Macro locks me in a single XLS file

[Luca T.]

Hello,
i have a macro that once every second reads all the rows in a worksheet,
does some comparisons and when the comparisons have success it shows a
simple form. [The data inside the sheet come from a DDE link in real time]

The problem is that when this macro is running (it keeps running in loop
with a 1 second pause [with a small loop with doevents] between each
loop) i cannot switch to a different XLS file.

Let me explain better...
lets say that i have two XLS files open at the same time... they have
their own "button" on the taskbar, clicking one of them i can switch
from one XLS file to the other...

Ok... this works... but NOT when the macro is running on the first XLS
file. In some way, when i click on the taskbar button of the second XLS
file, the focus goes back automatically to the first XLS file.

Inside the same XLS file, thanx to the doevents, i have no
restrictions... i can change worksheet, change cells, etc... all this
while the Macro is running... the problem happens only when i have more
than one XLS file open and want to switch to the other XLS file.

Thanx,
Luca

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

You can't run two macros at the same time. I assume the button runs a macro
to make the switch.

 

[Luca T.]

You can't run two macros at the same time. I assume the button runs a macro
to make the switch.

Hmmm, i am not running two macros at the same time... i just cannot use
two XLS files while the macro is running on one of them.
The buttons are the the buttons on the taskbar (where every program has
its own button).
When you run two XLS files they are shown in the taskbar as two
separated programs.

Bye,
Luca

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

Do you activate any windows or workbooks or worksheets in your macro?

Anyway, using xl97 and using the window menu item, I could switch between
workbooks with the following running

Sub Runme()
Dim i As Long
Do
For i = 1 To 1000
ThisWorkbook.Worksheets(1).Range("A5") = Rnd()
DoEvents
Next
For i = 1 To 10000
DoEvents
Next i
Loop While True
End Sub

It was not real responsive and it didn't always work -my impression was if
it I wasn't in the loop containing only doevents, then I couldn't switch -
if I was, I could.

 

[Luca T.]

Do you activate any windows or workbooks or worksheets in your macro?

Hmmm no... what do you mean with "activate"? I only do stuff like what
you did in the example below.

Sub Runme()
Dim i As Long
Do
For i = 1 To 1000
ThisWorkbook.Worksheets(1).Range("A5") = Rnd()
DoEvents
Next
For i = 1 To 10000
DoEvents
Next i
Loop While True
End Sub

Unfortunately my Macro cannot always be in the doevents loop.
Is there a way to open every XLS file with its own Excel instead than
with one Excel as it is doing by default?

Thanx,
Luca

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

I would just start a new instance of Excel and then do file=>Open and open
the file I want.