How do I find a file/spreadsheet that Excel says is Already open but I can't find it?

I was working on a spreadsheet that I use almost daily -- "Account IB". I inadvertently left clicked my mouse -- was unaware where the cursor was at the time. But the result was that the spreadsheet disappeared off my screen. I tried to re-open it, thinking I had inadvertently closed it, but got the message that it was already open. Yet the only window visible was the "Book 1" spreadsheet that appears on Excel startup. I looked in the "Window" drop-down menu at the top of the page which lists all open files, but only "Book 1" was listed -- there was no "Account IB".

I turned off my computer, restarted it, and restarted Excel. "Book 1" opened up as always, but when I tried to open "Account IB" nothing appeared on the screen -- "Book 1" was still there. Also I again checked the "Window" drop-down menu and the only file listed there was "Book 1."

So I went to the "My Documents" folder that has all my Excel files in it. "Account IB" is there. I double clicked on it's icon and got the message that:"A document with the name Account IB is already open. You cannot open two documents with the same name, even if the documents are in different folders. To open the second document, either close the document that is already open, or rename one of the documents."

I then shut down Excel, which usually shuts down all active Excel files, and without starting Excel again double clicked on the "Account IB" icon in the "My documents" folder. Again, I got the same message as above, that the file was already open, even though Excel was never started.

I shut my computer down again and restarted it. This time I went directly to "MY Documents" folder without starting Excel and double-clicked the "Account IB" icon. And got the same message as above -- the file was already open.

As a check, to see if "Account IB" had been duplicated or moved to a second folder, I did a search for "Account IB." The only result showed it in the "My Documents" folder.

I have Excel 97 and Windows XP Home version. Anyone have an idea what has happened? TIA

Hi nwtrader8,

You may inadvertently have hidden the workbook.

Try:

Window | Unhide

---
Regards,
Norman



"nwtrader8" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
>
> I was working on a spreadsheet that I use almost daily -- "Account IB".
> I inadvertently left clicked my mouse -- was unaware where the cursor
> was at the time. But the result was that the spreadsheet disappeared
> off my screen. I tried to re-open it, thinking I had inadvertently
> closed it, but got the message that it was already open. Yet the only
> window visible was the "Book 1" spreadsheet that appears on Excel
> startup. I looked in the "Window" drop-down menu at the top of the page
> which lists all open files, but only "Book 1" was listed -- there was
> no "Account IB".
>
> I turned off my computer, restarted it, and restarted Excel. "Book 1"
> opened up as always, but when I tried to open "Account IB" nothing
> appeared on the screen -- "Book 1" was still there. Also I again
> checked the "Window" drop-down menu and the only file listed there was
> "Book 1."
>
> So I went to the "My Documents" folder that has all my Excel files in
> it. "Account IB" is there. I double clicked on it's icon and got the
> message that:"A document with the name Account IB is already open. You
> cannot open two documents with the same name, even if the documents are
> in different folders. To open the second document, either close the
> document that is already open, or rename one of the documents."
>
> I then shut down Excel, which usually shuts down all active Excel
> files, and without starting Excel again double clicked on the "Account
> IB" icon in the "My documents" folder. Again, I got the same message as
> above, that the file was already open, even though Excel was never
> started.
>
> I shut my computer down again and restarted it. This time I went
> directly to "MY Documents" folder without starting Excel and
> double-clicked the "Account IB" icon. And got the same message as above
> -- the file was already open.
>
> As a check, to see if "Account IB" had been duplicated or moved to a
> second folder, I did a search for "Account IB." The only result showed
> it in the "My Documents" folder.
>
> I have Excel 97 and Windows XP Home version. Anyone have an idea what
> has happened? TIA
>
>
> --
> nwtrader8
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> nwtrader8's Profile:
> http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=24354
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=379512
>

Try copying the file to another directory, and then changing the name of the
new file......then open

If it still don't work, you're welcome to send a copy to my home addy and
I'll give it a try......

