I've got some code that plus data from another workbook. It works when the files are in the same instance of Excel; however, if I have the file open in an different instance of Excel the macro doesn't find the specified range. Is it possible to activate this workbook without opening it in the current session of Excel. My code is below: thank ahead of time

If MsgBox("Have you saved BigFile as test1.xls and is that file open?", vbYesNo + vbCritical, "WARNING!") = vbYes The
Range(Cells(iRow, 1), Cells(jRow, 12)).ClearContent
Windows("test1.xls").Activate

Bob Ewers wrote:
Is it possible to activate this workbook without opening it in the current session of Excel.

Simple answer: no.

More complicated answer: maybe - if you used API calls to find other instances of Excel and
then use Automation to see if any of them have Test1.xls open. I don't have details of any
suitable API calls with me.

Bill Manville
MVP - Microsoft Excel, Oxford, England
No email replies please - reply in newsgroup

If I understood the question correctly, I have used the following code to
force open a new instance of Excel.
Ron Dahl

Sub OpenFileInNewInstanceOfExcel()
Dim TheName As String
Dim oXL As Object
On Error Resume Next ' Defer error trapping.
ChDir CurDir
TheName = Application.GetOpenFilename( _
filefilter:="Excel Files (*.xls), *.xls", _
Title:="Load Excel File")
Set oXL = CreateObject("Excel.application")
oXL.Workbooks.Open TheName
oXL.Application.Visible = True
oXL.ActiveWorkbook.RunAutoMacros xlAutoOpen
End Sub




"Bill Manville" wrote in message
...
Bob Ewers wrote:
Is it possible to activate this workbook without opening it in the
current session of Excel.

Simple answer: no.

More complicated answer: maybe - if you used API calls to find other
instances of Excel and
then use Automation to see if any of them have Test1.xls open. I don't
have details of any
suitable API calls with me.

Bill Manville
MVP - Microsoft Excel, Oxford, England
No email replies please - reply in newsgroup