Excel / Windows XP question

[rci]

Hi All,

This may be more related to Windows XP than to Excel... but here goes:

I am using a command line argument for a file association. The file
association points at a specific Excel spreadsheet, and of course, when
opening this spreadsheet, an instance of Excel will open so that the
spreadsheet will open.

This is all good.

Now things get troublesome...

If the user now directly opens a .xls spreadsheet, XP will put the focus on
the previously open instance of excel, but the spreadsheet will not open!

I think that something about the command line/argument that was used to
launch excel (from the first file that opened excel) is now preventing even
standard .xls files from opening.

Any help fixing this appreciated!

Also, any pointers to understanding the File Associations tools in XP
appreciated (the advanced DDE command line parameters, etc...). I'd like to
understand what can be done with DDE & file associations... could be
powerful, but I don't know where to start!

Thanks very much in advance...

Mike

 

[Dick Kusleika]

Mike

Pure guess, but try Tools - Options - General and uncheck Ignore Other
Applications. It seems that whenever there's a problem with launching an
Excel doc from Windows Explorer, that fixes it.