usualy, all active [open] workbooks belong to the *same* excel app instance,
but sometimes [for example, when working with dbf files] dbf files appear to
be opened in *new* instance, not in one allready running, so i can not share
macros contained in that other excel instance.

this usualy happens when excel file opened with "start file.dbf", when
opened from excel app with "ope ..." it is ok.

i am interested is there some way to examine is there multiple ecxel app
instances, and how to access files of one instance from another [especially
when invoking macros or addressing cells in formulas]?

thnx