Microsoft KB Archive/211494

= Excel opens without displaying a workbook =

Article ID: 211494

Article Last Modified on 4/16/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office Excel 2007
 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Office Excel 2003
 * Microsoft Excel 2002 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q211494



SYMPTOMS
When you double-click a Microsoft Excel workbook (.xls file or .xlsx file) in Microsoft Windows Explorer, Excel does not open the file, and you may receive the following error message:

Cannot find the file ' ' (or one of its components). Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available.

In Window Vista, when you double-click an Excel workbook, Excel does not open the file, and you may receive the following error message:

Windows cannot find ' \ ', Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

Excel may actually open, but the file will not open. If Excel is already running, a second instance of Excel may start.



CAUSE
This problem may occur if the Ignore other applications setting in Excel is selected.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
 * 1) In Microsoft Office Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Excel Options.
 * 2) Click Advanced, and then click to clear the Ignore other applications check box in the General area.
 * 3) Click OK.


 * 1) In Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or earlier versions of Excel click Options, on the Tools menu.
 * 2) Click the General tab.
 * 3) Click to clear the Ignore other applications check box, and then click OK.

After you do this, you should be able to open workbooks by double-clicking them in Windows Explorer.



MORE INFORMATION
When you double-click an Excel workbook in Windows Explorer, a dynamic data exchange (DDE) message is sent to Excel, instructing it to open the workbook that you double-clicked.

If the Ignore other applications setting is selected, Excel ignores DDE messages sent to it by other programs. As a result, the DDE message sent to Excel by Windows Explorer is ignored, and Excel does not open the workbook that you double-clicked.

Additional query words: XL2000 .xls files opening workbooks double click double-click open explorer XL2002 XL97 XL2003 XL2007

Keywords: kbconfig kbopenfile kbprb kbualink97 KB211494

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