How to Open Running Application; Not Start Another Instance of App

[Rob]

Greetings,

I am programming my new Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard so one of the
buttons will open up Excel, which works just fine. However, if I push the
button a second time, another instance of Excel opens up. Is there a way to
create a shortcut or use a parameter that switches to the running application
once it has been opened?

I created a shortcut and it does the same thing; opens a new instance of the
program, which I suppose is correct but...

Any ideas?

Rob

 

[Gord Dibben]

Re: How to Open Running Application; Not Start Another Instance of App

Try the usual fix(es) for this problem.

Tools>Options>General uncheck "Ignore other Applications"
Exit Excel and try again

If this doesn't work try to re-register Excel

Close Excel first and On the Windows Taskbar

1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.

See the space between exe and /regserver

You might have to designate a full path to excel.exe.
In that case Start>Run "C:\yourpath\excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:46:01 -0700, Rob <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Greetings,
>
>I am programming my new Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard so one of the
>buttons will open up Excel, which works just fine. However, if I push the
>button a second time, another instance of Excel opens up. Is there a way to
>create a shortcut or use a parameter that switches to the running application
>once it has been opened?
>
>I created a shortcut and it does the same thing; opens a new instance of the
>program, which I suppose is correct but...
>
>Any ideas?
>
>Rob

 

[Newbie Coder]

Re: How to Open Running Application; Not Start Another Instance of App

Rob

You are actually running EXCEL.EXE as apposed to a document within the
application with your shortcut key registering

Here are a list of all command line switches in MS Excel:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291288

--
Newbie Coder
(It's just a name)



"Rob" <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:97E7714B-7019-48C0-817E-E6D26B734532@microsoft.com...
> Greetings,
>
> I am programming my new Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard so one of the
> buttons will open up Excel, which works just fine. However, if I push the
> button a second time, another instance of Excel opens up. Is there a way to
> create a shortcut or use a parameter that switches to the running application
> once it has been opened?
>
> I created a shortcut and it does the same thing; opens a new instance of the
> program, which I suppose is correct but...
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Rob
>

 

[Rob]

Re: How to Open Running Application; Not Start Another Instance of

Re: How to Open Running Application; Not Start Another Instance of

The shortcut work fine as far as running Excel. What I would like is for all
subsequent double-clicks on the shortcut to open the existing Excel window
and NOT open a new instance of Excel.

I'd like to figure out how to do this with other applications as well, not
just Excel. Excel is just an example.

Rob


"Newbie Coder" wrote:

> Rob
>
> You are actually running EXCEL.EXE as apposed to a document within the
> application with your shortcut key registering
>
> Here are a list of all command line switches in MS Excel:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291288
>
> --
> Newbie Coder
> (It's just a name)
>
>
>
> "Rob" <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:97E7714B-7019-48C0-817E-E6D26B734532@microsoft.com...
> > Greetings,
> >
> > I am programming my new Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard so one of the
> > buttons will open up Excel, which works just fine. However, if I push the
> > button a second time, another instance of Excel opens up. Is there a way to
> > create a shortcut or use a parameter that switches to the running application
> > once it has been opened?
> >
> > I created a shortcut and it does the same thing; opens a new instance of the
> > program, which I suppose is correct but...
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > Rob
> >
>
>
>

 

[Rob]

Re: How to Open Running Application; Not Start Another Instance of

Re: How to Open Running Application; Not Start Another Instance of

This is not an issue with Excel as other apps behave the same way. Might
just be the way Windows works.

I was hoping to come up with some way to have my keyboard open the app the
first time and then swith to the active app on subsequent presses.

Rob


"Gord Dibben" wrote:

> Try the usual fix(es) for this problem.
>
> Tools>Options>General uncheck "Ignore other Applications"
> Exit Excel and try again
>
> If this doesn't work try to re-register Excel
>
> Close Excel first and On the Windows Taskbar
>
> 1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
> 2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.
>
> See the space between exe and /regserver
>
> You might have to designate a full path to excel.exe.
> In that case Start>Run "C:\yourpath\excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.
>
>
> Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
>
> On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:46:01 -0700, Rob <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >Greetings,
> >
> >I am programming my new Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard so one of the
> >buttons will open up Excel, which works just fine. However, if I push the
> >button a second time, another instance of Excel opens up. Is there a way to
> >create a shortcut or use a parameter that switches to the running application
> >once it has been opened?
> >
> >I created a shortcut and it does the same thing; opens a new instance of the
> >program, which I suppose is correct but...
> >
> >Any ideas?
> >
> >Rob
>
>

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Re: How to Open Running Application; Not Start Another Instance of

Re: How to Open Running Application; Not Start Another Instance of

Not all other apps, mostly MS apps. Most of the other apps I have will not open another window when I start them again. Some don't do anything (Hey, I'm already started!), or they open a new document in the same window (Corel WordPerfect, I believe, does this, or used to.)

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com

"Rob" <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message newsA01287C-691F-4B1B-A378-E6E23EE85838@microsoft.com...
> This is not an issue with Excel as other apps behave the same way. Might
> just be the way Windows works.
>
> I was hoping to come up with some way to have my keyboard open the app the
> first time and then swith to the active app on subsequent presses.
>
> Rob
>
>
> "Gord Dibben" wrote:
>
>> Try the usual fix(es) for this problem.
>>
>> Tools>Options>General uncheck "Ignore other Applications"
>> Exit Excel and try again
>>
>> If this doesn't work try to re-register Excel
>>
>> Close Excel first and On the Windows Taskbar
>>
>> 1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
>> 2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.
>>
>> See the space between exe and /regserver
>>
>> You might have to designate a full path to excel.exe.
>> In that case Start>Run "C:\yourpath\excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.
>>
>>
>> Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
>>
>> On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 07:46:01 -0700, Rob <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>> >Greetings,
>> >
>> >I am programming my new Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard so one of the
>> >buttons will open up Excel, which works just fine. However, if I push the
>> >button a second time, another instance of Excel opens up. Is there a way to
>> >create a shortcut or use a parameter that switches to the running application
>> >once it has been opened?
>> >
>> >I created a shortcut and it does the same thing; opens a new instance of the
>> >program, which I suppose is correct but...
>> >
>> >Any ideas?
>> >
>> >Rob
>>
>>