Open files with same name?

[Robert Crandal]

I have multiple files that have the same name and I would
like to open them with Excel at the same time so I can
compare all information. The problem is, Excel 2007
won't let me open a file with the same name if another
file of the same name is already open.

How can I open multiple files simultaneously that have the
same name??

 

[Gary Keramidas]

you have to open 2 instances of excel.

 

[Robert Crandal]

Does excel have a setting regarding automatically opening 2 or more
instances??

 

[Tim Williams]

I have multiple files that have the same name and I would
like to open them with Excel at the same time so I can
compare all information. The problem is, Excel 2007
won't let me open a file with the same name if another
file of the same name is already open.

How can I open multiple files simultaneously that have the
same name??

Rename one of them temporarily ?

Tim

 

[Robert Crandal]

I was hoping Excel had a "open doc in new instance" setting
somewhere, because renaming the files temporarily will not
work in my case or will be too inconvenient for users.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Set options in Excel for "ignore other applications.

Have your workbook open in an instance of Excel.

Then open your same named workbook from its folder by double-click......do
not go through File>Open.

You will start a new instance of Excel and open the same file in the new
instance but you will get the "locked for editing" message and can open in
"read only" mode.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Robert Crandal]

I was able to find an option called "Ignore other applications
that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)". Was this the same
thing you mention below??

Also, I went ahead and set the above option, but when I
double on ANY macro enabled file I get an error message
that said something like "Excel cannot find the file".

BTW, I'm using Excel 2007

 

[Gord Dibben]

I was able to find an option called "Ignore other applications
that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)". Was this the same
thing you mention below??
Yes


Also, I went ahead and set the above option, but when I
double on ANY macro enabled file I get an error message
that said something like "Excel cannot find the file".

That's most likely because you have no double quotes around your command
line to start Excel.

"C:\yourpath\excel.exe"

I would suggest you re-register Excel 2007

Close Excel first and On the Windows Taskbar

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(quotes
required)>OK

After re-reg open Excel, go in and make sure the "ignore other etc." is
still checked.

I'm not sure why you want to open a bunch of read-only files in the first
place.


Gord