Weird behaviour: How do I maximize all Excel windows?

RogerWilco

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Joined
Aug 30, 2014
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Hi I'm new here, but the internet suggested this was the best forum for Excel tips.

I must be missing something obvious, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to maximize all Excel windows.
I'm using Excel 2011 on OSX 10.7. Everytime I click to maximize a window, it puts the other windows at a smaller size. I use multiple desktops and would like to put each maximized window on its own desktop, but this doesn't work. Even on a single desktop I can't get all windows to maximize at the same time.

I've made a YouTube video demonstrating the problem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DlJHCQhVag

Thanks.

Edited: Apparently embedding Youtube videos doesn't work properly.
 

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I'm not sure what the problem is.
I use the same version of excel on the same OS. The Green dot will maximize the front screen just fine. And using the menu to switch from window to window works good.

It is odd that if I maximize a window, maximize a different window, drag the second window to the side, the first window appears to be its original size rather then the maximized size. If you make that first window active by clicking on the window, it comes in at the smaller size, but if you use the Windows Menu to select the "first" window, it will maximize.
If windows are resized by dragging the corner, that works just great.

The other thing I noted is that Full Screen is different than Maximize. Full Screen is under the View menu item and is different than the green dot Maximize.

One other point. I don't use Spaces, but if you do, I've heard that it doesn't mix well with Excel.
 
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I'm not sure what the problem is.
I use the same version of excel on the same OS. The Green dot will maximize the front screen just fine. And using the menu to switch from window to window works good.
You are correct that if you use the Window menu option to switch windows, it will maximize the window you select. I didn't know that. If you just click on the other window to select it using Expose or Spaces the "old" window stays maximized. It doesn't seem to notice I'm working in a different document as far as this behaviour is concerned.

It is odd that if I maximize a window, maximize a different window, drag the second window to the side, the first window appears to be its original size rather then the maximized size. If you make that first window active by clicking on the window, it comes in at the smaller size, but if you use the Windows Menu to select the "first" window, it will maximize.
This is basically the behaviour that is causing me grief. It seems to only want to maximize one window at the same time, and only allow you to select a different one though the menu (Which I never used and didn't know about).

If windows are resized by dragging the corner, that works just great.
Yeah, not using maximize and just dragging the windows out seems to be the best solution. I'm so used to Maximize working in all other programs I use, that I initially often forget to try that when encountering this problem. After a while I usually remember this work around though. (When it's not quite late in the evening, like right now).

The other thing I noted is that Full Screen is different than Maximize. Full Screen is under the View menu item and is different than the green dot Maximize.
Maximize doesn't hide the Dock. That's why I want to use it instead of Full Screen, as Excel isn't the only application I use.

One other point. I don't use Spaces, but if you do, I've heard that it doesn't mix well with Excel.
I liked the old Spaces better, where you could have a two dimensional grid, like you can on most unix versions for the last ~20 years or so. (I started my life on SGI). I couldn't live without it and it boggles my mind every time I use Windows that it doesn't support a similar feature without 3rd party tools.

At least it's not PowerPC code running really slow in Rosetta emulation any more, like with Excel 2004. That was really not much fun to use.

Thanks for the answer.
 
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