worked for me.
Uncheck the DDE and put "...excel.exe" /e "%1"  in the command line (including all quotes).  The "/n" opens 2 copies of the file on mine so I eliminated it.  If I don't put the quotes around the %1 it interprets every space in the file name as denoting a separate file and tries to open stuff that aint there.
The DDE box is automatically check again, btw, but it works for the moment.

The "Browse in same window" tick box is apparently useless.
Good luck.

Anyone know how to do this in Vista ?

Just as Julian asked, what is the solution in Vista?