MDI (Multiple-document interface) utility?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alex Ferenstein
  • Start date Start date
A

Alex Ferenstein

I'm looking for a utility to allow me to control the sub-window sizing and
positioning in programs that use MDI.
My biggest peeve is Excel - if I want to see more than one worksheet at the
same time, I have to waste time playing around with resizing the worksheets,
after using the "Window->Arrange" to initially split the window-space, to
get enough information from each that I need to see.
The same peeve applies to Ultraedit and numerous others, like Acrobat
(although the latter does allow multiple instances).
Anyone can help?
 
Alex Ferenstein said:
I'm looking for a utility to allow me to control the sub-window sizing and
positioning in programs that use MDI.
My biggest peeve is Excel - if I want to see more than one worksheet at
the
same time, I have to waste time playing around with resizing the
worksheets,
after using the "Window->Arrange" to initially split the window-space, to
get enough information from each that I need to see.
The same peeve applies to Ultraedit and numerous others, like Acrobat
(although the latter does allow multiple instances).
Anyone can help?
Click to expand...

I doubt any such general utility exists, since it's up to the software
package writer themselves to provide facilities for the suitable arrangement
of subwindows. So, your best bet would probably be to contact the companies
themselves directly.

Jon
 
Alex said:
I'm looking for a utility to allow me to control the sub-window sizing and
positioning in programs that use MDI.
My biggest peeve is Excel - if I want to see more than one worksheet at the
same time, I have to waste time playing around with resizing the worksheets,
after using the "Window->Arrange" to initially split the window-space, to
get enough information from each that I need to see.
The same peeve applies to Ultraedit and numerous others, like Acrobat
(although the latter does allow multiple instances).
Anyone can help?
Click to expand...

I would write/find some VBA code to handle the Excel case. Someone on
the Excel newsgroups could give some direction there.

NB Most Office apps (except Word 2000 <- just that version) allow you to
toggle SDI/MDI in their Options dialog ([ ] Windows on taskbar).
 
Mike said:
NB Most Office apps (except Word 2000 <- just that version) allow you to
toggle SDI/MDI in their Options dialog ([ ] Windows on taskbar).
Click to expand...
No that option does nothing more than display multiple taskbar items
for every worksheet, but only one Excel window is actually open at all
times.
I do wish I knew how to open multiple instances of Excel as a remedy
(although an MDI utility would be so useful since it would help with
all the other applications).
 
Start Excel, don't click a .xls file.

Mike said:
NB Most Office apps (except Word 2000 <- just that version) allow you to
toggle SDI/MDI in their Options dialog ([ ] Windows on taskbar).
Click to expand...

No that option does nothing more than display multiple taskbar items
for every worksheet, but only one Excel window is actually open at all
times.
I do wish I knew how to open multiple instances of Excel as a remedy
(although an MDI utility would be so useful since it would help with
all the other applications).
Click to expand...
 
Start Excel, don't click a .xls file
Again, no difference. There's still only one Excel (2000)
instance/window (with multiple taskbar items for each worksheet).
 
Mike said:
NB Most Office apps (except Word 2000 <- just that version) allow you to
toggle SDI/MDI in their Options dialog ([ ] Windows on taskbar).
Click to expand...
No that option does nothing more than display multiple taskbar items
for every worksheet, but only one Excel window is actually open at all
times.
Click to expand...
It's one Excel instance/application - there *is* a difference.
I do wish I knew how to open multiple instances of Excel as a remedy
(although an MDI utility would be so useful since it would help with
all the other applications).
Click to expand...

Why do you actually need multiple *instances* of Excel? It's only going
to take up more memory, without actually delivering extra control over
worksheet windows....
 
Mike Williams said:
Why do you actually need multiple *instances* of Excel? It's only going
to take up more memory, without actually delivering extra control over
worksheet windows....
Click to expand...

I don't want another instance really... As per original request, I want a
way to intelligently control the sizes and positioning of sub-windows inside
applications (like Excel) that utilize MDI.
 
Alex said:
I don't want another instance really... As per original request, I want a
way to intelligently control the sizes and positioning of sub-windows inside
applications (like Excel) that utilize MDI.
Click to expand...

OK, so did you explore my earlier VBA suggestion?
 
Sorry. This approach does work with Excel 2003.

Again, no difference. There's still only one Excel (2000)
instance/window (with multiple taskbar items for each worksheet).
Click to expand...
 
Alex Ferenstein said:
I don't want another instance really... As per original request, I want a
way to intelligently control the sizes and positioning of sub-windows
inside
applications (like Excel) that utilize MDI.
Click to expand...

If you could spell out in more detail precisely what you are looking for,
then you may well inspire someone to write such a utility. If you could also
include why the current features of cascading / tiling /existing methods of
resizing are inadequate and what exactly you would like to see instead,
then again that may lead to you having your problem solved. It's not exactly
clear at this stage how you would like to things to be improved.

Jon
 
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