Unable to select cell in different workbook

[ebeauchamp28]

Hi,

Trying to help a colleague who has the following issue:
1. Create new Book1.xls.
2. Create new Book2.xls.
3. In Book2, set focus to any cell, type =, then switch to Book1 and select any cell. Normally, this would insert the following formula in Book2:
=[Book1]Sheet1!$B$5

The issue here is that Excel does not let the user select any cell in Book1. So it is impossible to create a link to a different workbook. The focus cannot be given to Book1 after typing = in Book2 (where usually you see a flashing rectangle indicating your cell select in the remote workbook).

Here's another strange result. On "normal" workstations, if you have both Book1 and Book2 open, and you paste the formula =[Book1]Sheet1!$B$5 into Book2, this creates the link directly. On this problematic workstation, Excel instead displays the Browse window, so here again it's not creating the link to the other file loaded in memory.

Do you have any clue of what can be causing this? I have looked at all the config options and performed a few searches on this forum, but cannot find something specific to this behavior.

Thanks in advance
Erik

 

[pgc01]

Hi Erik

I may be wrong but I think this has nothing to do with the workstations.

You can only do what you want if you are in the same instance of excel (you cannot launch 2 excels).

Try the following:
- Lauch excel to create book1
- Don't launch a new excel to create book2, insted use File>New workbook

Now you have the 2 workbooks in the same instance of excel and you can create the links automatically.

It's the same if they already exist.
- Open the first one
- Use File>Open to open the second one.

Hope this helps
PGC

 

[Richard Schollar]

Erik

You can't Select a cell in anything other than the active sheet of the active Workbook - you need to activate Book1 first. Not sure if this will help you out, but should explain what you are seeing.

Richard

 

[ebeauchamp28]

Worked!

Hi, the user was indeed launching two instances of Excek, which is why it was not working. Thanks a lot for help.