XL 97: Can't open more than one workbook in Excel! 1

[VBAjedi]

I'm having difficulty opening multiple workbooks in Excel 97. The first workbook opens correctly, but going into Explorer and double-clicking a second Excel file has no result - other than reactivating the Excel window containing the first workbook. This seems to especially happen if the second file is stored on a shared network drive.

This just started happening. I did two things just before it started: reinstalled Office 97, and added an Excel addin for Crystal Reports.

Any ideas on what's going on?

Thanks!

VBAjedi

 

[Wray69]

Im not sure if this is the proble you are having but here is two things to try.

This problem may occur if either of the following conditions are true:


The Ignore Other Applications setting in Microsoft Excel 97 is selected. -or-


You previously used the Get External Data command on the Data menu to retrieve data from an external database.
RESOLUTION
To resolve this behavior, use the following appropriate method.
Method 1
In Microsoft Excel 97, on the Tools menu, click Options. Click the General tab. Clear the Ignore Other Applications checkbox, and click OK.

After you do this, you should be able to open workbooks by double-clicking them in the Windows Explorer.
Method 2
If you clicked Get External Data to retrieve data from an external database, you can open a workbook by doing either of the following:


On the File menu, click Open. In the Open dialog box, select the file you want to open, and then click Open. -or-


Quit and restart Microsoft Excel 97. After you restart the program, you can open a workbook by double-clicking it in Windows Explorer.


Regards,

Wray

 

[VBAjedi]

I am, in fact, using "Get External Data" in the spreadsheet I am developing now. Thanks for the tip on that. Any idea what causes that? Is it a bug, or a design feature? My users aren't gonna like the workaround. . .

LOL

Well, at least *I* think that deserves a star!

VBAjedi

 

[Wray69]

Thanks for the Star Jedi, I found the information in this article XL97: Excel Opens Without Displaying Workbook (158996) here is the rest of the info on the page

STATUS
The first symptom, where double-clicking a workbook fails when the Ignore Other Applications setting is selected, is by design of Microsoft Excel 97.

The second symptom, where double-clicking a workbook fails after you use the Get External Data command, has been confirmed by Microsoft to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.
MORE INFORMATION
When you double-click a Microsoft Excel workbook in the Windows Explorer, a dynamic data exchange (DDE) message is sent to Microsoft Excel, instructing it to open the workbook you double-clicked.

If the Ignore Other Applications setting is selected, Microsoft Excel ignores DDE messages sent to it by other programs. As a result, the DDE message sent to Microsoft Excel by Windows Explorer is ignored, and Microsoft Excel does not open the workbook you double-clicked.

If you use Get External Data to retrieve data from an external database, the macro that retrieves the data uses DDE to communicate with Microsoft Query. However, when the macro is completed, it does not properly reset DDE. Because of this, Microsoft Excel 97 does not accept any incoming DDE messages until you quit and restart Microsoft Excel 97.

This prevents you from opening a Microsoft Excel workbook by double- clicking it in Windows Explorer. It may also cause problems if other programs attempt to send DDE messages to Microsoft Excel 97. In this case, Microsoft recommends that you quit and restart Microsoft Excel 97.

Regards,

Wray