Excel 2016 Bug?

[therber2]

Folks,

Without really explaining what I do for a living (not sure its relevent), I wanted to explain both a bug I have been experiencing as well as the typical overall workspace I'm using:

First of all, I have Excel 2016 now and I use 'Excel.exe /x' in Windows 10's 'Run' prompt to have open, currently, 11 instances of excel; each intance will only ever have one single Workbook open on it and my workbooks average about a 5,000 KB file size.

THE ISSUE: some of the files (typically files that are 5k KB to <20k KB in size will give me this issue where a cell won't select on any sheet unless I double click it....seems sort of like I have to 'wake the workbook up.' Also, just clicking between sheets has the same issue: that is, it'll only do anything if I double click...a single click doesn't wake it up.

Now....I do have files open up to over 20,000 KB large that DO NOT do this...I'm not totally sure that rules out the idea that my files having issues are just too large, but it may. I've run file inspector on these problematic files and really decreased file sizes, but there seems to be some corruption.

ALSO, I mentioned that I am on Excel 2016 now. I was on Excel 2003 before this and don't remember dealing with so many little bugs. What do you guys think about down grading my version of Excel?

Any other thoughts?

 

[SpillerBD]

With SDI why do you need the separate instances of Excel?
That will only cause more resources to be used to handle each independent session.

 

[therber2]

With SDI why do you need the separate instances of Excel?
That will only cause more resources to be used to handle each independent session.

In order to multitask while 1-2+ minute macros or calculations are processing on another file.
I don't know what 'SDI' is.

Other thing is: if one workbook crashed, it doesn't take them all down. Just that one...

 

[SpillerBD]

SDI - Single Document Interface.

I do watch fellow users in my office have difficulty in activating the Excel Application with the desired Workbook and then having to click it again to select the desired cell.
Personally, the issue I still have is the inability to scroll in a Workbook that uses PowerQuery without switching to another application and then back to Excel.
Since most of my Macros had been import/parse/reorganize data, I have been using the PowerQuery (2016 its Get & Transform) instead.

 

[SpillerBD]

Oh, bit versioning of OS and Excel?
My preference is 64/64
Seems like that is just a little issue in 64/32 while the compatibility part of the OS deals with a 32bit application.

 

[therber2]

Oh, bit versioning of OS and Excel?
My preference is 64/64
Seems like that is just a little issue in 64/32 while the compatibility part of the OS deals with a 32bit application.

Hmm this could be it. I believe I have the 64 bit version. Not like I can just toggle that setting though (or can I?)

 

[SpillerBD]

For me, it is best to be in full 64bit environment.
If you computer only runs 4GB of ram though you don't gain much headroom. Doesn't sound like any one 'book would create an issue.

Do you experience your issue when any of your macros are running?
Are any of your macros event based?

 

[therber2]

For me, it is best to be in full 64bit environment.
If you computer only runs 4GB of ram though you don't gain much headroom. Doesn't sound like any one 'book would create an issue.

Do you experience your issue when any of your macros are running?
Are any of your macros event based?

Yeah, that makes sense and has been my understanding of 64 vs 32 bit applications in general.
Fwiw, I AM running on a 64bit system (processor and Windows 10 OS both).
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No the issue does not occur when running macros.
Like I said, it is sort of like I have to "wake up" the workbook.
Issue occurs with going from another application to the workbook via the Windows taskbar...and then trying to just "do stuff"

 

[therber2]

I forgot to explain this issue where, even after I 'wake up' the file by double clicking a cell, there is sometimes this issue where nothing in the main ribbon works (eg. highlighting something yellow). Or another example: if I have a filter applied to a table and try to apply a filter on a header via the little square buttons on filtered data headers, I am unable, completely, to select anything from drop downs.

In other files, these problems don't exist. So far, it seems pretty random when they come and which files the bugs come with; however, it seems, arbitrarily speaking, I notice the issues more in larger files.

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Notes on my computer: this is a very good computer and I have zero problems with any other applications (#1 CPU 2015 benchmark winner [Intel Core i7 980x 3.33GHz] + 24.0 GB RAM), and I am very up to date on keeping it clean of all kinds of malware. I clear browser caches and I have tried closing and reopening excel files many times + restarting computer to try and clear cache and whatnot. Sort like spitting in the back of the TV and wacking it kind of stuff is where I'm at...

 

[SpillerBD]

In other files, these problems don't exist. So far, it seems pretty random when they come and which files the bugs come with; however, it seems, arbitrarily speaking, I notice the issues more in larger files.

Another thing I can think of may be calculations. If you have a large number of Array formulas/functions in use.
I have a case with thousands of array formulas hitting large arrays. Oh boy does that seem to hang forever. We switch to manual calculations and its speedy.

Another thing may have to do with any connections that might exist. Complex path or remote path or path that does not resolve clearly. I was in a network environment that files on the server were not being discovered quickly causing serious lag in opening the file.
Also, what frequency of auto-save are you on? I have not noticed if the Autosave indicator shows for an inactive window and you just happen to catch it when it is AutoSaving... (If so, play the lottery!)