Hi there, I know this is a really old post, but I'm hoping someone will read
this. I did what was suggested below, as I struggled with the same issue.
Only problem is that now I can't get rid of the %1. I added it in, and it
worked, but now everytime I open an excel, it tells me personal.xls is locked
for editing. The files still open fine, but it's annoying. I thought I
would just remove the "%1" and uncheck the "browse in same window" box that I
just noticed in the same dialog box. I've tried many times, but everytime I
go back into the advanced, open, edit, the %1 is back! I tried deleting the
whole thing, and browsing to the excel program, but it always puts the %1 in.
Any suggestions??

" wrote:

I know what you're hitting here, Jason, and I think I got a solution
for you. The problem is that double-clicking a spreadsheet doesn't open
a new instance of Excel, it opens it in the current one. Then when you
click the close "x" in the upper right hand corner of the window, it
closes ALL your workbooks, not just the current one. This is not
consistent with the way Word works. Perhaps on some level it is
consistent, but it obviously breaks user expectation or there wouldn't
be so many questions about it.

The answer involves changing the file association stuff in windows. Go
to explorer, choose tools, then folder options. Click the File Types
tab. Scroll down to the XLS extension. Click the Advanced button.
Choose "open", then click the edit button.

At the end of the "Application used" entry, you'll probably see: /e
After this, add: "%1" (be sure to include the quotes.)

Then uncheck the "Use DDE" checkbox. Then click OK. (Windows re-checks
it at some point for some reason, but it still works)

OK your way out of the file types dialog.

Now when you double-click a spreadsheet, it will open it in a new
instance of Excel.

Hope it helps!

Dave




Jason Dove wrote:
I apologize, but you are mistaken, and the question was not answered.

Prior to Excel 2003, Excel would open in separate program window whenever an
additional file was opened. For an example of what would appear on your
computer screen, please open Microsoft Word. Open a file and change the
shape of the window into the right corner. While still in that window, go to
File - Open and choose a second file. A new window should open and you
should be able to move that file down to the left corner. Now you have two
separate windows of Word open with which you can work. This same
functionality was available in Excel; however, it seems to no longer be the
default.

We gain absolutely no functionality with the "Windows in Taskbar". I'm not
sure how it becomes added benefit to have to tab between windows when
separate windows can be opened simultaneously on the computer screen. My
company uses Excel spreadsheets extensively and have no need to "compare"
spreedsheets, but rather have several open while working. It requires time
and, therefore, money, to have to tab through several spreadsheets to get the
one we need up when they could be open in separate windows. That is how we
preformed work prior to Windows 2003 and since our upgrade we have been
trying to reestablish that setting to make work easier for all our users.

The Same Program Window may be great for you, but it's not a functionality
that has benefitted our company.