Hello, I have a problem with my Excel 2016 (16.0.10228.20051 32-bit): I have one Excel instance running. (N.B. - the " Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) " checkbox in Advanced Options is NOT checked.) What I need is - for all Excel files that I am about to open to open in my first and only Excel instanc e, always , and regardless of: how many files I open simultaneously, where the files are located (i.e. on local drive or on OneDrive so the system needs to download them before opening) and including when opening Excel files from other Office apps, i.e. Outlook attachments. The behavior that I've been seeing in Excel 2016 is, at best, inconsistent: When opening multiple additional files at once from disk (select multiple files/right-click/Open) - it opens the first n files in the first Excel instance, but then from n +1 file it starts opening them in a new instance. A variation of the above is when in my first and only Excel instance I have a workbook open in XLSTART folder. Then upon opening multiple files at once, when it reaches it's n +1 file and the new instance launches and tries to open the file in XLSTART folder again, but it is already open in the first instance, so the warning message saying " this file is already open " (or something like that) shows up and files n +2, n +3, n +4, etc. till the last one, will all try to open in a separate instance, each triggering the same warning message. I'd like to state at this point that this is not file specific, the file n +1 is usually a different file every time. Also, I am aware of the workaround (i.e. dragging files onto open Excel window) and I am using it - the above is to demonstrate the symptoms I've been experiencing. When generating Excel files by another application (call it AppX) - you might say that this is likely the AppX's issue - I have no means to verify this unfortunately, however, the randomness of the new instances launching in this case is similar to all other scenarios described here, so I doubt the cause is my AppX. Finally, when opening Excel files from Outlook email attachments - i.e. double-clicking an Excel attachment in Outlook's reading pane - it may open it in the first Excel instance, but may also decide to open it in a new one. From my testing, if the Excel's file previewer is disabled at that point (i.e. listed under Options/Add-Ins/Manage - Disabled Items) it will most likely open the attachment in a new instance. So that's my observations, hope it helps to shed some light on the issue. I know how to open files in a new instance if I want it. The problem is, it happens when I don't want it and in some cases, I don't seem to have any control over this. Thanks, J.

It appears you have the 4 applications windows opened side by side. Even with them all in a single instance you should be able to maximize any/all of them to use the full screen, covering the others.

I wish to point out one more issue with multiple instances of excel. When we open multiple files in a single instance, the ribbon on top is spread on the entire screen and multiple files are open. It is so easy to work when most of the ribbons are visible in a single screen But when we open multiple instances, this is how the ribbon looks It is so cumberome to work in excel when I open 4 files and it opens in four instances. Q - why do you want them all in the same process? A - multiple reasons, but here are my top four: to have full copy&paste functionality between workbooks - it's not possible to paste special (values, formulas, etc.) between workbooks open in different instances. to be able to utilize multiple existing macros we've built at work over the years which rely on workbooks being open in the same process, without having to write complex code to account for a possibility of multiple processes. to be able to use macros stored in a macro workbook that's not an add-in on all my open excel files (i.e. with file scattered between multiple instances, trying to open the macro workbook in the consecutive instance triggers a warning that the file is already open and does not similarly to point 2, to be able to easily create simple macros whenever I need to automate a repetitive task, i.e. the below simple example code that I could use in a single instance, will not work if Excel decides to open wb2 in a new process: Sub test() Set wb1 = Workbooks("test1.xlsx") Set wb2 = Workbooks("test2.xlsx") wb1.Sheets(1).Range("A1:H40").Value = wb2.Sheets(1).Range("A1:H40").Value End Sub Thanks for the suggestion re Excel 2010. I obviously would have done it long time ago if Excel 2016 wasn't forced company-wide. @Rohn007 - would you agree that these are good reasons for wanting the consistency of a single Excel instance? MS messed up the above functionalities by allowing Excel to open in a new instance whenever it feels like it. @Gloria - how is the investigation progressing?

yes you will have same issue. I hate it, I go to open a work book, eachtime i open a work book it starts a new instance of excel.

Thanks for your work and post RanOtherwise! Looks promising.

