I think you are getting two instances of Excel, each with one open document, rather than one instance with two documents.

Launch Excel once, then use DDE to open the files.

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 05:28:31 -0800, alain.follet@SHAM.FR wrote:

>Hi everybody, > >I have an error with DDE command. When I open 2 excel files on the >server (windows 2003) with the instruction DDE : > >options noxwait noxsync; > >/* Ouverture d'Excel */ >x " 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\excel.exe' > ""Path\file1.xls"" "; > >x " 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\excel.exe' > ""Path\file2.xls"" "; > >After this command, the active file is file2.xls. I need to have the >first file, file1.xls to be activated. I have done the following >instructions : > >options noxwait noxsync; > >filename cmds dde 'excel|system'; > >data _null_; > file cmds ; > put '[ACTIVATE("File1.xls")]'; >run; > >But it doesn't work. I have the following message : > >ERROR: DDE session not ready. >FATAL: Unrecoverable I/O error detected in the execution of the data >step program. >Aborted during the EXECUTION phase. > >I have pass this instruction with a long waiting time, so it is not a >time problem. Is someone of you have still saw this error ? > >Tahnk you for your help. > >Alain Follet.