open selected files at once

[Paul Mountit]

You can try this button to open several files at once in Excel:

thanks
I've tried this solution, but it opens a new instance of excel for each selected file.
I've tried also to drag and drop excel.exe on the button bar using %P%S as parameters, it's better but anyway opens all selected files in a new instance of excel, ignoring the already running instance.
I need to try with F4menu or F4minimenu, maybe tomorrow

[Fla$her]

ok. I'll keep using shift+f10

The case, of course, is yours, if you are only interested in the built-in functionality. I preferred the workarounds to open the selected by Enter.

I use it on a regular basis with the help of internal associations, TCFS2 and additional tools.

[Ovg]

I've tried this solution, but it opens a new instance of excel for each selected file.
I've tried also to drag and drop excel.exe on the button bar using %P%S as parameters, it's better but anyway opens all selected files in a new instance of excel, ignoring the already running instance.
I need to try with F4menu or F4minimenu, maybe tomorrow

Useless, Excel doesn't support MDI interface since 2013 version ....
I'm using F4MiniMenu, but each xls file is opened in a new instance of Excel

[petermad]

2Paul Mountit

I've tried this solution, but it opens a new instance of excel for each selected file.

Then try this modification:

Code: Select all

TOTALCMD#BAR#DATA
%COMSPEC% /C
if exist %S1\ ((echo DO NOT MARK DIRECTORIES!) & (echo.) & pause) else start "" excel.exe %P%N && timeout /T 2 && chcp 65001 && %%COMSPEC%% /C for /F "usebackq delims=" %%n in (`type %WF`) do start "" excel.exe "%%n"
excel.exe
Open all selected files in Excel at the same time

1
-1

I have found references on the net that starting excel with one file and then starting it again for the rest of the files can work for opening all in the same instance - but I don't know if it works for all versions of excel.

[Usher]

is there any reason to select some files and then open ONLY one of them (or even not one of them) pressing "enter"?

I remember back in the days of the early Windows versions when I hit Enter and accidentally had a number of files selected. Omg, the horror The OS couldn't handle it.

ok, but we're no more back in the days

Wrong.It was NEVER fixed, it's just limited in Windows newer than XP. Read MS Support article (original KB number: 2022295), please:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2022295/context-menus-are-shortened-when-more-than-15-files-are-selected

Context menus are shortened when more than 15 files are selected

This is by design. These context menu items won't appear if selecting more than 15 items to avoid accidentally performing these actions on a large number of files.

If you try to open more files or folders (for example three times 15 folders), Windows Explorer may just get unresponsive and hang. Other programs may show other side effects. I haven't tested opening xls files in Windows XP, only tried with txt file and Notepad. I selected 200 small txt files (only 1.2 MB in total) and pressed Enter. Explorer warned me, if I really would like to open all of them. I confirmed, but Notepad opened only 150 files and stopped.

[Paul Mountit]

I use it on a regular basis with the help of internal associations, TCFS2 and additional tools.

please, can you share your solution?
thanks

[Paul Mountit]

Useless, Excel doesn't support MDI interface since 2013 version ....
I'm using F4MiniMenu, but each xls file is opened in a new instance of Excel

oh.
didn't know this, I'm still using excel 2010 version
but - excel version aside - I'd use this also for pdf, jpeg, etc.

[Paul Mountit]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2022295/context-menus-are-shortened-when-more-than-15-files-are-selected

Context menus are shortened when more than 15 files are selected

This is by design. These context menu items won't appear if selecting more than 15 items to avoid accidentally performing these actions on a large number of files.

well, the 15 files limit with context menu sounds good. if "enter" could work the same on selected files (no more than 15) I think it would be ok.

[Paul Mountit]

2Paul Mountit

I've tried this solution, but it opens a new instance of excel for each selected file.

Then try this modification:

it does not work
this still opens a separate instance of excel for each selected file (ignoring the already running instancd) and the opens another instance with a blank workbook

[Fla$her]

please, can you share your solution?

OK. I'll give you a simple solution that only involves system associations (for internal, it's more complicated).
1. Save OpenSelFilesBySystem.vbs (ANSI/UTF-16):

Code: Select all

'——————————————————— VBS ——————————————————
' Purpose: system opening of selected files
' Parameter: %WL
'——————————————————————————————————————————
If WSH.Arguments.Count = 0 Then WSH.Quit
Set Shell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set List  = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")._
OpenTextFile(WSH.Arguments(0),,,-1)
Do: F = List.ReadLine
  If Right(F, 1) <> "\" Then Shell.ShellExecute F,,,"open"
Loop Until List.AtEndOfStream: List.Close
Set List = Nothing: Set Shell = Nothing

2. Create em_SystemOpeningOfSelFiles where:
Command: %COMMANDER_PATH%\Scripts\OpenSelFilesBySystem.vbs
Parameters: %WL

3. Download and unpack TCFS2 (example path below) if not:

4. Open the internal associations dialog (cm_InternalAssociate) and specify * as the mask.
In the Open: field, specify "%COMMANDER_PATH%\Utils\TCFS2\TCFS2.exe" /ef tem(em_SystemOpeningOfSelFiles)
In the icon selection dialog path field, specify any character (space, asterisk, colon or any other).
After clicking OK, move this list item to the very bottom and click OK again.

Now the opening of selected files whose extensions are not related by internal associations will occur by Enter, if the cursor is on one of the selected objects and no file with these extensions is selected, otherwise will open the object under the cursor. If desired, to involve the selected list, it's possible automatically move the cursor located outside the selection to the first or last selected file.

P. S.: Please avoid overquoting.

[Paul Mountit]

OK. I'll give you a simple solution that only involves system associations (for internal, it's more complicated).

not exactly my definition of simple, but thanks, I'll try this

P. S.: Please avoid overquoting.

ok, i see what you mean

[Paul Mountit]

just one consideration more:

select 2 or more files
leave cursor inside or outside the selection

case A
with "F5" (copy), "F6" (move), "Alt+F5" (zip)
confirmation dialog
all the selected files are copied/moved/zipped to the destination dir

case B
with "F3" (preview), "enter" (open)
no confirmation dialog
only the file under the cursor, selcted or not selected, is previewed/opened

I don't understand why, given the presence of a selection of files, TC does not treat by default case B exactly like case A
is there any reason I don't see? maybe someone can explain?
thanks

[Dalai]

case B
with "F3" (preview), "enter" (open)
no confirmation dialog
only the file under the cursor, selcted or not selected, is previewed/opened

Regarding F3: This is NOT the default behavior! By default TC will open the first selected file in Lister and Lister allows to cycle through all selected files via menu and N/P (next/previous) keys. You may have remapped the F3 key to a different command or something.

Regards
Dalai

[Hacker]

Dalai,

or something.

Configuration - Options - Edit/View.

Roman

[Paul Mountit]

Regarding F3: This is NOT the default behavior! By default TC will open the first selected file in Lister and Lister allows to cycle through all selected files via menu and N/P (next/previous) keys. You may have remapped the F3 key to a different command or something.

when I press F3 the file under the cursor is opened in lister. I don't think I've remapped F3 key
edit: you're right, see next reply