Question about Paste Special

[Mike1000]

Hi, I have a problem sometimes with the paste special options when goin
from one excel workbook to another. For example, sometimes when I cop
data from one workbook and then paste special into another, I get th
options that include: All, formulas, values, formats, has the option t
transpose the data and paste link among other options. And the
sometimes I try and paste data to another workbook and I end up th
paste special options: Bitmap Image Object, picture, bitmap, and I als
lose the ability to paste link. Well you can do it, but it puts it i
as an object.

What I want is the first paste special option I described. Is there
setting to change? The data is nothing special I'm usually copyin
over, just normal excel entries.

Thanks in advance

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[Gord Dibben]

Mike

The second scenario will occur if you have two distinct sessions of Excel open.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Mike1000]

Hi, thanks for the response.

I'm sorry I don't understand, but what is considered a distinct
session?

For example right now I opened File A, opened File B. I also just
started a 3rd file(no file name, new workbook). All in all, I have 3
distinct? files opened. For some reason when I try and copy data from
File A and Paste special into my new workbook, I get the options in the
second scenario I described, but when I copy data from File B and paste
special into my new workbook, I get the first scenario I described.

Is there a way I can avoid this, or find some consistency?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dave Peterson]

If you make sure that you open fileB in the same instance of excel as fileA,
you'll be ok.

So close everything but fileA.
Then File|Open FileB.

And then do your copy|paste special.

===
Sometimes windows/excel can get confused when you're opening a workbook by
double clicking on it in windows explorer. It won't see the already running
instance of excel, so it'll just start a second instance of excel and open the
file in that.

If you want to change this behavior, sometimes one of these works:

Tools|Options|General|Ignore other applications (uncheck it)

--- or ---

Close Excel and
Windows Start Button|Run
excel /unregserver
then
Windows Start Button|Run
excel /regserver

The /unregserver & /regserver stuff resets the windows registry to excel's
factory defaults.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Mike

"distinct" sessions means Excel is loaded twice.

Not just multiple files, but multiple Excels.

If you close out Excel, do all workbooks close?


Gord

Hi, thanks for the response.

I'm sorry I don't understand, but what is considered a distinct
session?

For example right now I opened File A, opened File B. I also just
started a 3rd file(no file name, new workbook). All in all, I have 3
distinct? files opened. For some reason when I try and copy data from
File A and Paste special into my new workbook, I get the options in the
second scenario I described, but when I copy data from File B and paste
special into my new workbook, I get the first scenario I described.

Is there a way I can avoid this, or find some consistency?

Thanks in advance.

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Mike1000]

Thanks to both of you.

Yes, simply closing them then re-opening them solved the problem. I'
also going to follow your instructions.

After closing them and re-opening the files, I got the first scenario
gave, which is what I wanted. Same 2 files, it just worked this time.
Closing one down did close both files. I'm assuming that means bot
workbooks were being considered one distinct instance.

I didn't try closing them all down before, but if they didn't all clos
together, that would mean 2 or more distinct excel instances?

I think I understand now that it isn't a excel "setting" per se, bu
just an excel quirk. Thats what I wanted to ultimately know.

Thanks to both again

 

[Dave Peterson]

It easier just to look under Window (on the worksheet menu bar). If you see
your workbooks listed at the bottom of that dropdown, they're open in the single
instance.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Mike

Dave employed a better description than I did.

"Instance" rather than "distinct".

If you closed Excel and one or more files remained open, this would indicate you
had more than one instance of Excel running.


Gord