2008: why do new Workbooks display twice as wide as Workbooktemplate?

[Norman R. Nager, Ph.D.]

When I directly open the Workbook.xltx file that I saved in
Applications/Microsoft Office 2008/Office/Startup/Excel, it occupies less
than half the width of my 20-inch display.

But on launch of Excel, the new Workbook that opens automatically takes up
all but a couple inches.

What can I do to make sure new Workbooks are the width I want to set?

Respectfully, Norm

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

When I directly open the Workbook.xltx file that I saved in
Applications/Microsoft Office 2008/Office/Startup/Excel, it occupies less
than half the width of my 20-inch display.

But on launch of Excel, the new Workbook that opens automatically takes up
all but a couple inches.

What can I do to make sure new Workbooks are the width I want to set?

Respectfully, Norm

You need to remove the extension from the file name, but make sure it is
indeed an excel template.

 

[Norman R. Nager, Ph.D.]

You need to remove the extension from the file name, but make sure it is
indeed an excel template.

Thanks, Bob. I verified it is a template and nipped off the .xltx extension
from it. But if I then quit and re-launch Excel, a double-width "Workbook1"
opens. If I go into recent files and select my template, I get the right
"Workbook1."

Is the location for saving in the first paragraph OK? (I ALSO saved it in
the "My Templates" folder with just "Workbook" and with the extension
removed. But that does not help either.

Do I need to re-start the Mac?

Respectfully, Norm

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Thanks, Bob. I verified it is a template and nipped off the .xltx extension
from it. But if I then quit and re-launch Excel, a double-width "Workbook1"
opens. If I go into recent files and select my template, I get the right
"Workbook1."

Is the location for saving in the first paragraph OK? (I ALSO saved it in
the "My Templates" folder with just "Workbook" and with the extension
removed. But that does not help either.

Do I need to re-start the Mac?

Respectfully, Norm

You should not have to restart the Mac. OK, let's start again. Use the
startup/Excel location, and delete it from the other location. Now, is a
new workbook opening in the format you want? If not, modify the template,
by opening it using file open and holding the shift key down. Make the
modifications, save and close it, and then see what happens when you select
new workbook.

 

[Norman R. Nager, Ph.D.]

You should not have to restart the Mac. OK, let's start again. Use the
startup/Excel location, and delete it from the other location. Now, is a
new workbook opening in the format you want? If not, modify the template,
by opening it using file open and holding the shift key down. Make the
modifications, save and close it, and then see what happens when you select
new workbook.

Alright, Bob! Deletion from the other location did not help, but modifying
the template and re-saving with your protocol worked perfectly. Thank you
very much for hanging in there with me.

A couple followup questions, please:

1. I just noticed that an hour before I modified and re-saved the good
template that something in my earlier troubleshooting efforts created on my
~/Desktop a folder named "Workbook Folder" with the following contents:
_rels
[Content_Types].xml
docProps
Xl
Should I move this anywhere? (I could find no other folder with that name
on my boot volume.)

2. For my continuing post-retirement education, please explain when and why
to "hold the shift key down" when opening a file?

Respectfully, Norm

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

ery much for hanging in there with me.

A couple followup questions, please:

1. I just noticed that an hour before I modified and re-saved the good
template that something in my earlier troubleshooting efforts created on my
~/Desktop a folder named "Workbook Folder" with the following contents:
_rels
[Content_Types].xml
docProps
Xl
Should I move this anywhere? (I could find no other folder with that name
on my boot volume.)

I answered this in the other thread.

2. For my continuing post-retirement education, please explain when and why
to "hold the shift key down" when opening a file?

Holding the shift key down when opening an Excel file, prevents any attached
macros from running. (This will still happen with Excel 2008, if there are
XLM macros.) It also allows you to open a template for modification.