Opening an already open Excel file crashes the system

[steve case]

I am using Excel 2007

If you right click on the Excel icon in your Windows task bar you will get a
column of recent files open and any that you've pinned to the top of the list.
If any of those files are already open, Windows underlines in blue the icon
in the task bar, but not the icon for the file that's open. Very easy to overlook.

If you click on the one that's open, the taskbar icon turns orange, pulsates,
and tells you that you're trying to open a file that's already open.

At that point I don't know what to do. I've had some serious crashes, my file is
wrecked beyond repair and I've been to the Geek Squad to unscramble the mess.

So is there anything I can do to my Excel file to prevent this from happening.
It's to the point that I'm afraid to open some Excel files.

________________________________________________________

By the way what are push notifications that Mr. Excel wants me to allow?

 

[rlv01]

If you click on the one that's open, the taskbar icon turns orange, pulsates,
and tells you that you're trying to open a file that's already open.

FWIW, I've just tested this under Excel 365/Win10 and Excel 2010/Win7. All worked as expected. No pulsing, no crashes. Might be time to consider upgrading from 2007.

 

[steve case]

FWIW, I've just tested this under Excel 365/Win10 and Excel 2010/Win7. All worked as expected. No pulsing, no crashes. Might be time to consider upgrading from 2007.

A few years back I upgraded to Excel 2013 and found it unsatisfactory.
Lots of buttons were moved, renamed, and functionally changed.

I produce a lot of graphs and Excel 2007 is easy, all you have to do is select
a column of numbers and press [F11] and up comes a graph ready made.
For some reason Microsoft removed that very handy shortcut.

The actual problem is NOT Excel related, but maybe there's a work around
that can be added to an Excel file to let the user know that it is open.

 

[rlv01]

A few years back I upgraded to Excel 2013 and found it unsatisfactory.
Lots of buttons were moved, renamed, and functionally changed.

I hear you, but that's just the nature of the beast. It's surprising how quickly you get used to the changed buttons and menu locations. But it's true there was a step change after 2007. I will say that I preferred 2010 to 2013. I suppose it will depend on at what point the damaged/corrupted file issue becomes a bigger problem for you than moving to a more modern version of Excel.

I produce a lot of graphs and Excel 2007 is easy, all you have to do is select
a column of numbers and press [F11] and up comes a graph ready made.
For some reason Microsoft removed that very handy shortcut.

Are you sure they removed it? I can't speak for 2013, but I just tried this out in Excel 365 and pressing F11 instantly produced a chart.

 

[steve case]

I hear you, but that's just the nature of the beast. It's surprising how quickly you get used to the changed buttons and menu locations. But it's true there was a step change after 2007. I will say that I preferred 2010 to 2013. I suppose it will depend on at what point the damaged/corrupted file issue becomes a bigger problem for you than moving to a more modern version of Excel.


Are you sure they removed it? I can't speak for 2013, but I just tried this out in Excel 365 and pressing F11 instantly produced a chart.

This thread is about my computer crashing so bad it took a trip to
the Geek Squad to unscramble the mess. I tried making the file
read only. I don't remember why that didn't work. I've got a safety
file for the file that I use all the time, but I've got a lot of files I don't
want to lose. I don't want to see the Excel icon on the Windows
task bar turn a pulsating orange ever again.

An idea: Um I'll leave it after spending time to write it, but skip to the last paragraph

A file with a routine that opens files under Recent Documents then closes,
except if they are already open it puts up a message box that says so.

I'd try that manually with out trying to write a Macro, but I'm afraid that
will crash. So what happens if I open "My File" make some changes and
leave it open without saving and then go to "Recent Documents" and
try to open "My File" even though it's already open with some changes?

If that works without crashing then I make a file call it Recent File Opener
and then I would bypass the mess that Windows creates if I do that.

Would be nice if such a file could pin favorites to the top.

I'd need Mr. Excel to help with the details. I used to make files with macros
and formulas for people, but I've been retired for 15 years, and I've pretty
much forgotten most of the tricks I used to make things work.

Maybe all I need to do is forget about using the Windows Task Bar recent
files feature, and open Microsoft Office Excel 2007. But I'd like an answer
to the if it's already open question. (Bold Above) Seems like a kinda dumb
question, and why don't I just try it, but there's that trip to the Geek Squad
that gives me qualms.