Opening files in different windows (and displays)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill Rubin
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B

Bill Rubin

I want to be able to display Excel files in entirely separate
windows, so I can show them on different screens if I want (I
run with 2 displays on XP). It appears that Excel opens all
files in the same main window, and while you can move things
around within that one window, you cannot get files to appear
outside of that window, and you cannot get two files to appear
on two different displays.

This problem has been posted in the past, the answer always
seems to be "Tools|Options|View and select "Windows in taskbar"
option.". That is NOT the answer to this question. That is the
answer to "I only see a single file in my taskbar". I have tried
turning that on and off (it was on already) and it does NOT
solve the problem. I think the best way to explain this is that
I want to be able to show 2 different files on 2 different
displays, because the normal solution does NOT solve that
problem.

Any ideas? Word works fine (i.e., the way I would expect it to
work). So does any other application I can think of (like
Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc.).

Bill
 
I put a similar question some time ago and was told that that's the way it
is. Word opens separate windows, Excel doesn't. I don't know how accurate
that info is and whether it still applies with modern versions. I only asked
because I was interested, not because it greatly affected me.

However, if you click New Window in Window it duplicates the open window and
you can then open another file there. It seems rather long winded (not very
long winded but a bit) to achieve the objective, but someone else may know a
quicker way.

Rob Graham
 
Rob said:
I put a similar question some time ago and was told that that's the way it
is. Word opens separate windows, Excel doesn't. I don't know how accurate
that info is and whether it still applies with modern versions. I only asked
because I was interested, not because it greatly affected me.

However, if you click New Window in Window it duplicates the open window and
you can then open another file there. It seems rather long winded (not very
long winded but a bit) to achieve the objective, but someone else may know a
quicker way.

Rob Graham
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I know that others have asked a similar
question, and the response that comes back has always been the
"Windows in Taskbar" option, which obviously is not the right
answer. Maybe the reason why no one responded to my note was
because I made it clear that that was not the answer I wanted
:-).

I just tried the Window -> New Window option that you suggested,
and all that seems to do is open another instance of the
existing file within the same main Excel window (with a :2 after
it). There does not seem to be any way to get the file windows
moved outside of the main Excel window. For what it's worth, it
appears that Project is broken in the same way. As you
mentioned, Word works fine. On, and I have Excel 2003 at home
and I tried it and I'm pretty sure it is broken in the same way
there as well.

Bill
 
I don't own two monitors, so I don't know if this will help:

tools|options|General Tab
Check "Ignore other applications"

Then maybe you can start two different instances of excel. But if you do
File|open, you'll be opening that file in the current instance.

You should(?) be able to start excel (or click on another shortcut to another
workbook) and (hopefully) windows will start a new instance of excel.
 
I just tried the Window -> New Window option that you suggested,
and all that seems to do is open another instance of the
existing file within the same main Excel window (with a :2 after
it).
Click to expand...

Well, that's odd, because when I do it I get two open windows, each with the
same file in them. I can then change one of the files to the one I want. Are
you sure you're not looking at the same file but in a different window? I've
got a whole row of open Excel windows on my taskbar as I write. BTW I'm on
Excel 2000.

Rob
 
Rob said:
Well, that's odd, because when I do it I get two open windows, each with the
same file in them. I can then change one of the files to the one I want. Are
you sure you're not looking at the same file but in a different window? I've
got a whole row of open Excel windows on my taskbar as I write. BTW I'm on
Excel 2000.

Rob
Click to expand...

Just to reiterate, what I want to do is have the file displayed
in a separate Window that I can manipulate separately from the
other Excel file/window (much like I can move different Internet
Explorer windows around on their own. What I am seeing is that
Excel has one main window, and I can move the files around
within that single window, but I cannot move the files OUTSIDE
of that window, and I cannot end up with more than one of those
windows. Doing the "New Window" simply gives me another file
window WITHIN the main window.

Bill
 
Just to reiterate, what I want to do is have the file displayed
in a separate Window that I can manipulate separately from the
other Excel file/window (much like I can move different Internet
Explorer windows around on their own. What I am seeing is that
Excel has one main window, and I can move the files around
within that single window, but I cannot move the files OUTSIDE
of that window, and I cannot end up with more than one of those
windows. Doing the "New Window" simply gives me another file
window WITHIN the main window.

Bill
Click to expand...

OK, I agree that I can't do that either. All my files are within one main
window. I suppose it means that it can't be done, as I was told before

Rob
 
Wow -- THAT worked! As you say, it's not a perfect solution
since you have to do something special to get it to work that
way, but it's better than not being able to do it at all. What
would be nice (other than simply working the way that Word
already does!) is to have some sort of "Open in New Window"
option. Lotus Notes has this and it's a good compromise between
always opening new windows and not having that capability at
all.

The issue of dual monitors is not really the factor here in
getting this to work, it's just the best way of explaining why I
might want to use it. Being able to have two distinct Excel
windows means I can show one spreadsheet on one display, and a
second spreadsheet on my other display.

Bill
 
Ok, I know this is an older thread here, but I spent along time tryin
to figure out the answer to this and once I did I just had to come bac
here and let anyone that might be intersted know.

This is pretty simple. First open up file #1 and drag it to your secon
monitor. Now the problem I kept having was trying to click on a secon
file and have it open a seperate instance of Excel. This is not a
option anywhere in Excel. However, if you just open excel up (not a
excel workbook, just the progam) it will open a second instance o
excel. Now you just need to go into file>Open and find your File 2 an
there you go. 2 seperate excel sheets on 2 seperate screens. So simpl
I can't believe it took me that long to figure it out.

Hope this helps others looking for a solution to this proble
 
Hi Guys,

I had the same problem with WindowsXP and multiple monitors and using
different excel applications. I have 2 other solutions.
What I did first was to load 2 different versions of Excel onto my
computer, EXL2000 and EXLXP(2002) then I right clicked the particular
excel file that I wanted on my second monitor (a touch panel). I then
set the "application to open" to EXCEL 2000. But, YOU HAVE TO RENAME
THE EXCEL 2000 APPLICATION to something like "EXCEL2000", because if
you dont you will only get "EXCEL" name in the change menu. Then every
time I opened that particular file, I would get a new instance of excel
for it.

Another solution (and easier) is to buy or upgrade to EXCEL2003.
Microsoft has changed it so that every time an excel icon is double
clicked it will open a new instance with that file. This may be a
setting in some option panel but it worked that way since I did the
install. Another cool thing is that Excel "remembers" where you closed
that file the last time so you can set up the excel file on the 2nd
monitor, close it, and when you reopen it, it will automatically open
there.

Hope that helped,
Jay
 
Thanks for asking and answering this question. I have often wondered about
this myself. Makes it a lot easier when I go to close the damn files
too.... I hate doing the "doh" thing when I close without saving... thanks
again...

Kevin
 
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