Excel Files Won't Open From Shortcut

[Guest]

The title's misleading but I couldn't find a way to express it succinctly.
If I have 2 Excel windows open, with one or more workbooks within each
window, and I click on an Excel file-name in Windows Explorer or on a
shortcut to an Excel file-name, nothing happens. If I close both Excel
windows and try it, the file will open. Or if I go to Files, Open, and
Browse to the file name it will open. This is both new and a pain in the
rear. As recently as 3 months ago I could open six or eight Excel files at
the blink of an eye, from Windows Explorer or from shortcuts. What changed?
How can I change it back to the way it was?

Thanks "ConfusdNHouston"

 

[Frank Kabel]

Hi
try: 'Tools - Options - General' and uncheck 'Ignore other applications'

 

[Guest]

Frank I appreciate the suggestion, but the Ignore other applications is not
checked. Anything else it might be?

 

[Gord Dibben]

The standard fixes for this problem.......

Tools>Options>General uncheck "Ignore other Applications"
Exit Excel and try again

If this doesn't work try to re-register Excel

Close Excel first and
On the Windows Taskbar

1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.
See the space between exe and /regserver

You might have to designate a full path to excel.exe.
In that case Start>Run "C:\yourpath\excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.

One more thing to try if any of the above brings no joy.........

Go to Start>Settings>Folder>Options>File Types. Scroll down to MS Excel
Worksheet. Then if running Win98 OS Edit> select "Open" and Edit.

If using WinXP OS you would scroll down to .XLS then "Advanced">Open>Edit.

In Command line the path should be similar to this....

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\EXCEL.EXE" /e (delete the <sp>/e if
you want Book1 to open.

You must have the double quotes.

Below have "use DDE" checked and this in the DDE message box....[open("%1")]

Application should read "Excel"(no quotes)


Gord Dibben Excel MVP

 

[Frank Kabel]

Hi
try to re-register Excel

1. Close Excel first and
2. On the Windows Taskbar
2.1 Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2.2 Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.

 

[Guest]

My thanks to both of you for taking the time to respond. I did the excel.exe
/ thing and it worked just fine. Thanks again.