I noticed that if I have multiple instances of Excel, the copy and paste
functions behave differently. Specifically, if I have two instances running
and I try to copy from one instance to the other, it only copies values and
not the formulas.

First, is this normal or is just me and my environment? And second, what
other difference are there, if any? Thanks.

Regards

"David Z" wrote in message
...
I noticed that if I have multiple instances of Excel, the copy and paste
functions behave differently. Specifically, if I have two instances
running
and I try to copy from one instance to the other, it only copies values
and
not the formulas.

First, is this normal or is just me and my environment? And second, what
other difference are there, if any? Thanks.

Regards

Before spending any more time (yet) figuring this out, please click Tools,
Options, View tab, and find "Windows in taskbar". If it's checked, UNcheck
it. Let me know if that eliminates the "instances", as you're calling them.

If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and paste will
work the way you want.

If you have two instances open, the one instance of excel just sees it as a copy
from any other windows program--it doesn't have any idea what application it
came from.

David Z wrote:

I noticed that if I have multiple instances of Excel, the copy and paste
functions behave differently. Specifically, if I have two instances running
and I try to copy from one instance to the other, it only copies values and
not the formulas.

First, is this normal or is just me and my environment? And second, what
other difference are there, if any? Thanks.

Regards

--

Dave Peterson

But you could still copy and paste via the formula bar, if languages and
other settings like list separators and reference styles are identical.

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten


"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and paste
will
work the way you want.

If you have two instances open, the one instance of excel just sees it as
a copy
from any other windows program--it doesn't have any idea what application
it
came from.

David Z wrote:

I noticed that if I have multiple instances of Excel, the copy and paste
functions behave differently. Specifically, if I have two instances
running
and I try to copy from one instance to the other, it only copies values
and
not the formulas.

First, is this normal or is just me and my environment? And second, what
other difference are there, if any? Thanks.

Regards

--

Dave Peterson

Aaahhh, that makes sense. Thanks Dave. And thank you Doug as well.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and paste will
work the way you want.

If you have two instances open, the one instance of excel just sees it as a copy
from any other windows program--it doesn't have any idea what application it
came from.

David Z wrote:

I noticed that if I have multiple instances of Excel, the copy and paste
functions behave differently. Specifically, if I have two instances running
and I try to copy from one instance to the other, it only copies values and
not the formulas.

First, is this normal or is just me and my environment? And second, what
other difference are there, if any? Thanks.

Regards

--

Dave Peterson

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and paste
will
work the way you want.

Why would anyone WANT to run two instances? Is there any advantage at all? I
see it done by mistake quite often.....

I don't like to do this either. I find it a pain.

So I asked someone who asked how to do this and their reply was so that they
could work in one instance while excel did stuff (long calculations/long running
macro) in the other.


Doug Kanter wrote:

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and paste
will
work the way you want.

Why would anyone WANT to run two instances? Is there any advantage at all? I
see it done by mistake quite often.....

--

Dave Peterson

I'm running Excel 2000. Unless something has changed in later versions,
Excel is happy to churn things in one workbook, while you're viewing
another, all in one instance.


"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
I don't like to do this either. I find it a pain.

So I asked someone who asked how to do this and their reply was so that
they
could work in one instance while excel did stuff (long calculations/long
running
macro) in the other.


Doug Kanter wrote:

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and
paste
will
work the way you want.

Why would anyone WANT to run two instances? Is there any advantage at
all? I
see it done by mistake quite often.....

--

Dave Peterson

Are you telling me that your macros continue running when you're editing cells
in other workbooks?

And that calculation will continue in one workbook while you're busy typing away
in another?

I don't recall any version of excel that allowed that.

Calculation would always be interrupted if I did something with the
mouse/keyboard.

Doug Kanter wrote:

I'm running Excel 2000. Unless something has changed in later versions,
Excel is happy to churn things in one workbook, while you're viewing
another, all in one instance.

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
I don't like to do this either. I find it a pain.

