XL5: Double-Clicking File in File Manager Doesn't Start Excel

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

In File Manager, when you double-click an .XLS file while a document that contains a Microsoft Excel 5.0 Worksheet object is open in a client application, Microsoft Excel is not started.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs even if the worksheet object is not open for in-place editing. The behavior occurs because while the document that contains the worksheet object is open, an invisible instance of Microsoft Excel is running. Double-clicking an .XLS file in File Manager to open the file in Microsoft Excel appears to have no effect, because Microsoft Excel is already running.

Note that this is not a problem if a visible instance of Microsoft Excel is running when you double-click the file name in File Manager.

WORKAROUNDS

To open a file in Microsoft Excel while a document that contains a Microsoft Excel 5.0 Worksheet object is open in a client application, do any of the following:

• Close the document that contains the workbook object before you double-click the filename in File Manager.

  -or-

• Start Microsoft Excel by double-clicking the program icon in Program Manager, or by choosing the Microsoft Excel icon from the Microsoft Office Manager (MOM) toolbar.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel version 5.0c for Windows.

REFERENCES

For more information about Embedding A Microsoft Excel Object In Another Application, choose the Search button in Help and type:

   embedding