 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussionsAccessExcelInfoPathOutlookPowerPointPublisherWordDirectoryUser Groups Related Topics Outlook ExpressInternet ExplorerWindowsMS Server ProductsMore Topics ... |
MS Office Forum / Excel / New Users / April 2007(2007) Excel macro blocks Outlook???
Why does a long running macro in Excel 2007 block Outlook??? (No, the macro doesn't access Outlook in any way. It does use ADO to access a database). I've noticed similar things on several occassions... where one Office 2007 App will block another (for no reason). God I hate Office 2007.  Signature-C. Moya www.cmoya.com Blocks Outlook in what way? From starting up? SignatureRobert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook] Coauthor, Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.howto-outlook.com/ Outlook FAQ, HowTo, Downloads, Add-Ins and more ----- > Why does a long running macro in Excel 2007 block Outlook??? > (No, the macro doesn't access Outlook in any way. It does use ADO to [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > God I hate Office 2007. > Blocks Outlook in what way? From starting up? No, from working period. Outlook is loaded up. It freezes (neither its main window nor any open message windows respond). I expect Excel to be frozen while the macro runs (the macro runs against a database and fills some cells.... it takes some time), but not Outlook!!! I haven't tested to see if other Office apps are affected too. In any case, this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. Hmm, interesting. Do you have another machine available to see if you can repro the issue? If so; you might want to raise a support incident with Microsoft. Support is free the first 90 days and basically always free if they confirm it as a bug. SignatureRobert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook] Coauthor, Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.howto-outlook.com/ Outlook FAQ, HowTo, Downloads, Add-Ins and more ----- >> Blocks Outlook in what way? From starting up? > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I haven't tested to see if other Office apps are affected too. In any > case, this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. Could it just be that the macro forces Excel to take 100% of the CPU and hence nothing is left over for Outlook to run with? Have you watched the CPU consumption of the Excel and Outlook processes during the execution of the macro? One way to determine whether it's a CPU issue, is to reduce the Excel process to the lowest priority possible while the macro is running and to see whether Outlook is usable then. Patrick Schmid [OneNote MVP] -------------- http://pschmid.net *** Outlook 2007 Performance Update: http://pschmid.net/blog/2007/04/13/105 Office 2007 RTM Issues: http://pschmid.net/blog/2006/11/13/80 *** Customize Office 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/customize RibbonCustomizer Add-In: http://pschmid.net/office2007/ribboncustomizer OneNote 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/onenote *** Subscribe to my Office 2007 blog: http://pschmid.net/blog/feed > > Blocks Outlook in what way? From starting up? > > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > I haven't tested to see if other Office apps are affected too. In any case, > this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. All other programs respond fine. The CPU isn't really hit hard because the bottleneck is the vpn connection to the database. I did (quick and dirty) try an empty Do-Loop in Excel to see if the same thing happened. It didn't. Outlook responded just fine (eventhough, ironically, CPU was at 100%). I will try to experiment some more and isolate the problem... But, I do know for a fact that I've seen this at other times.... although I've never paid enough mind to make a note of exactly when. For instance, Access will also block other Office apps. It seems that under some circumstances, Office 2007 apps are very sensitive to each other. I'll try to experiment some more P.S. (this issue is now a big deal for us.... I can't have my employees not use Outlook just because they're pulling info the database into Excel.... it's bad enough that Excel's MDI crippled window already blocks access to their other open workbooks). Signature-C. Moya www.cmoya.com > Could it just be that the macro forces Excel to take 100% of the CPU and > hence nothing is left over for Outlook to run with? Have you watched the [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] >> case, >> this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. So if you are trashing the VPN connection with Excel queries how do you think Outlook can maintain its connection to the Exchange server or am I missing something in your setup here? SignatureRobert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook] Coauthor, Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003 http://www.howto-outlook.com/ Outlook FAQ, HowTo, Downloads, Add-Ins and more ----- > All other programs respond fine. The CPU isn't really hit hard because the > bottleneck is the vpn connection to the database. I did (quick and dirty) [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] >>> case, >>> this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. > So if you are trashing the VPN connection with Excel queries how do you > think Outlook can maintain its connection to the Exchange server or am I > missing something in your setup here? I'm talking about a UI freeze here. Outlook does its Exchange connection stuff in a background thread. The UI is hardly ever affected. I trash the VPN connection regularly... and Outlook never chokes or ceases to respond. Signature-C. Moya www.cmoya.com I have confirmed this issue on at least two machines. And it is easy to reproduce. Create a VBA macro with a simple Do-Loop that will tie up Excel. Example: Public Sub TestPerf Do 'do nothing Loop End Sub Start the macro. While it is running, go to your Outlook window. Create a New message. Close the message. See Outlook hang. This problem isn't limited to just "macros." Anytime another Office app begins a time-consuming process it seems to block other Office apps in some way or another. Signature-C. Moya www.cmoya.com > So if you are trashing the VPN connection with Excel queries how do you > think Outlook can maintain its connection to the Exchange server or am I [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] >>>> case, >>>> this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. I don't have a repro here. Sure Outlook was considerably slowed down due to Excel being a CPU hog, but it remained usable and it didn't hang. Note that I have the performance update installed. Patrick Schmid [OneNote MVP] -------------- http://pschmid.net *** Outlook 2007 Performance Update: http://pschmid.net/blog/2007/04/13/105 Office 2007 RTM Issues: http://pschmid.net/blog/2006/11/13/80 *** Customize Office 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/customize RibbonCustomizer Add-In: http://pschmid.net/office2007/ribboncustomizer OneNote 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/onenote *** Subscribe to my Office 2007 blog: http://pschmid.net/blog/feed > I have confirmed this issue on at least two machines. And it is easy to > reproduce. [quoted text clipped - 87 lines] > >>>> case, > >>>> this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. Were you able to start a new message and close it? Anyway, I will install the performance update tonight and see if it solves the problem. Signature-C. Moya www.cmoya.com >I don't have a repro here. Sure Outlook was considerably slowed down due to >Excel being a CPU hog, but it remained usable and it didn't hang. Note that [quoted text clipped - 121 lines] >> >>>> case, >> >>>> this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. Yes, I was. Note though that I am not using Exchange. I only use IMAP. > Were you able to start a new message and close it? > [quoted text clipped - 129 lines] > >> >>>> case, > >> >>>> this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. I tested this against an Exchange server (Exchange 2003 SP2, LAN connection to my Exchange server). As an added bonus I tested it when that computer was running a full anti-virus scan on the hard drive. Things were slower in Outlook with the Excel process using 99% of the CPU certainly, but there was no hang in Outlook and I was able to open a new mail item, type in it and then close it with no problems. I have the Outlook speed-up hot fix installed on that Outlook 2007 setup. The test was run on a Windows XP SP2 machine. I didn't test on any of my Vista setups. SignatureKen Slovak [MVP - Outlook] http://www.slovaktech.com Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm > Yes, I was. Note though that I am not using Exchange. I only use IMAP. Are you running the Outlook Performance Update already? Patrick Schmid [OneNote MVP] -------------- http://pschmid.net *** Outlook 2007 Performance Update: http://pschmid.net/blog/2007/04/13/105 Office 2007 RTM Issues: http://pschmid.net/blog/2006/11/13/80 *** Customize Office 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/customize RibbonCustomizer Add-In: http://pschmid.net/office2007/ribboncustomizer OneNote 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/onenote *** Subscribe to my Office 2007 blog: http://pschmid.net/blog/feed > All other programs respond fine. The CPU isn't really hit hard because the > bottleneck is the vpn connection to the database. I did (quick and dirty) [quoted text clipped - 53 lines] > >> case, > >> this is a real downer. Office 2003 and prior didn't do this. > Are you running the Outlook Performance Update already? > > Patrick Schmid [OneNote MVP] I have no idea what that is. Was it part of Windows Update? I've had no problems with Outlook 2007 otherwise... performance-wise anyway-- other than this Excel problem. I'll research this update. Signature-C. Moya www.cmoya.com See the link in my signature. It addresses a serious performance issues with PSTs/OSTs that are 1 GB or bigger, but I would personally recommend everyone to install it. Patrick Schmid [OneNote MVP] -------------- http://pschmid.net *** Outlook 2007 Performance Update: http://pschmid.net/blog/2007/04/13/105 Office 2007 RTM Issues: http://pschmid.net/blog/2006/11/13/80 *** Customize Office 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/customize RibbonCustomizer Add-In: http://pschmid.net/office2007/ribboncustomizer OneNote 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/onenote *** Subscribe to my Office 2007 blog: http://pschmid.net/blog/feed > > Are you running the Outlook Performance Update already? > > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > -C. Moya > www.cmoya.com The update does resolve the problem. Thank you for pointing me to it. Signature-C. Moya www.cmoya.com > See the link in my signature. It addresses a serious performance issues > with PSTs/OSTs that are 1 GB or bigger, but I would personally recommend [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] >> -C. Moya >> www.cmoya.com Do you have your virus scanner integrated with Outlook or email in general? If yes, switch that off, as it only costs performance but doesn't add any protection. If you disconnect the VPN and then try to repro it, can you still repro it? How about if you leave the VPN connected, but open Outlook in safe mode (start, run, "outlook /a"). Still a repro? If you open Outlook in safe mode and disable your virus scanner (all of it, not just the Outlook integration), still a repro? Patrick Schmid [OneNote MVP] -------------- http://pschmid.net *** Outlook 2007 Performance Update: http://pschmid.net/blog/2007/04/13/105 Office 2007 RTM Issues: http://pschmid.net/blog/2006/11/13/80 *** Customize Office 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/customize RibbonCustomizer Add-In: http://pschmid.net/office2007/ribboncustomizer OneNote 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/onenote *** Subscribe to my Office 2007 blog: http://pschmid.net/blog/feed > The update does resolve the problem. Thank you for pointing me to it. > [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > >> -C. Moya > >> www.cmoya.com I don't have a virus scanner turned on. And testing revealed that the problem had nothing to do with VPN. Anytime Excel was "blocked" (an empty Do Loop macro, for instance), Outlook would be blocked as well. (actually it would block only when you tried to do certain things... like close a new message window). The Performance Update solved the problem tho. Signature-C. Moya www.cmoya.com > Do you have your virus scanner integrated with Outlook or email in > general? If yes, switch that off, as it only costs performance but doesn't [quoted text clipped - 58 lines] >> >> -C. Moya >> >> www.cmoya.com > The Performance Update solved the problem tho. LOL. I think I need new glasses. I read in your previous message that the update did NOT resolve the problem, which is why I went speculating as to what else could be the case... I am glad it is working now! Patrick Schmid [OneNote MVP] -------------- http://pschmid.net *** Outlook 2007 Performance Update: http://pschmid.net/blog/2007/04/13/105 Office 2007 RTM Issues: http://pschmid.net/blog/2006/11/13/80 *** Customize Office 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/customize RibbonCustomizer Add-In: http://pschmid.net/office2007/ribboncustomizer OneNote 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/onenote *** Subscribe to my Office 2007 blog: http://pschmid.net/blog/feed Sorry, it is "outlook /safe" > The update does resolve the problem. Thank you for pointing me to it. > [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > >> -C. Moya > >> www.cmoya.com
|
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.