Thanks MSFT For "Making Things Better" <sarcasm>

[jswhip]

Was "upgraded" to Excel 2013 yesterday from Excel 2007, and have experienced many idiosynchratic changes/bugs. For example, some macros no longer work or cause Excel 2013 to blow up on something very basic as closing a file with savechanges=false.

But, thought I would start with some low hanging fruit: How do I stop Excel 2013 from reverting back to the "HOME" tab when I open a new file. I.E. - If I'm on the "DATA" tab, I would like to stay on the "DATA" web when I open another file.

Any thoughts?

 

[RoryA]

You can't. Because Excel 2013 uses a Single Document Interface (SDI) approach as opposed to the old Multiple Document Interface (MDI), each workbook is in its own independent window.

 

[Kyle123]

I find this actually one of the best improvements as I use multiple monitors, it used to drive me potty that I couldn't open 2 workbooks full screen in the same instance of Excel.

 

[jswhip]

Thanks for confirming that this is the default behavior.

Just irritating that I have re-click on the tab I was just on. Would be nice if MSFT wouldn't change how Excel works without giving the user the option to set the defaults. Work processes are set up based upon how an application displays - when this changes, it causes problems (even it's a minor thing such as this).

 

[dcardno]

Rory - do you know of any way to change XL2013 back to the MDI interface? I can see the attraction of SDIfor a multi-monitor set up (or even a big monitor with multiple windows arranged for convenience) - but on a laptop it just wastes space, and I am pretty conditioned to go to the (adjective self-censored) Ribbon at the top of the window, no matter which sub-window I am in.

 

[dcardno]

Never mind... I just checked a link to programming for SDI provided in another thread, and it seems that Mr Softie has imposed yet another (inexplicably stupid) interface decision on us.