Can't separate spreadsheets

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bobbi
  • Start date Start date
B

Bobbi

Using Excel 2000, I've suddenly lost the ability to have different
spreadsheets appear in different windows (ie, to open Excel in different
windows) which I can move around the screen. They all replace each other in
the same window. I can toggle between them using the list in the "Windows"
drop-down menu, but I can't have them side-by-side on the screen. Even the
"tile" command doesn't work. Can someone suggest how to fix this?

Bobbi
 
Maybe...

Tools|Options|View Tab|Check "windows in taskbar"

Multiple windows, but a single instance of excel, right?
 
Hi, Dave-

Your suggestion didn't change anything. I'm trying to get two separate
instances of Excel running, which I could move around the screen separately,
have them overlap, or tile them, etc.

Bobbi
 
You can open one instance of excel and use Windows|Arrange to arrange the
windows in various locations--or resize the windows manually. But that's a
single instance of excel.

If you really want multiple instances of excel, I'd just open another instance.

I do this:
Open the first instance any way I want
Windows start button|Run|excel (to open the second instance)
 
Hi again, Dave-

Trying to be more specific: I want to be able to open a separate instance of
Excel by either double-clicking the file name in Windows Explorer, by
dragging and dropping the file name on the Excel desktop icon, or by
double-clicking the desktop icon itself. Excel 2000 on my old machine seems
to work differently than Excel 2003 on my new computer. I'm confused about
what settings will cause a new instance of Excel to open and what settings
will cause multiple worksheets to appear within the same instance of Excel.

Bobbi
 
Hmm, I don't know the answer to this, but I (like Dave) am able to have an
instance of Excel 2003 open and then click my Excel icon to open a separate
instance. Then, for example, if I move that new instance of Excel to my
second monitor and it's the active window, I can double click an Excel file
on my desktop and it will open in that second instance on my second monitor.
As soon as I make my first Excel instance the active window, double-clicking
an Excel file makes it fill that window, not the second one. This is all on
Windows XP and is working fine for me (and Dave). Sorry I can't help
further.

Can you use the QuickLaunch taskbar?
Bobbi said:
Hi again, Dave-

Trying to be more specific: I want to be able to open a separate instance
of
Excel by either double-clicking the file name in Windows Explorer, by
dragging and dropping the file name on the Excel desktop icon, or by
double-clicking the desktop icon itself. Excel 2000 on my old machine
seems
to work differently than Excel 2003 on my new computer. I'm confused about
what settings will cause a new instance of Excel to open and what settings
will cause multiple worksheets to appear within the same instance of
Excel.

Bobbi
Click to expand...
 
You can change this setting:
Tools|Options|General tab|Ignore other applications (check it)

Be aware that one side effect of having this setting checked is sometimes you
can't open a file by double clicking on it in explorer. (toggle it back and
that should be fixed.)

This shows up for workbooks that have spaces in their name or path:
c:\my documents\excel\testworkbook.xls
or
c:\test of workbook2.xls

Cannot find C:\my, then more "Cannot find ..." messages.

It's more trouble than it's worth (for me, anyway).
 
Hi Bobbi,

Instead of Tools/Options, try Window/Arrange/Tiled (Horizontal,etc)/OK.

Let us know if it works.

Kind Regards.

Mike


Bobbi said:
Hi, Dave-

Your suggestion didn't change anything. I'm trying to get two separate
instances of Excel running, which I could move around the screen separately,
have them overlap, or tile them, etc.

Bobbi

Dave Peterson said:
Maybe...

Tools|Options|View Tab|Check "windows in taskbar"

Multiple windows, but a single instance of excel, right?
Click to expand...
other
Click to expand...
 
Hi Bobbi,

Did you click Restore down on the Excel program itself (ie. the blue topmost
bar), or did you click Restore down on the woksheet itself when you want to
see 2 instances of files.
If you Restore down the blue bar you can only toggle between the files (only
1 file is shown at a time). If you Restore down the worksheet then you can
see all the different files side by side or anyway you drag them.

Hope this helps.

Kind Regards.

Mike


Bobbi said:
Hi again, Dave-

Trying to be more specific: I want to be able to open a separate instance of
Excel by either double-clicking the file name in Windows Explorer, by
dragging and dropping the file name on the Excel desktop icon, or by
double-clicking the desktop icon itself. Excel 2000 on my old machine seems
to work differently than Excel 2003 on my new computer. I'm confused about
what settings will cause a new instance of Excel to open and what settings
will cause multiple worksheets to appear within the same instance of Excel.

Bobbi



Dave Peterson said:
Maybe...

Tools|Options|View Tab|Check "windows in taskbar"

Multiple windows, but a single instance of excel, right?
Click to expand...
other
Click to expand...
 
Why can't i post?
Using Excel 2000, I've suddenly lost the ability to have different
spreadsheets appear in different windows (ie, to open Excel in different
windows) which I can move around the screen. They all replace each other in
the same window. I can toggle between them using the list in the "Windows"
drop-down menu, but I can't have them side-by-side on the screen. Even the
"tile" command doesn't work. Can someone suggest how to fix this?

Bobbi
Click to expand...
 
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