run a single instance of excel

T

Teamlevy

When I click on a file in windows explorer, it opens that file in a new
instance of excel. I know that it is supposed to open up in the same instance
of excel. How do I get new files that I click on in windows explorer to open
up in the currently running instance of excel by default like it should be?

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but when I look at the
shortcut to excel in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start
Menu\Programs\Microsoft Office and click the advanced properties, the "run in
separate memory space" is checked and grayed out so I can't change it.

Thanks for any help,
Randy
 
G

Gord Dibben

Try the usual fix for this.

Tools>Options>General Uncheck "Ignore Other Applications"

If no joy with that................

Close Excel first and On the Windows Taskbar

1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2) 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.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
 
T

Teamlevy

I tried everything mentioned below and it did not change anything. When I run
"1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK. " it doesn't seem to do
anything, but when I run "2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK."
windows installer pops up and acts like it is doing something. I tried
rebooting after running 1) & 2) above, but that didn't help either.

I don't know if this matters, but I am running windows XP in Parallels on a
Mac.
 
G

Gord Dibben

I have had no experience running XP in parallels on a Mac

Might have something to do with the problem.

The unregserver won't show it is doing anything.

The regserver coomand normally takes a while.........several
minutes.......to complete


Gord
 
T

Teamlevy

Of course they say it is an excel issue. Is there anything else I can try?
I'd really like to have only one instance of excel open by default.

Thanks,
Randy
 
G

Gord Dibben

If "they" say it is an Excel problem perhaps "they" should resolve it.

The steps I gave will most always get you one instance of Excel.

You could try these manual steps..............

Go to Start>Settings>Control Panel>Folder Options>File Types

If using WinXP OS you would scroll down to .XLS then "Advanced">Open>Edit.

In Command line the path should be similar to this....

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE10\EXCEL.EXE" /e

You must have the double quotes and the <space>/e prevents a new blank book
from opening.

Below have "use DDE" checked and this in the DDE message box....[open("%1")]

Application should read "Excel"(no quotes)

Again...........if no joy, I'm out of ideas.


Gord
 
T

Teamlevy

Thanks! that seems to have worked!

It is wierd, though, because when I went to Folder Options: File Types in
control panel and change the file type associated with .xls files to excel,
under “details for ‘XLS’ extension, it says, “You have customized files with
extension ‘XLS’. To restore these files to their default type
(xls_auto_file), click Restore.†When I do click Restore, re-associate xls
files with excel and then click on Advanced, it then has no actions. I added
"open" as an action and followed your instructions. That worked, but when I
go to another windows machine it shows other "actions." Do I need to add all
the other actions that are missing or should I be ok with just the "open"
action?

Thanks again,
Randy

Gord Dibben said:
If "they" say it is an Excel problem perhaps "they" should resolve it.

The steps I gave will most always get you one instance of Excel.

You could try these manual steps..............

Go to Start>Settings>Control Panel>Folder Options>File Types

If using WinXP OS you would scroll down to .XLS then "Advanced">Open>Edit.

In Command line the path should be similar to this....

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE10\EXCEL.EXE" /e

You must have the double quotes and the <space>/e prevents a new blank book
from opening.

Below have "use DDE" checked and this in the DDE message box....[open("%1")]

Application should read "Excel"(no quotes)

Again...........if no joy, I'm out of ideas.


Gord


Of course they say it is an excel issue. Is there anything else I can try?
I'd really like to have only one instance of excel open by default.

Thanks,
Randy
 
T

Teamlevy

I forgot to mention that after the fix, the File type still says,
"xls_auto_file" and not "Microsoft Excel Workbook" like it does on the other
machine I checked.

Teamlevy said:
Thanks! that seems to have worked!

It is wierd, though, because when I went to Folder Options: File Types in
control panel and change the file type associated with .xls files to excel,
under “details for ‘XLS’ extension, it says, “You have customized files with
extension ‘XLS’. To restore these files to their default type
(xls_auto_file), click Restore.†When I do click Restore, re-associate xls
files with excel and then click on Advanced, it then has no actions. I added
"open" as an action and followed your instructions. That worked, but when I
go to another windows machine it shows other "actions." Do I need to add all
the other actions that are missing or should I be ok with just the "open"
action?

Thanks again,
Randy

Gord Dibben said:
If "they" say it is an Excel problem perhaps "they" should resolve it.

The steps I gave will most always get you one instance of Excel.

You could try these manual steps..............

Go to Start>Settings>Control Panel>Folder Options>File Types

If using WinXP OS you would scroll down to .XLS then "Advanced">Open>Edit.

In Command line the path should be similar to this....

