One workbook with 62 worksheets

[Colts41]

I have an old Excel workbook that might have started out as a Lotus 123
workbook. The original creator of the workbook is long gone and forgotten.
My problem is that whenever the workbook is opened the taskbar at the bottom
creates a separate entry for each of the 62 worksheets. When I have other
workbooks open, it's a pain navigating through all the entries to find the
other workbooks. I am currently using Office 2007, but this problem occurred
in all earlier versions as well. Do I have an Excel problem or a Windows
(taskbar) problem? Is there a way to stop this and just display the workbook
and not all the worksheets?

Thanks to all those who contribute answers/solutions to this site. I've
learned a lot in my visits here.

 

[Nadine]

What operating system are you using.

 

[Colts41]

Thanks for responding Nadine.

I'm using Windows XP.

 

[Nadine]

Have you tried converting the workbook into Excel 2007 (save as exce 2007)
Could also try checking properties of windows task bar - right click on
start - left click on properties - Task Bar - select Group similar taskbar
buttons
Could also try from excel -Office Orb - Excel Options - Advances - Display -
Show all windows in task bar (but that will limit only one workbook showing
on the windows taskbar), won't show when have multiple workbooks open. Would
have to go to the View Tab - select switch windows - to move between the
workbooks.
But I'm new to using Excel 2007 there maybe another setting. That could be
causing this. May want to wait for an expert opinion.

 

[Colts41]

Tried your suggestions - but no luck. Fortunately this file is only in use
for 2-3 weeks of each year to produce the 62 pages of an annual report.

Thanks for the effort.

 

[Gord Dibben]

FWIW..........I have never seen worksheet tabs show up in the TaskBar as
individual workbooks.

Are you sure it is a single workbook with 62 sheets or a workspace with 62
books opening?

Having not seen this before I am at a loss for further suggestions.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[JLatham]

That's pretty much what I was thinking - either a workspace with multiple
workbooks within it, or a 'master' workbook that is opening the other 61 when
it is opened.
But I've been wrong before - several times this week already, even.

 

[Colts41]

Thanks to Gord Dibben and JLatham for your comments. My apologies for my
delay in acknowledging.

As I noted in my original post, I've learned a lot from this site. However,
the term "workspace" was new to me - or at least my memory. I searched for
"workspace" on this site and found a few posts. Unfortunately, I'm somewhat
pressed for time - will be away from work for 10 days - and don't have time
right now to do much studying/learning.

However, one thing I did see was an indication that saved workspace would
end with ".xlw" as opposed to the ".xls" on my file. Is this correct?

When I do open the ".xls" workbook, the Excel tab/button in my taskbar reads
"62 Microsoft Office Excel" and when I hover it displays all 62. Each of the
62 have all 62 worksheets and the displayed filenames are in the format of
"myfile.xls:1", "myfile.xls:2", ... "myfile.xls:62". Is the colon + number
at the end an indicator that I'm working with workspace versus workbook? If
it has been saved as workspace, how do I save it as simply a workbook? I've
tried to save it as both ".xls" and ".xlsx" but it always opens with 62
entries on my taskbar with the colon + numbers.

Thanks for your time and attention. I'll be checking back for any
additional information, but it will be a couple of weeks before I can
acknowledge.

 

[David Biddulph]

It sounds like you have 62 windows open on the same workbook. Close each
one in turn (not with the red X for the whole application in the extreme top
right-hand corner but with the blue X for the window immediately below it)
until you have only one window left open. Then save the workbook and
reopen. It should then have only one window open.

 

[Gord Dibben]

*.xlw is a workspace file containing one or more workbooks.

But..........your *.xls:1 and *.xls:2 are windows of the same workbook.

See other responses for cure for that.


Gord

 

[JLatham]

I believe that David and Gord have it pretty well covered: you've got 62
windows for the same workbook. Your last post gave us the clues we needed to
pin it down.

 

[Colts41]

Thanks David! That solved my problem.

And thanks again to Nadine, Gord and JLatham.