How launch Excel 2008 without creating and displaying new Workbook?

[Norman R. Nager, Ph.D.]

Usually, when I launch Excel, I just wish to open a recent file, especially
since Excel 2008 has allowed me to go beyond the 10 available in the 2004
version.

How does one set a preference that allows you to launch Excel and just
display the toolbars?

(I know I can use Command-w to close the empty new workbook that pops up on
launching Excel, but that's a distraction unless you want a new workbook.)

Respectfully, Norm

 

[CyberTaz]

There's no need to do anything but open the existing file of your choice...
The unused new workbook will simply evaporate. There's nothing new about
this behavior at all - every version of Excel I've ever used does exactly
the same thing, PC or Mac.

In versions that support VBA you could have used a macro to close the unused
workbook but there is no preference to do so. In fact, Excel needs to have a
file open I order for it to "work". Whether something can be done in
AppleScript I don't know - I've never investigated because it's never been a
problem from my point of view

As an alternative you might navigate in Finder to launch by double-clicking
the required file rather than launching Excel directly. Also, don't forget
that the Apple menu provides a Recent Items list and that there are numerous
OS-based approaches to facilitate accessing frequently used files. Another
option is to turn the Project Gallery on in Preferences so it presents you
with recent items from which to select.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Usually, when I launch Excel, I just wish to open a recent file, especially
since Excel 2008 has allowed me to go beyond the 10 available in the 2004
version.

How does one set a preference that allows you to launch Excel and just
display the toolbars?

(I know I can use Command-w to close the empty new workbook that pops up on
launching Excel, but that's a distraction unless you want a new workbook.)

Respectfully, Norm

You could write a short XLM macro that is in the startup folder to close any
open workbook (or workbook1). Additionally, there are run-time parameters
that can be set (or used to be). I'll have to look up how to do this with
Excel 2008 and try it before I get back to you. If you don't see a response
from me on this in the next couple of days, remind me.

 

[Norman R. Nager, Ph.D.]

Thanks very much, Bob.

I agree: The Files/Open Recent is very helpful.

Faster than using the Finder to navigate to files:

I have a folder of aliases of frequent documents that I now keep in the
dock. I tried putting the aliases folder in the dock, but the stack of
icons is not as easy to use as a list of aliases. I then made an alias of
the frequent documents aliases folder to put in the dock.

The problem is that after I use Retrospect Duplicate to clone my boot
volume, Disk Utility finds 766 permissions errors--ALL in aliases. Any
suggestions on how to use stacks and see a list, other than aliasing alias
folders to the dock?

Respectfully, Norm

 

[Norman R. Nager, Ph.D.]

You could write a short XLM macro that is in the startup folder to close any
open workbook (or workbook1). Additionally, there are run-time parameters
that can be set (or used to be). I'll have to look up how to do this with
Excel 2008 and try it before I get back to you. If you don't see a response
from me on this in the next couple of days, remind me.

Cool, Bob. That's very kind of you to offer to do this. Thanks, again.

 

[CyberTaz]

Have you considered putting that folder in Finder's SideBar rather than in
the Dock?

For example: I have a folder in the SideBar (actually an alias to the
folder) in which I store a number of files I frequently need to access. When
I go into the Open dialog from any program the folder is right there in the
left panel for easy access with a singe click & the content then is listed
in the right panel. You can add as much t the SideBar as you wish and
arrange the items in a convenient order.

It still seems to me that the Project Gallery is the way to go - especially
if the files are scattered about in various folders. It would also help
resolve your other need (the new workbook). When the PG appears & you select
the required file it simply opens without creating the blank workbook.

I don't know if that will remedy the permissions issue or not as I don't use
Retrospect, but I can't help believing that aliases to aliases may be
contributing to the problem.

 

[Norman R. Nager, Ph.D.]

It still seems to me that the Project Gallery is the way to go - especially
if the files are scattered about in various folders. It would also help
resolve your other need (the new workbook). When the PG appears & you select
the required file it simply opens without creating the blank workbook.

Thank you so very much, Bob, for repeating your recommendation of the
Project Gallery. I should have tried that immediately after you first
suggested it. I didn't realize that Project Gallery could be set to open
with recent documents in Excel 2008 rather than just a choice of workbooks
and templates. In earlier versions of Office, I'm sorry to say I may have
missed the that option if it existed then. It will be a great convenience.

Have you considered putting [the frequent documents] folder in Finder's
SideBar rather than in the Dock?

For example: I have a folder in the SideBar (actually an alias to the
folder) in which I store a number of files I frequently need to access. When
I go into the Open dialog from any program the folder is right there in the
left panel for easy access with a singe click & the content then is listed
in the right panel. You can add as much t the SideBar as you wish and
arrange the items in a convenient order.

That's a fine idea, Bob. My frequent documents folder is there as well as
in the Dock. It's faster to go to the Dock which is always visible on my
display rather than click on the Finder icon to get back to the SideBar.
Sometimes during troubleshooting, some of my user items in the SideBar
disappear and have to be replaced.

I don't know if that will remedy the permissions issue or not as I don't use
Retrospect, but I can't help believing that aliases to aliases may be
contributing to the problem.

Thanks for that insight. My hunch now is the permissions issue is created
in an incompatibility or bug in the PowerPC OS 10.5.1-Retrospect
interaction. Trashing Retrospect's preferences did not help. It did not
happen with Tiger. It does not happen with Carbon Copy Cloner.

 

[CyberTaz]

Glad some of the suggestions are useful As to:

<snip>

That's a fine idea, Bob. My frequent documents folder is there as well as
in the Dock. It's faster to go to the Dock which is always visible on my
display rather than click on the Finder icon to get back to the SideBar.
Sometimes during troubleshooting, some of my user items in the SideBar
disappear and have to be replaced.

<snip>

What's probably happening here is that the "missing" items are on a volume
that is being unmounted - if the volume isn't available the item is
automatically removed. And - unless something has changed in Leopard - it
isn't restored automatically when the volume is remounted.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac