Append a /e to your Excel startup command to prevent Book1 from opening.

Go to StartSettingsControl PanelFolder OptionsFile Types

If using WinXP OS you would scroll down to .XLS then "Advanced"OpenEdit.

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

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICExx\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)


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:52:01 -0700, ChristyL
wrote:

This did not fix the problem. There was no file in this folder. I did try
and remove the Excel registry key at CU\Software\Microsoft\Office 11\Excel.
This didn't work either. Any other suggestions?

"Sheeloo" wrote:

When the second workbook opens choose Windows-Hide and see if the problem
goes away...

Try to find the XLSTART directory. It usually is in
C:\Documents and Settings\<username\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART

where <username needs to be substituted with the current user name.
If you see the file which open automatically there then delete it while
Excel is closed.

"ChristyL" wrote:

Using Excel 2003, Win XP. Have a user who opens an Excel document, but the
first document that comes up as Book 2 and behind that is the original
document. I closed Book 2 and saved the document. Opened the document back
up and it was fine.

Now if he opens another Excel document that has the same issues, doing the
same thing as above does not fix this document. Now, if I go back and open
the first document that was fixed earlier, it is back to opening the two
documents again.

Does anyone have any other ideas? Thanks.