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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.
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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]
Is there anyway to check this box for all excel files (like a default). Cause at the moment it only works when I open a file from the file where the options box was changed. But once a new window is opened, then the rest of them just open in that one! This is for Excel2010 and Windows7. Thanks
Hi Helen,
I think you can force this to be perpetually ignored by making some adjustments in registry. Not sure if you have any experience with the registry, if you don't, you can seek assistance from someone who does.
I got this solution from elsewhere and suspect it works, I haven't tested this myself but I've included the fix and also the like to where I found it.
Open regedit, browse to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open Delete the ddeexec key, (or just rename it if you are worried - i just renamed it and it worked) Then click on the "command" key and replace the /e on the Default and command string in that key with "%1" Quotes around %1 are important. NO QUOTES MEANS NO WORKIE!!!!HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open\command should look like this: (Default) REG_SZ "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\EXCEL.EXE" "%1 command REG_MULTI_SZ vUpAVX!!!!!!!!!MKKSkEXCELFiles>tW{~$4Q]c@II=l2xaTO5 "%1"Do the same for Excel.Sheet.12 Now Both .xls and .xlsx should open in new windows with no errors.
Hope this helps.
T.
Excel 2010:
From Excel "Options"> Advance Tap> Scroll to "Display"> and check "Show all windows in the task bar"
by doing this, you will not affect the programs which using excel :)
You may have found this answer already, (in windows 7) if you have excel 2010 open, right click on the excel icon in your task bar at bottom and click Microsoft Excel 2010. This will open new excel and leave other one in separate window.