Excel 2016 - open all files in ONE instance

Anonymous

Hello,

I have a problem with my Excel 2016 (16.0.10228.20051 32-bit):

I have one Excel instance running. (N.B. - the "Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)" checkbox in Advanced Options is NOT checked.) What I need is - for all Excel files that I am about to open to open in my first and only Excel instanc e, always, and regardless of:

how many files I open simultaneously,
where the files are located (i.e. on local drive or on OneDrive so the system needs to download them before opening)

and including when opening Excel files from other Office apps, i.e. Outlook attachments.

The behavior that I've been seeing in Excel 2016 is, at best, inconsistent:

When opening multiple additional files at once from disk (select multiple files/right-click/Open) - it opens the first n files in the first Excel instance, but then from n+1 file it starts opening them in a new instance.
A variation of the above is when in my first and only Excel instance I have a workbook open in XLSTART folder. Then upon opening multiple files at once, when it reaches it's n+1 file and the new instance launches and tries to open the file in XLSTART folder again, but it is already open in the first instance, so the warning message saying "this file is already open" (or something like that) shows up and files n+2, n+3, n+4, etc. till the last one, will all try to open in a separate instance, each triggering the same warning message.

I'd like to state at this point that this is not file specific, the file n+1 is usually a different file every time.

Also, I am aware of the workaround (i.e. dragging files onto open Excel window) and I am using it - the above is to demonstrate the symptoms I've been experiencing.

When generating Excel files by another application (call it AppX) - you might say that this is likely the AppX's issue - I have no means to verify this unfortunately, however, the randomness of the new instances launching in this case is similar to all other scenarios described here, so I doubt the cause is my AppX.
Finally, when opening Excel files from Outlook email attachments - i.e. double-clicking an Excel attachment in Outlook's reading pane - it may open it in the first Excel instance, but may also decide to open it in a new one. From my testing, if the Excel's file previewer is disabled at that point (i.e. listed under Options/Add-Ins/Manage - Disabled Items) it will most likely open the attachment in a new instance.

So that's my observations, hope it helps to shed some light on the issue. I know how to open files in a new instance if I want it. The problem is, it happens when I don't want it and in some cases, I don't seem to have any control over this.

Thanks,

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47 answers

Anonymous

2019-06-04T13:35:28+00:00

Well said Raju!
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Anonymous

2019-06-04T13:24:26+00:00

It appears you have the 4 applications windows opened side by side. Even with them all in a single instance you should be able to maximize any/all of them to use the full screen, covering the others.
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Anonymous

2019-06-04T13:10:56+00:00
I wish to point out one more issue with multiple instances of excel.

When we open multiple files in a single instance, the ribbon on top is spread on the entire screen and multiple files are open. It is so easy to work when most of the ribbons are visible in a single screen

But when we open multiple instances, this is how the ribbon looks

It is so cumberome to work in excel when I open 4 files and it opens in four instances.
Q - why do you want them all in the same process?

A - multiple reasons, but here are my top four:

to have full copy&paste functionality between workbooks - it's not possible to paste special (values, formulas, etc.) between workbooks open in different instances.

to be able to utilize multiple existing macros we've built at work over the years which rely on workbooks being open in the same process, without having to write complex code to account for a possibility of multiple processes.

to be able to use macros stored in a macro workbook that's not an add-in on all my open excel files (i.e. with file scattered between multiple instances, trying to open the macro workbook in the consecutive instance triggers a warning that the file is already open and does not

similarly to point 2, to be able to easily create simple macros whenever I need to automate a repetitive task, i.e. the below simple example code that I could use in a single instance, will not work if Excel decides to open wb2 in a new process:

Sub test()

Set wb1 = Workbooks("test1.xlsx")

Set wb2 = Workbooks("test2.xlsx")

wb1.Sheets(1).Range("A1:H40").Value = wb2.Sheets(1).Range("A1:H40").Value

End Sub

Thanks for the suggestion re Excel 2010. I obviously would have done it long time ago if Excel 2016 wasn't forced company-wide.

@Rohn007 - would you agree that these are good reasons for wanting the consistency of a single Excel instance? MS messed up the above functionalities by allowing Excel to open in a new instance whenever it feels like it.

@Gloria - how is the investigation progressing?
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Anonymous

2019-04-18T18:48:17+00:00

yes you will have same issue. I hate it, I go to open a work book, eachtime i open a work book it starts a new instance of excel.
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Anonymous

2019-01-24T19:13:02+00:00

Thanks for your work and post RanOtherwise! Looks promising.
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