So I asked someone who asked how to do this and their reply was so that
they
could work in one instance while excel did stuff (long calculations/long
running
macro) in the other.


Doug Kanter wrote:

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and
paste
will
work the way you want.

Why would anyone WANT to run two instances? Is there any advantage at
all? I
see it done by mistake quite often.....

--

Dave Peterson

--

Dave Peterson

All depends on how hectic your workbook is. Excel has various internal
limits that will slow it down big time depending on what you have going on,
but all these limits are specific to that instance of Excel, so opening up
another one can allow you to do something that your current instance may
struggle to cope with as well.

--
Regards
Ken....................... Microsoft MVP - Excel
Sys Spec - Win XP Pro / XL 97/00/02/03

------------------------------*------------------------------*----------------
It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission :-)
------------------------------*------------------------------*----------------



"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
I'm running Excel 2000. Unless something has changed in later versions,
Excel is happy to churn things in one workbook, while you're viewing
another, all in one instance.


"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
I don't like to do this either. I find it a pain.

So I asked someone who asked how to do this and their reply was so that
they
could work in one instance while excel did stuff (long calculations/long
running
macro) in the other.


Doug Kanter wrote:

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and
paste
will
work the way you want.

Why would anyone WANT to run two instances? Is there any advantage at
all? I
see it done by mistake quite often.....

--

Dave Peterson

One reason could be if you need Excel-wide settings to be different, like
Reference style and Calculation mode

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
I don't like to do this either. I find it a pain.

So I asked someone who asked how to do this and their reply was so that
they
could work in one instance while excel did stuff (long calculations/long
running
macro) in the other.


Doug Kanter wrote:

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and
paste
will
work the way you want.

Why would anyone WANT to run two instances? Is there any advantage at
all? I
see it done by mistake quite often.....

--

Dave Peterson

Would these different settings be persistent from one startup of the program
to another? If so, how would a user designate which "profile" to start,
since all icons point to the same .EXE file?

"Niek Otten" wrote in message
...
One reason could be if you need Excel-wide settings to be different, like
Reference style and Calculation mode

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
I don't like to do this either. I find it a pain.

So I asked someone who asked how to do this and their reply was so that
they
could work in one instance while excel did stuff (long calculations/long
running
macro) in the other.


Doug Kanter wrote:

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and
paste
will
work the way you want.

Why would anyone WANT to run two instances? Is there any advantage at
all? I
see it done by mistake quite often.....

--

Dave Peterson

Wow! Why would anyone want multiple instances??? Are you kidding?

I am a fast worker. My ideas come out fast, and I need to get them down
fast. Working in Excel, I often want multiple excel spreadsheets open. On
it's own, simply "arrange all" and you are on your way. But, I'm an
engineer, so if I'm working on Excel, it's only because it eventually needs
to get put into a ppt slide or a word doc. Here is where the trouble begins,
even with my dual displays.

Without being able to open an xls or ppt in it's own instance, one has
absolutely no control over what things they can see in which spot. For
instance, my boss wants a brand new copy of a presentation I did last week,
but with a new design template and updated information. To accomplish this,
I need two ppts open, often an xls open, and likely a couple of window
browsers.

If, like has been suggested, I expend the effort to open the two ppts and
arrange them to fit nicely together, then how do I read from the excel? Pull
up the xls and start typing in the ppt and I lose the xls (thanks to my
2-screen ppt). Resize ppt down, insert pieces of information from the xls,
and try to move the ppt back? This is a miserable waste.

I work in a restricted environment, so I can't simply get two installations
of ppt or anything else for that matter. I can't get outside software. So
I'm stuck being completely frustrated by my inability to control Office.

To me, and many of my engineer friends, this is one of THE BIGGEST
deficiencies in Office.

If you want to discuss more, please send me a message.



"Doug Kanter" wrote:

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message
...
If you do all your work in one instance of excel, then the copy and paste
will
work the way you want.

Why would anyone WANT to run two instances? Is there any advantage at all? I
see it done by mistake quite often.....