Excel -- Aaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhh!

[ToraToraTora]

OK here's the situation, I have 2 completely separate excel documents. Each has a shortcut link on my desktop. Until yesterday I could open them both and they would each open a separate instance of Excel and then I could view them side by side. Suddenly, something has changed and they insist on openning in the same instance of excel and I have to flip between them. Pain in the proverbial some sort of upgrade from MS no doubt. Anyway how do I get back to what I had before. I have googled and there are many suggestions but none do what I want. There must be an option somewhere but I can't find it! Why do MS always default to the most annoying settings? Help! Thanks!

[Buenchico]

>>>they insist on openning in the same instance of excel and I have to flip between them

Not if you go to the 'View' tab and click on 'View Side by Side'!
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/excel-help/view-two-or-more-worksheets-at-the-same-time-HP001217043.aspx#BMsidebysideworkbooks

[ToraToraTora]

ok thanks but how do I get them to open in separate instances? Also I have 2 screens one on each(Nomally).

[Old_Geezer]

I would guess there must be an Excel setting that allows or refuses multiple instances ? Try checking the settings.

[AB Editor]

Hi Tora,

It's standard behaviour - maybe your shortcuts were a bit clever before?

Anyway, I open one in the normal way and then open a separate instance of Excel. In the separate instance I go to file > open and locate the file to open.

If you're using Windows 7/8 you can "middle-click" the Excel icon/group and to open a new instance of Excel.

Hope that's what you're after.

[Old_Geezer]

Dunno if this helps.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/forum/office_2010-office_install/disable-excel-2010-from-opening-files-in-multiple/daee01f3-3e08-455b-a7dd-9cdb2ceadf44

BTW does anyone know if there is a way to select a cell and get Excel to show all other cells in the workbook which refer to it in their formulae ? Useful for finding unused values.

[ToraToraTora]

done that to death OG. Yes ED that's a way doing it but I'm mightily irked that I had it right how I wanted it and some setting somewhere has knackered it!

[ToraToraTora]

yes OG mine does that anyway, must be a setting somewhere! again no idea where!

[Ellipsis]

Something like this, OG? ...

http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/excel-help/display-the-relationships-between-formulas-and-cells-HP010066253.aspx

[ToraToraTora]

OG, I looked into your post at 16:34 it had promise but sadly all that does is create another button on the task bar the 2 docs are still in the same instance of excel.

[Zeuhl]

Commiserations T3

I know just what you mean

I hate Excel - particularly when it does that thing where it assumes any number you put in is a date, and setting the properties for the cells doesn't seem to make any difference

[ToraToraTora]

excel is an incredibly powerful tool but like most modern software there is a tendency to default to the most anoying settings all the time. so something good becomes annoying. There's some satanic microsoft worker somewhere doing an evil laugh!

[Old_Geezer]

Sorry it didn't help Tora.

Cheers Ellipsis,I'll check that out in work tomorrow.

[Old_Geezer]

Apologies to Tora³.

That was good Ellipsis, at least for the Work one, but being 2007 I'm unsure it'll be available on me home 2003 version. Ah well....