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How do I configure Excel to open a new instance of Excel each time I open an existing spreadsheet. I am sure I have done this once but I think network settings have removed this functionality. I am using Office 2010 on Vista.
A family of Microsoft spreadsheet software with tools for analyzing, charting, and communicating data.
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To resolve this, go to 'excel options' > click on the 'advanced' tab > scroll down to general > check the ignore other applications that use 'Dyanamic Data Exchange (DDE)'
excel 2007
This is a reply by Brian Tilman to a similar problem with 2007. I anticipate it will work with 2010 as well:
Open Windows Explorer and click Tools>Folder Options>File Types. Locate the XLSX file type and select it. Click Advanced. In the Actions pane, select Open and click Edit. Record what you see in the "Application used to perform action" and "DDE Message" fields because you'll need it if you ever want to restore the current behavior.
Remove the "/dde" from the end of the string in the "Application used..." field and insert "%1", being sure to include the quotes as well. Uncheck the "Use DDE" box. Click OK. Uncheck "Browse in same window" if you want Internet Explorer to open a spreadsheet in an Excel window instead of a browser window. Click OK, then OK. Double-clicking a worksheet should now create a separate Excel window.
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]
Worked perfectly as long as you carefully follow every single step. Thank you!
I'm amazed that this has been going on since some of the earlier versions, and there have been numerous blogs and forum posts to make this configuration change, and yet years and years later, this is still an issue. Why is this still so difficult to change? Why don't they fix the ability to paste formulas? Why not just paste the text of the formula and hope for the best, so-what if the fields are in a different place or if the fields are a different data type and the formulas don't actually work. If that's what the user wants to do, then do it! Quit making some one size doesn't fix all preventative decision on my behalf without my consent!!!
There should be a petition to rally the public behind a movement to get the big M$ to make this a proper option that is accessible from the UI.
Why on Earth would anyone want all sheets to open in the same window!?!? That makes no sense what-so-ever!
PERFECT! I have been researching how to open two separate instances of Excel for quite some time, and it seems that yours is the magic one! The difference between your directions and those of others is that you say to uncheck the "Use DDE" box... whereas others tell you to check it. In any case, your solution worked perfectly. I have Office 2010 and other forums have said that the only way to accomplish this would be to change the registry keys. Well, apparently not!
Thanks so much for posting this solution!
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