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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]
Its an known issue that excel cannot open new instance when ever you open file or excel application in windows vista\7.
Only work around is start> all programs> MS office> excel
No of times you open or launch app like this will open an new instance of excel.
The suggestion given by RON AT BUY is for windows XP and the file types feature was removed from windows vista on wards.
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This is certainly much easier than the other methods and it worked on Windows 7 with Office 2010.
This method also works to bring up a separate window of Windows Explorer which shows all your files and folders. And it will bring up as many new windows as the number of times you go to the Start menu and click "Documents" on the right side of the pane.
Thanks for the great solution.
This fix has a drawback:. a shortcut to open a specific spreadsheet will stop working saying 'error sending command to program' (or something to that effect).
I followed your directions, but although it would open up new instances of Excel, it wouldn't open the file I'd selected.