# Excel 2003 & 2007 Questions



## pbt (Apr 25, 2007)

Don't know if this is the right place for this thread - so if it get's moved that's fine.

My company has decided to install Office 2007 on a new computer that I will get.  I will be the test dummy of Office 2007.

I have asked our IT guy if you could install 2007 and still leave 2003 on this new computer.  He says it is *too much trouble.*

I have read many post from some of the MVP's here that have 97 on up on their computer.

I have no knowledge of what it takes to install different versions.  I was thinking that Partioning of the hard drive was how it was done.  

My worries is that if he  leaves me with only 2007, that maybe some of the macros in the sheets that I, and the whole company work on will not work properly.  Or if I open it in 2007, it will open in 2007 every time.  In others words I would be left without the ability to "test" in 2007.

With what I do, it is essential that if I open a file, (during *real*company work) that it works, macros included.  I will not have the option or time to wait for my IT guy *"to find the time"* to fix the problem.

We use a lot of Excel books that have macros (some very intense) that were written by a former employee using 2003.  
And this is where I am getting my knowledge of VBA.

Needless to say, the IT guy is the brother-in-law of one of the bosses, so I have to come up with a way to convince the higher-ups that my worries are justified. (if this is the case)

I guess my questions are:

1.  Is it really that hard to have two versions of Office (or in particular, Excel only, don't need the rest) installed on the same machine.
2.  Would I (or will I *might)* encounter some problems with some of the VBA codes written in 2003

I think that I can handle the "brother-in-law" situation with the right words since I am the most senior employee in the company.

Any comments on this will be greatly appreciated,

Harry Shue
since it's already out
http://www.mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=252527&start=60


----------



## Richard Schollar (Apr 25, 2007)

Hi Harry

I can't really talk about it from a corporate perspective, but from a home perspective it is really simple to install Office 2007 alongside your existing Office (it is one of the options after you insert the installation DVD).  I currently have Office 97 Professional, Office 2003 Pro and Office 2007 Pro all happily coexisting alongside each other on my home PC. You don't have to worry about partitioning the drive (I didn't have to) - you just need to make sure you only use one copy of Outlook.  

You could well run into trouble with macros (especially if any of them create/use Toolbars or FileSearches, or modify/add menu items, or even have hardcoded old row limits (the classic being Range("A65536").End(xlUp) since the new row limit is so much greater)).

Also, 2007 files can't be opened in 2003 (you do have the option to save down in earlier file formats from within Excel 2007 though).

You may (I'm not certain of this by any means) run into compatibility issues if you have exisiting 2003 spreadies with lots of pivot tables in them.

I, personally, would think it was easily the most sensible option to install 2007 alongside 2003.

Richard


----------



## starl (Apr 25, 2007)

I regularly run 97-2003 on one machine and 2000 with 2007 on another (I'm not ready to have 2007 be my default).
As long as you install them in different folders (i suggest WIDELY different folders.. do not install both in the "Microsoft Office" folder), there's no problems running them together. As Richard said, you can only have one version of Outlook, but you can only have one version of Access, too.

As for code, I'm just finishing up our 2007 VBA book. Filesearch is an absolute no no for 2007. Everything else written in earlier versions is iffy. Toolbars will end up on your addin ribbon; charts and pivot tables are completely different.. i'm not sure about the code on that, but since Bill completely rewrote the chapters, I'm sure there are differences (tho it could be argument based). hmm.. You can't "Kill" the open workbook. Conditional Formatting changed enough that you have to be careful there...

I think it's a VERY BAD IDEA to not keep an older version around. The 2007 convertor still has issues and I wouldn't trust it for awhile yet.. not if you have an advanced workbook.


----------



## Richard Schollar (Apr 25, 2007)

Tracy,

I didn't know there was a problem with multiple versions of Access?  I have Access 97 and 2002 quite happily chugging away on my works PC and Access 97 and 2003 on my home PC which haven't - yet - thrown a fit.  I haven't even fired up Access 2007 yet, and I'm slightly worried about the consequences if I do - can you elaborate?


----------



## starl (Apr 25, 2007)

hmm - i've read it's not recommended to run multiple versions of access side by side.. i think it took some manual changes if you did. So I don't bother.

I've fired about Access 2007 - way different. looks less intimidating, but haven't converted any dbs to it


----------



## SydneyGeek (Apr 30, 2007)

I'm starting to use Access 2007 and it is way different. Some bits I like. Some I definitely don't. My main one...

