Unit 3. Advance. More options when you open a workbook.

We are going to become familiar with and use with more precision the options available in Excel2003 to open a workbook, for example, opening serveral books or opening workbooks only for reading purpose.

Opening several worbooks at the same time.

We can open several files at the same time from the dialoge box Open. To do that:

Select the File menu and choose the option Open...

Or click on the button Open of the tool bar.

Select the file you want to open.

Press and hold the CTRL key on the keyboard and select another file.

Repeat step 4 until you have selected all the file you wish to open.

Click on the button OK.

All the files will be opened but only oe of them will be displayed on the screen, the others will be underneath.

Opening workbooks for reading purpose.

To avoid modifying a file already saved in the disc we can open it as a file just for reading. To do that:

Select the File menu and choose the option Open...

Or click on the button Open in the tool bar.

Select the file you want to open.

Click on the arrow on the right so you can get to dropdown the list of the button Open.

Choose the option Open Read-Only.

Excel2003 will open the file, we will be able to read it and even modify it but we won't be able to save with the same name. When we save it Excel will ask us for another name in the dialoge box Save as.

Buttons in the dialoge box Open.

When you open the dialoge box several buttons are shown at the top. Let's see what they are:

 This button will only be available when you have changed folder and it will allow you to return, that is, to go to the folder previously opened.

 Gives you acces to the previous level. If you are, for instance, in My documents folder, because this is in the hard disc C:, you will go straight there.

Deletes the file selected in the list

 Creates a new folder inside one already opened. A name for it will have to be specified.

Changes the way files are displayed. When you click on the arrow on the right you can choose among:

Small icons: to see only file names with a small size icon.

Large icons: to see only file names with a large size icon.

List: to see only file names.

Details: to see, apart from the name, the size, type and date of modification.

Propieties: in order to have displayed some of the file propieties on the right hand side of the box, according to the file selected.

Preview: to make appear on the right side of the box a view of the file selected.

Besides, on the left hand side, the folders most frequently used will be shown, such as History, Favourits, My documents,..., so you can have access to them straight away.