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE10\EXCEL.EXE" /e

You must have the double quotes and the <space>/e prevents a new blank book
from opening.

Below have "use DDE" checked and this in the DDE message box....[open("%1")]

Application should read "Excel"(no quotes)

Again...........if no joy, I'm out of ideas.


Gord


Of course they say it is an excel issue. Is there anything else I can try?
I'd really like to have only one instance of excel open by default.

Thanks,
Randy

:

I have had no experience running XP in parallels on a Mac

Might have something to do with the problem.

The unregserver won't show it is doing anything.

The regserver coomand normally takes a while.........several
minutes.......to complete


Gord

On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 16:15:02 -0800, Teamlevy

I tried everything mentioned below and it did not change anything. When I run
"1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK. " it doesn't seem to do
anything, but when I run "2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK."
windows installer pops up and acts like it is doing something. I tried
rebooting after running 1) & 2) above, but that didn't help either.

I don't know if this matters, but I am running windows XP in Parallels on a
Mac.


:

Try the usual fix for this.

Tools>Options>General Uncheck "Ignore Other Applications"

If no joy with that................

Close Excel first and On the Windows Taskbar

1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2) 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.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 14:39:01 -0800, Teamlevy

When I click on a file in windows explorer, it opens that file in a new
instance of excel. I know that it is supposed to open up in the same instance
of excel. How do I get new files that I click on in windows explorer to open
up in the currently running instance of excel by default like it should be?

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but when I look at the
shortcut to excel in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start
Menu\Programs\Microsoft Office and click the advanced properties, the "run in
separate memory space" is checked and grayed out so I can't change it.

Thanks for any help,
Randy
 
G

Gord Dibben

I have never seen that message about customized files.

What version of Excel are you running?

I don't use 2007 so can't speak to that.

It could be due to the running of WinXP on a Mac.............but that's only
a guess.

As far as the other actions like new or print, you should also change them.

If the regserver command worked that would all be taken care of, but you
said it did not work so manual intervention would seem to be the way to go.


Gord


Thanks! that seems to have worked!

It is wierd, though, because when I went to Folder Options: File Types in
control panel and change the file type associated with .xls files to excel,
under “details for ‘XLS’ extension, it says, “You have customized files with
extension ‘XLS’. To restore these files to their default type
(xls_auto_file), click Restore.” When I do click Restore, re-associate xls
files with excel and then click on Advanced, it then has no actions. I added
"open" as an action and followed your instructions. That worked, but when I
go to another windows machine it shows other "actions." Do I need to add all
the other actions that are missing or should I be ok with just the "open"
action?

Thanks again,
Randy

Gord Dibben said:
If "they" say it is an Excel problem perhaps "they" should resolve it.

The steps I gave will most always get you one instance of Excel.

You could try these manual steps..............

Go to Start>Settings>Control Panel>Folder Options>File Types

If using WinXP OS you would scroll down to .XLS then "Advanced">Open>Edit.

In Command line the path should be similar to this....

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE10\EXCEL.EXE" /e

You must have the double quotes and the <space>/e prevents a new blank book
from opening.

Below have "use DDE" checked and this in the DDE message box....[open("%1")]

Application should read "Excel"(no quotes)

Again...........if no joy, I'm out of ideas.


Gord


Of course they say it is an excel issue. Is there anything else I can try?
I'd really like to have only one instance of excel open by default.

Thanks,
Randy

:

I have had no experience running XP in parallels on a Mac

Might have something to do with the problem.

The unregserver won't show it is doing anything.

The regserver coomand normally takes a while.........several
minutes.......to complete


Gord

On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 16:15:02 -0800, Teamlevy

I tried everything mentioned below and it did not change anything. When I run
"1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK. " it doesn't seem to do
anything, but when I run "2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK."
windows installer pops up and acts like it is doing something. I tried
rebooting after running 1) & 2) above, but that didn't help either.

I don't know if this matters, but I am running windows XP in Parallels on a
Mac.


:

Try the usual fix for this.

Tools>Options>General Uncheck "Ignore Other Applications"

If no joy with that................

Close Excel first and On the Windows Taskbar

1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2) 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.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 14:39:01 -0800, Teamlevy

When I click on a file in windows explorer, it opens that file in a new
instance of excel. I know that it is supposed to open up in the same instance
of excel. How do I get new files that I click on in windows explorer to open
up in the currently running instance of excel by default like it should be?

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but when I look at the
shortcut to excel in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start
Menu\Programs\Microsoft Office and click the advanced properties, the "run in
separate memory space" is checked and grayed out so I can't change it.

Thanks for any help,
Randy
 

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