In the VBA window, hit the quote key. Doesn't matter if it's the single or double, nothing happens until you hit it again. Then you get two. Or... you think it's OK, so you type a letter to start a comment. and you end up with an accented letter instead of apostrophe and letter. GRRRR...

Denis

Denis


----------



## Richard Schollar (Apr 30, 2007)

I haven't even fired up Access yet  altho not that I'm kinda Access guru afterall 

I actually wrote some code in Excel 2007 at the weekend though, and even made use of the ribbon to apply some formatting.  This was a big step for me, as I have barely touched 2007 (2003 is good enough for everything I currently do).  I'm sure my usage will grow...


----------



## pbt (May 4, 2007)

Thanks Richard and Tracy for the comments.

I have not forgotten about this thread, just was real busy here and wanted to wait until the IT guy did his thing.

He went ahead and installed 2007 along side 2003.  So now I'm "playing" with it.

ONE problem that occured and he said that he would have to check into it.  So I thought I would see if I could get an answer to help him.

All 2003 Excel icons appear as "unidentifiable" icons.  Clicking on them opens in 2003 Excel. 

Going to Properties, reveals that they are .xls files.  Open with: says "Unknown application.  Clicked on the Change...button and clicked both the 2003 and 2007 Excel icons to Open With -  but nothing changes.
They are still Unknown application, but still opens in 2003.

No problem with a book created in 2007, shows correct icon.
(Using windows XP)

Harry


----------



## starl (May 4, 2007)

i don't get it..?


----------



## pbt (May 4, 2007)

Does that mean I didn't explain well enough?

Harry


----------



## starl (May 4, 2007)

yeah, I don't understand what issue you're having.


----------



## pbt (May 5, 2007)

Before installing 2007, all icons for my  2003 Excel workbooks looked like a sheet of paper with the top right corner bent over and a Green X to the left.

Note:  purely going off of memory right now.  I"m at home and the computer at work has the 2007 installed.

Since the install of 2007, the icons look similar to a MS window with 6 little "squares" in the middle of this window.  Typically what you would get if Windows can not identify the program to use to open it.

I can click on theses icons and it will open in Excl 2003.



> Going to Properties, reveals that they are .xls files.
> *Opens with:* line says "Unknown application."
> Clicked on the Change...button
> and clicked both the 2003 and 2007 Excel icons to Open With - but nothing changes.



Workbooks made from Excel 2007 has the right icon.

Hope that explains, if not I will try again.

Harry


----------



## starl (May 5, 2007)

yeah, i get it now - and you're right - the icons have lost their connection to the application. Usually, when you install dual versions, it's the latest version that controls the icons. On my 2007 test system, I tried to change it for xls to open automatically in my 2000.. totally screwed things up. I mean - it worked, but there were errors in the process. So i reset it all back. I wonder if your IT guy tried to set the xls to open in 2003 by default....

tho, your situation is a little different - you aren't mentioning any errors...
have you tried to verify/set those icons for 2003?


----------



## pbt (May 5, 2007)

> have you tried to verify/set those icons for 2003?



I think I did if this is how it is done.

Right click Proerties > Change... > chose the 2003 icon.

Also chose the 2007 icon, but no change and it still opens in 2003 version.

Harry


----------



## starl (May 6, 2007)

ok.. you've lost me. What do you want done?
The xls files are opening in 2003 - correct?
you want them to open in 2007?


----------



## pbt (May 7, 2007)

Yes they do open in 2003
No I don't want them to open in 2007

The issue is - *The icons* for the 2003 files show as described above.



> Since the install of 2007, the icons look similar to a MS window with 6 little "squares" in the middle of this window. Typically what you would get if Windows can not identify the program to use to open it.



Harry


----------



## starl (May 7, 2007)

So - you're picking the Excel 2003 icon, but it's not staying that way - it reverts to some other icon.

If you're right-clicking, Properties, Change - that just changes the program that opens the file, not the icon associated with the file type.

To change the icon, you have to go to Tools, Folder Options, File Types, find the extension you want, click Advanced, Change Icon and select from the available icons. My Excel icons are in a file called xlicons.exe.. you might have to look for it.


----------



## justme (May 8, 2007)

I want to make sure I'm understanding.  You can be running 2007 at the same time you are running 2003?  Just make sure when you load 2007 that the file location is vastly different than the 2003 location?

Second question, will 2007 still run .xlm macros?


----------



## Richard Schollar (May 8, 2007)

> Second question, will 2007 still run .xlm macros?



Yep.


----------



## justme (May 8, 2007)

YES!

Thanks, now after reading separate topic, get some sleep!


----------