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3


"nwtrader8" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
>
> I was working on a spreadsheet that I use almost daily -- "Account IB".
> I inadvertently left clicked my mouse -- was unaware where the cursor
> was at the time. But the result was that the spreadsheet disappeared
> off my screen. I tried to re-open it, thinking I had inadvertently
> closed it, but got the message that it was already open. Yet the only
> window visible was the "Book 1" spreadsheet that appears on Excel
> startup. I looked in the "Window" drop-down menu at the top of the page
> which lists all open files, but only "Book 1" was listed -- there was
> no "Account IB".
>
> I turned off my computer, restarted it, and restarted Excel. "Book 1"
> opened up as always, but when I tried to open "Account IB" nothing
> appeared on the screen -- "Book 1" was still there. Also I again
> checked the "Window" drop-down menu and the only file listed there was
> "Book 1."
>
> So I went to the "My Documents" folder that has all my Excel files in
> it. "Account IB" is there. I double clicked on it's icon and got the
> message that:"A document with the name Account IB is already open. You
> cannot open two documents with the same name, even if the documents are
> in different folders. To open the second document, either close the
> document that is already open, or rename one of the documents."
>
> I then shut down Excel, which usually shuts down all active Excel
> files, and without starting Excel again double clicked on the "Account
> IB" icon in the "My documents" folder. Again, I got the same message as
> above, that the file was already open, even though Excel was never
> started.
>
> I shut my computer down again and restarted it. This time I went
> directly to "MY Documents" folder without starting Excel and
> double-clicked the "Account IB" icon. And got the same message as above
> -- the file was already open.
>
> As a check, to see if "Account IB" had been duplicated or moved to a
> second folder, I did a search for "Account IB." The only result showed
> it in the "My Documents" folder.
>
> I have Excel 97 and Windows XP Home version. Anyone have an idea what
> has happened? TIA
>
>
> --
> nwtrader8
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> nwtrader8's Profile:
http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=24354
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=379512
>

That's exactly what happened. I went back and opened it again -- of course it didn't show. Then I went to Windows/unhide, and there it was. Thanks. Saved me a lotr of work.

of help. Norman identified the problem, and the easy solution. But I think your suggestion would have worked too. Thanks.

I experienced a similar problem, not being able to access a workbook i have
been using for some years, but could not fix it by unhiding. In the end, I
went to Window>Arrange Windows and found that "windows of active workbook"
was, for some reason, unchecked. Checking the box revealed my Excel file (to
my great relief!!)

"nwtrader8" wrote:

>
> I was working on a spreadsheet that I use almost daily -- "Account IB".
> I inadvertently left clicked my mouse -- was unaware where the cursor
> was at the time. But the result was that the spreadsheet disappeared
> off my screen. I tried to re-open it, thinking I had inadvertently
> closed it, but got the message that it was already open. Yet the only
> window visible was the "Book 1" spreadsheet that appears on Excel
> startup. I looked in the "Window" drop-down menu at the top of the page
> which lists all open files, but only "Book 1" was listed -- there was
> no "Account IB".
>
> I turned off my computer, restarted it, and restarted Excel. "Book 1"
> opened up as always, but when I tried to open "Account IB" nothing
> appeared on the screen -- "Book 1" was still there. Also I again
> checked the "Window" drop-down menu and the only file listed there was
> "Book 1."
>
> So I went to the "My Documents" folder that has all my Excel files in
> it. "Account IB" is there. I double clicked on it's icon and got the
> message that:"A document with the name Account IB is already open. You
> cannot open two documents with the same name, even if the documents are
> in different folders. To open the second document, either close the
> document that is already open, or rename one of the documents."
>
> I then shut down Excel, which usually shuts down all active Excel
> files, and without starting Excel again double clicked on the "Account
> IB" icon in the "My documents" folder. Again, I got the same message as
> above, that the file was already open, even though Excel was never
> started.
>
> I shut my computer down again and restarted it. This time I went
> directly to "MY Documents" folder without starting Excel and
> double-clicked the "Account IB" icon. And got the same message as above
> -- the file was already open.
>
> As a check, to see if "Account IB" had been duplicated or moved to a
> second folder, I did a search for "Account IB." The only result showed
> it in the "My Documents" folder.
>
> I have Excel 97 and Windows XP Home version. Anyone have an idea what
> has happened? TIA
>
>
> --
> nwtrader8
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> nwtrader8's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=24354
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=379512
>
>

Norman, you are a rock star. Thank you for saving me so much time ... so glad I found your response! Have a blessed life lol!