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# Odd Window Behavior After Inserting a Workbook

Article ID: 109210

Article Last Modified on 8/15/2005

APPLIES TO

- Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Excel 5.0c

This article was previously published under Q109210

## SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel versions 5.x and 7.0, when you initially insert a Microsoft Excel workbook (by choosing Object from the Insert menu) into another Microsoft Excel workbook, you may notice that

- Extra hidden windows are created. -and-
- You are prompted to save the inserted workbook even when it does not seem necessary.

## MORE INFORMATION

The following information applies only when a workbook (for example, TEST1.XLS) has initially been inserted into another workbook (for example, TEST2.XLS) and the same session of Microsoft Excel is still running.

1. The first time you insert a specific workbook (TEST1.XLS) into another specific workbook (TEST2.XLS) in Microsoft Excel, two hidden windows are created: one hidden window contains the inserted copy of TEST1.XLS, and the other window contains the separate TEST1.XLS, which has been opened and hidden. Note that both windows initially contain exactly the same contents.
2. When you save TEST2.XLS, any changes made to the inserted copy of TEST1.XLS are also saved. The separate copy of TEST1.XLS is not affected.
3. When you close Microsoft Excel, the program almost always prompts you to save the separate copy of TEST1.XLS. This is because during the process of inserting TEST1.XLS, the separate copy of that file was opened and hidden. Since this constitutes a change to the workbook, Microsoft Excel prompts you to save changes to the separate copy of TEST1.XLS.
   Choosing Yes saves the separate copy of TEST1.XLS with all the changes you made to the inserted copy of TEST1.XLS, but also saves it as hidden. Choosing No leaves the separate copy of TEST1.XLS unchanged.
   You should not be prompted to save the inserted copy of TEST1.XLS: this is done automatically when you save TEST2.XLS.
   When you restart Microsoft Excel and reopen TEST2.XLS, there are no hidden windows associated with TEST2.XLS, and you are not prompted to save TEST1.XLS at any time.

### Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Exit and restart Microsoft Excel.
2. In a new worksheet in a new workbook, enter the following value:

   A1: `This is TEST1.XLS`

3. Save the workbook as TEST1.XLS.
4. Exit and restart Microsoft Excel.
5. In a new worksheet in a new workbook (Book1), choose Object from the Insert menu.
6. In the Object dialog box, select the Create From File tab.
7. In the list of files, select TEST1.XLS. Choose OK to insert the workbook.
8. From the Window menu, choose Unhide.
   The Unhide dialog box contains two workbook names: TEST1.XLS and Book2.
9. In the Unhide dialog box, choose Cancel.
10. Save workbook Book1 as TEST2.XLS. When you save TEST2.XLS, any changes made to the inserted copy of TEST1.XLS are saved within the TEST2.XLS workbook. However, the separate copy of TEST1.XLS is not affected.
11. From the File menu, choose Exit.

You are prompted to save changes in TEST1.XLS. This is because TEST1.XLS, which was originally saved "visible," has been opened and hidden as a result of the insertion process. If you save changes in TEST1.XLS, the file is saved "hidden" and you must unhide (by choosing Unhide from the File or Window menu) TEST1.XLS when next you open it. You are not prompted to save Book2.

Additional query words: 5.00c XL

Keywords: KB109210