Why can't I "tear" a maximized Excel 2007 window in Windows 7

In Windows 7, in most applications, when an application is maximized...I can "tear" the window (grab the title bar and drag) from it's maximized size and off the top of the screen and then I can drag it to wherever...but when Excel is maximized I do not have that functionality...Is there some trick to adding this functionality for Excel 2007...I can do it with Word 2007 so it doesn't appear to be Office itself. The machine is a Dell Latitude D820 with the Nvidia Quadro NVS 110M video card...running the latest video drivers...

w4ik

Posted 2010-09-23T19:08:40.427

Reputation: 208

Answers

It is apparently a known issue/bug: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itproui/thread/ae500d79-1b19-4f8b-9983-926ba864c5c5

Nick Spreitzer

Posted 2010-09-23T19:08:40.427

Reputation: 439

Here's the only way that I know how to in Windows 7; it's not the cleanest but works for what you want.

I followed the steps as said here: http://onlineitpro.com/?p=810

The only problem is that afterwards you can't double click on a speadsheet and open it. You'll have to open an instance of Excel and then open the file from there.

Hope this helps.

Hondalex

Posted 2010-09-23T19:08:40.427

Reputation: 1 524

Will opening the files in this manner allow me to "tear" the window away?...I'm not at the laptop rtight now... – w4ik – 2010-09-25T14:45:07.837

I believe so. I tried it on my machine and since it's two different Excel processes you can maximize and do whatever you want to either one. – Hondalex – 2010-09-27T14:09:24.327

Tried it on the laptop and no joy...It definitely opened Excel in two different instances...but still wouldn't let me tear either of the instances from their position when maximized. Maybe's it just a quirk with that particular machine? – w4ik – 2010-09-28T12:39:05.283

I tried again on my machine and I wasn't able to tear the window away. You can maximize it by draging it to the top and to the side but it won't come down once it's been maximized. I guess it's an Excel thing since all other Office apps do tear like you want. – Hondalex – 2010-09-28T13:10:19.590

That doesn't work. – Nick Spreitzer – 2011-02-08T14:56:35.560

-1

As for "Why" - the main Excel window is actually just a container for you worksheets. Below the main minimize, maximize and close buttons is another set of the same buttons. If you click the bottommost minimize button then only the active worksheet will be minimized, but not the whole Excel window. Probably that's why it doesn't behave the way other programs do.

Siim K

Posted 2010-09-23T19:08:40.427

Reputation: 6 776

Understood...Excel is definitely an MDI program...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_document_interface I just wanted to see if anyone knew of a trick to allow me to "tear" the window away...looks like it's just not possible – w4ik – 2010-10-05T18:41:59.267

Do you have any documentation to support this theory? It doesn't sound very plausible to me. – Nick Spreitzer – 2011-02-08T15:01:10.237

@Nick: what theory are you exactly commenting on? That Excel is a MDI program? See w4ik's link for documentation – Siim K – 2011-02-08T22:28:09.200

I'm skeptical that there is any relationship between Excel being an MDI application and Excel 2007's inability to be "unmaximized" by dragging the title bar. – Nick Spreitzer – 2011-02-08T22:31:08.650