Excel 2010 Win7 Open Multiple Windows

[kentonj123]

I was searching for a way to open multiple windows in Excel every time I double clicked on an Xls or Xlsx file. I looked and found some solutions for 2007 and prior versions however I did not find any solutions for the Win7 Excel 2010 environment.

(I did find a way to do it by changing a fix for Win7 Excel 2007. Please let me know if it helps or if there is a different/better way to fix.)

Works for
Excel 2010 & Win7 (could work for 07 not tested)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open Registry Editor ver 6.1

-Go to Branch:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\command

(Note: it doesn't matter what is listed under default)

-Change the value command and under data remove /dde (or /e) and add after existing string the following code below

/p "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\EXCEL.EXE" /e "%1"

(Note: /p switch will ignore the (default) open settings)

-Go to Branch:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\ddeexec

-Rename ddeexec2

(compare to screen shot)
Excel 2010 Win7 Registry.jpg

Hope that helps users with Win7 Excel 2010.
-Kenton

 

[kentonj123]

-Similar solution to above as a .reg file: Copy the following into a .txt file, then rename as a .reg file and save. Run as an administrator. You will need to replace the <Hexidecimal value> with the value specific to your install. Easy way to do that is to export your current key value.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Office\\Office14\\EXCEL.EXE\" /e \"%1\""
"command"=hex(7):<Hexidecimal value>

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\ddeexec]
@="[open(\"%1\")]"

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\ddeexec\application]
@="Excel"

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\ddeexec\topic]
@="system"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\ddeexec2]
@="[open(\"%1\")]"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\ddeexec2\application]
@="Excel"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open\ddeexec2\topic]
@="system"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Office\\Office14\\EXCEL.EXE\" /e \"%1\""
"command"=hex(7):<Hexidecimal value>

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open\ddeexec]
@="[open(\"%1\")]"

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open\ddeexec\application]
@="Excel"

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open\ddeexec\topic]
@="system"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open\ddeexec2]
@="[open(\"%1\")]"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open\ddeexec2\application]
@="Excel"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open\ddeexec2\topic]
@="system"

 

[maw74656]

Worked but now have problem

So I used this registry hack, and I can now open excel files in separate windows. But when I do that, the windows are blank. Any ideas on why/how to correct?

I made the .reg file as described.

 

[maw74656]

figured it out

After I applied the registry hack, I needed to change the Excel.Sheet.8\Shell\Command\command to add the [/p "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\EXCEL.EXE" /e "%1"], then it works perfect!

 

[kentonj123]

Perfect.

 

[maw74656]

So, [/p "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\EXCEL.EXE" /e "%1"] should have been added to the .reg file after the Hexadecimal value?

 

[kentonj123]

/p will ingore the default open settings.

Depends on the enviroment. I'm deploying Win7 64bit and office 2010 32bit SBE. I had the note about the /p from our prior image with 2007 32bit. (we do not use 64bit office due to a plug in compatibility issue)

What is your O/S and Office version?

 

[maw74656]

Win7 Pro 64-bit, Office 2010 32-bit. I got it working (also modified it to work with .csv files opened in Excel), but I'm just thinking about how to flesh out the .reg file for sharing with other users here.

 

[kentonj123]

Same enviroment... odd. Do you use a group policy?

I stopped using a .reg file and now update it by a scripting program. I check for the entry on boot before replacing it. (Windows updates will undo the change)

The command is as shown and works for me.
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\EXCEL.EXE" /e "%1"

 

[strollin]

I was searching for a way to open multiple windows in Excel every time I double clicked on an Xls or Xlsx file. ...
-Kenton

I'm curious, why would you want to open multiple windows whenever you double-click on an xls/xlsx file?

 

[kentonj123]

Dual monitors...

Multi tasking etc.

 

[maw74656]

I was searching for a way to open multiple windows in Excel every time I double clicked on an Xls or Xlsx file. ...
-Kenton

I'm curious, why would you want to open multiple windows whenever you double-click on an xls/xlsx file?

Well, there's the point that I'd like to manage my windows in any way I chose, but the real reason is so that I can easily compare two Excel files, each in their own interface, and being able to get that environment by double-clicking files.

Word already works this way, so why not Excel? Based on the ease of this fix, Microsoft was just being lazy and didn't put this option in the Excel menus.

 

[hrhartist]

I know this is a year old but has anyone found a fix for this yet?

I did not notice this was the case when working only with the excel program. The registry hack does work as I have used it on a customer's computer not but 20min ago because they told me it is what had been done previously on his old XP computer in order to have this same function.

So, when he called today asking about why his new Windows 7 machine wasn't able to do the same as his old XP machine, i thought he was crazy and wasn't doing as i was instructing as i walked him thru the process of moving the excel instances to different monitors over the phone.
After i jumped into his computer with him i discovered he wasn't the one at fault excel was. He showed me the reg key that someone had previously saved as a .txt file so that he could open multiple instances and without thinking i converted it to a .reg key and merged it. No harm right?

Until i went to open a file and the file association had become corrupt!
Here is the code from the reg key(shown below) and i do not have much to any experience with modify .reg key files, so would i just need to change anything saying Office12 to Office14(since this is what 2010 uses?)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Backup\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Backup\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Backup\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.OpenDocumentSpreadsheet.12\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.OpenDocumentSpreadsheet.12\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.OpenDocumentSpreadsheet.12\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.12\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sheet.8\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.SheetBinaryMacroEnabled.12\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.SheetBinaryMacroEnabled.12\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.SheetBinaryMacroEnabled.12\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.SheetMacroEnabled.12\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.SheetMacroEnabled.12\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.SheetMacroEnabled.12\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Template\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Template\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Template\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Template.8\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Template.8\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Template.8\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.TemplateMacroEnabled\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.TemplateMacroEnabled\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.TemplateMacroEnabled\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Workspace\shell]
@="Open_in_New_Excel_Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Workspace\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance]
@="Open in New Excel Instance"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Workspace\shell\Open_in_New_Excel_Instance\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office12\\EXCEL.EXE\" \"%1\""

any help from you guys would be appreciated....and sorry if i am resurrecting a dead post, i can repost it if i need to.

 

[woldino]

i have got a big problem that makes me head ache
the excel can't open in windows 7 ultimate
it says error with win32 what stupid thing it is pls any one help[ me

 

[hrhartist]

i have got a big problem that makes me head ache
the excel can't open in windows 7 ultimate
it says error with win32 what stupid thing it is pls any one help[ me

That has nothing to do with this post, btw.