1

As you can see in "How can I get Excel's undo/redo functionality to work in a more traditional *per window* manner (and not for the entire instance of Excel)?", I expect when I open separate instances of Excel I have separate undo-redo lists, but in my MS Excel 2013 x64 (running in Win7 x64), all of the undo-redo(s) are in one list.

The first idea, coming to mind, is I am wrong and they are not different instances, though I am executing MS Excel from start -> all programs -> Microsoft office 2013 -> Excel 2013; then, the question is how should I create multiple instances of MS Excel?

Note that I cannot find the target of the shortcut files of MS Excel when I check right click -> properties -> shortcut. It also is not found in neither of program files(x86 or x64) -> microsoft -> office...

Does anyone have any idea to solve this?

Community
  • 1
hossayni
  • 547
  • 5
  • 10
  • 24
  • What do you exactly mean by "MS Excel bothers some users when they would like to undo only in one open file"? – Leo Chapiro Jan 08 '15 at 15:10
  • 1
    possible duplicate of [Excel: how to undo in current file only?](http://superuser.com/questions/293044/excel-how-to-undo-in-current-file-only) – Andi Mohr Jan 08 '15 at 15:12
  • when you push ctrl+z in a.xls, you see that your last action in b.xls would be undo! – hossayni Jan 08 '15 at 15:13
  • 2
    see also: http://superuser.com/questions/607937/how-can-i-get-excels-undo-redo-functionality-to-work-in-a-more-traditional-per – Andi Mohr Jan 08 '15 at 15:13
  • I don't know why this answer doesn't work for me! – hossayni Jan 12 '15 at 10:22
  • Could you somehow demonstrate the issue or explain step-by-step what you're doing? When I open multiple Excel worksheets in Excel 2013, they are opened in separate windows with separate undo lists. – Oliver Salzburg Jan 13 '15 at 19:38
  • @OliverSalzburg As I, partly, explained above, I go to start -> all programs -> Microsoft office 2013 -> Excel 2013 -> File -> Open -> Computer. Then I write something in one of the previously opened files and then something in the newly opened file. Then push Ctrl+z twice. Both of the files will be undo. – hossayni Jan 13 '15 at 20:02
  • @hossayni: Sorry, my mistake. I see the problem now. – Oliver Salzburg Jan 13 '15 at 20:09
  • I have to say, this is pretty interesting. When you start another instance of Excel, it will simply invoke the previous instance to open another window and close itself. The only way to force a second instance is if you start the first one as Administrator (not recommended) and the second as normal user. Trying to force Excel to open another context seems to be quite tricky. This is quite annoying. – Oliver Salzburg Jan 13 '15 at 20:30

2 Answers2

5

NOTE: The following answer was obtained from this blog post: Opening workbooks by running separate instances of Excel

How to create multiple instances of Microsoft Ecel 2013 (it may or may not work with older versions):

  1. Open Excel either through the Start menu or Run command (Win+R→"excel"→Enter)

  2. Hold the Alt key and right click on the Excel icon in the taskbar and click on Excel 2013 while still holding down Alt
    Excel - context menu

  3. When you are greeted with this prompt, choose Yes Excel - multiple instances

Alternative Method

  1. Press Win+R→"excel /x"→Enter
Vinayak
  • 10,625
  • 10
  • 54
  • 89
  • 1
    This works. I also just found these instructions on http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17333208/how-the-make-office-2013-windows-run-in-separate-processes – Oliver Salzburg Jan 13 '15 at 20:48
1

Additionally:

If you double click an excel-file (without ALT) and immediately afterwards hold down alt, Excel will also popup the question "Do you want to start a new instance".

Vinnie
  • 11
  • 1