Two screens/monitors

silversox · 28/02/14 - 12:00

The chap at work has set me up with two screens operating from one PC (Windows7) which makes life so much easier BUT I don't seem to be able to open more than one spreadsheet at a time. Does anyone know how I can get round this, please? It would really help if I could drag and drop or copy and paste from one to the other.

Thanks

chenks · 28/02/14 - 12:09

your issue has nothing to do with dual monitors really.
all you need to do is open another instance of excel and move that instance to the other monitor.

you can also do this using just one screen (minus the bit about moving it to the other screen).

chrisjr · 28/02/14 - 12:19

Just be aware though that depending on how you do it you might get two spreadsheets opening in the same instance of Excel (if you are in fact using Excel). If you go into Windows Explorer and select a spreadsheet file then double click it then select another and double click you may find both open in the one instance of Excel and you have to switch between them within Excel.

However if you launch Excel twice and open the files separately within each instance of Excel (ie File Menu -> Open) you should be able to have one file open on each monitor.

NB though I have used Excel above the same can apply to any spreadsheet program.

chenks · 28/02/14 - 12:36

chrisjr wrote: »

However if you launch Excel twice and open the files separately within each instance of Excel (ie File Menu -> Open) you should be able to have one file open on each monitor.

which is what i said

flagpole · 28/02/14 - 13:02

i believe adding the command line switch /e to the default action will cause another instance to be opened when double clicking.

silversox · 28/02/14 - 13:24

Many thanks for that. I'll give it a try!

silversox · 28/03/14 - 17:22

Quote: "Just be aware though that depending on how you do it you might get two spreadsheets opening in the same instance of Excel (if you are in fact using Excel). If you go into Windows Explorer and select a spreadsheet file then double click it then select another and double click you may find both open in the one instance of Excel and you have to switch between them within Excel."

Yes, this is still happening.

Quote: " i believe adding the command line switch /e to the default action will cause another instance to be opened when double clicking."

Please could you explain the comment above.

Thanks. I am using Microsoft Office Excel 2007.

de525ma · 28/03/14 - 17:24

Ah yes, that weird Excel behaviour...

Open your first spreadsheet as normal. Drag to second screen.

To open your second spreadsheet in a new Excel window:

start->run-> type in excel and press enter.

Then open your second spreadsheet using the open button on the toolbar/ribbon.

Thankfully, this issue is solved with Excel 2013.

chenks · 28/03/14 - 17:25

silversox wrote: »

Yes, this is still happening. .

follow the instructions i posted originally.
you need to open a new instance of excel - you don't do that by simply double clicking on a spreadsheet file.

you open a new instance from the start menu.
this results in two excel instances open at the same time.
you can then drag one of those instances to the other monitor.

chrisjr · 28/03/14 - 17:36

silversox wrote: »

Quote: "Just be aware though that depending on how you do it you might get two spreadsheets opening in the same instance of Excel (if you are in fact using Excel). If you go into Windows Explorer and select a spreadsheet file then double click it then select another and double click you may find both open in the one instance of Excel and you have to switch between them within Excel."

Yes, this is still happening.

Quote: " i believe adding the command line switch /e to the default action will cause another instance to be opened when double clicking."

Please could you explain the comment above. Thanks. I am using Microsoft Office Excel 2007.

I would ignore the bit about adding /e to the command. That probably involves poking about in the Registry. Which is not for the unwary.

As posted the easiest way is to simply open Excel on it's own twice then use the Open option on the File menu to find the spreadsheet you want to load into each instance of Excel.

c4rv · 29/03/14 - 00:15

chrisjr wrote: »

I would ignore the bit about adding /e to the command. That probably involves poking about in the Registry. Which is not for the unwary.

As posted the easiest way is to simply open Excel on it's own twice then use the Open option on the File menu to find the spreadsheet you want to load into each instance of Excel.

edit the shortcut, no need to poke around in the registry.

If you have excel pinned to the start menu. Right click it and select Excel, it should open a new copy of Excel with no spreadsheet loaded. You can then use the open function to load the spreadsheet.

Helmut10 · 29/03/14 - 15:27

As mentioned the /e switch, or any other of course, can just be put in the Excel Shortcut.
Details are here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291288

silversox · 31/03/14 - 13:26

Thank you all, very much. I usually go to the document and open but found, like you suggested, that if I open a blank Excel doc, twice, and then open the spreadsheets which I need it works well, twice!! Thanks again!!

Hey there!

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