Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!usc!randvax!cave
From: cave@randvax.UUCP (Jonathan Cave)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Excel under Windows
Summary: A "feature" and a remark on multitasking
Message-ID: <2735@randvax.UUCP>
Date: 10 Oct 90 15:39:15 GMT
Reply-To: cave@rand-unix.UUCP (Jonathan Cave)
Distribution: comp.windows.ms
Organization: RAND Corp., Santa Monica, Ca.
Lines: 24

Two aspects of Excel under windows...

First, when creating a new chart using a multiple selection (i.e., one
created with Shift+F8), I found that File New Chart just gives a blank
screen.  Copying and pasting doesn't work, since Excel won't let you copy
a multiple selection.  However, If you select the series you want to
graph, then attempt to copy them, respond OK to the nagging "Can't do
that to a multiple selection" "dialogue" box, *then* try File New Chart,
everything is hunky-dory.  Odd, eh?

Second, I have found that the scope for multitasking is severely limited
by Win3's "nonpreemptive" protocol.  My Excel model takes a long time to
recalculate (5 minutes or so per pass), and it has macros that run many
cases.  I have done what I can by way of splitting things up into
different sheets, using Standard Mode, using Calculate documeNt, etc. but
it's still very slow.  The problem is that I cannot switch out of Excel
while it is recalculating.  When I installed a little On.Time() trapdoor
to let me out, I found that Excel grabbed the whole machine when it
started recalculating in background, and didn't relinquish its grip 'till
it was done.

Can anyone suggest a way around this?  The only solution I have found
so far is to use DesQview/386, and run Excel with run-time Windows in
DV's "mo betta" multitasking environment.