Colors as Default

[Guest]

I have reformatted the colors in Excel 2000. I've read the messages
about storing it in the Startup folder. But when I open a new
workbook, it tries to save over the one in the startup! That's not
what I want.

I want the template with the edited colors to be my default. I want
it to open as a new workbook, and I want it to save into my default
directory -- Data/Spreadsheets.

I also want, when I insert a new worksheet into the workbook, for the
worksheet with the edited colors to be inserted.

Can somebody help me?


~~~~~~~~~~~
Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
<*(((>< ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[David McRitchie]

Worksheets cannot have different colors, all worksheets
in a workbook have the same color chart.

 

[Guest]

Exactly. They all use the same color chart. I edited the chart. Now
I want to make sure every book and sheet I open will use the chart I
edited.

How do I do that?

~~~~~~~~~~~
Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
<*(((>< ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Dave Peterson]

Did you name the template file book.xlt and save it as a real template
(file|save as, Save As Type box)?

And check to see if you have anything else in that XLStart folder (or any other
XLStart folders--you could have several depending on how you upgraded).

For me, I have
personal.xla (my macro workbook addin)
book.xlt (template for new workbooks)
sheet.xlt (template for new sheets in existing workbooks)

If you have more than that, you may want to post back with the list of names.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Open a new workbook. Customize the colors as you wish. File>Save
As Type: scroll down to Excel Template(*.XLT) and select. Name your workbook
"BOOK"(no quotes). Excel will add the .XLT to save as BOOK.XLT.

Store this workbook in the XLSTART folder usually located at........

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART

This will be the default workbook for File>New or the Toolbar button File>New

Do not use File>New...Blank Workbook or you will get the Excel default workbook.

Existing workbooks are not affected by these settings.

You can also open a new workbook and delete all but one sheet. Customize as
you wish.................... In your case, just copy the colors from BOOK.xlt
over to SHEET.xlt.......................then save this as SHEET.XLT in XLSTART
folder also. It now becomes the default Insert>Sheet.

More can be found on this in Help under "templates"(no quotes).


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

I have reformatted the colors in Excel 2000. I've read the messages
about storing it in the Startup folder. But when I open a new
workbook, it tries to save over the one in the startup! That's not
what I want.

I want the template with the edited colors to be my default. I want
it to open as a new workbook, and I want it to save into my default
directory -- Data/Spreadsheets.

I also want, when I insert a new worksheet into the workbook, for the
worksheet with the edited colors to be inserted.

Can somebody help me?


~~~~~~~~~~~
Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
<*(((>< ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your help. I saved BOOK as a template into the Startup
Folder. I edited my customized colors workbook to have just one sheet
and saved it as SHEET as a template into the Starup Folder.

Now, I have these in my startup folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\<myname>\Application
Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART
BOOK.xls
BOOK.xlt
SHEET.xls
SHEET.xlt

How did the *.xls files get in there? I promise I didn't do that!

I have these files next to the startup folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\<myname>\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\
XLSTART (a folder)
Excel.xlb

When I start Excell, it automatically opens with just one sheet, not
with a workbook. The sheet has my colors in it. But when I choose
Insert > Worksheet, I get the default (not my colors).

When I close all the sheets and Choose File > New, I get a workbook
with two sheets and my colors. But when I Insert > Worksheet, it too
brings up the default sheet and not my customized colors.

Fortunately, now when I open a new Sheet or a new Workbook and save
it, it defaults to MY DOCUMENTS. This is an improvement!

Can you help me with the remaining issues? Thank you!

PS: The TEMPLATES folder is empty!
C:\Documents and Settings\<MyName>\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates


Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
<*(((>< ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Dave Peterson]

You'll still want to keep book.xlt (not .xls) in that XLStart folder. That
template file will be the one with your colors in it.

Ps. You may have wanted that sheet.xlt (not .xls), too.

And instead of using File|New, just hit the New Icon on the Standard toolbar.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Remove Book.xls and Sheet.xls from the XLSTART folder.

They are both opening when you start up Excel.

Don't worry about the Templates Folder. Mine has never had any files in there.

The only files you want in the XLSTART folder are BOOK.XLT, SHEET.XLT and
Personal.xls if you have one.

The Excel.xlb file is the file in which Excel saves any menu or toolbar
customizations.

Leave it there. I keep a backup copy of this file just in case.


Gord

 

[Guest]

Good progress. I now have only BOOK.XLT and SHEET.XLT in the STARTUP
file. Excel opens with the colors I want!

HOWEVER, I cannot insert > worksheet successfully. The worksheet that
inserts does not have my custom colors.

You guys have been great. Do you think you could help me resolve that
one remaining problem?

THanks!

Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
<*(((>< ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Dave Peterson]

Colors live in the workbook--not the worksheet. So adding a new worksheet to an
existing workbook won't change the color scheme of your workbook.

But you can use:
tools|Options|Color tab|Copy colors from
(and copy from any other open workbook)

Heck, you could even have a macro that opens your template workbook (book.xlt)
and merges colors from there.

Something like this (stored in your personal.xls workbook) could make it easier:

Option Explicit
Sub testme01()

Dim TempWkbk As Workbook
Set TempWkbk _
= Workbooks.Add(template:=Application.StartupPath & "\" & "Book.xlt")
ActiveWorkbook.Colors = TempWkbk.Colors
TempWkbk.Close savechanges:=False

End Sub

If you're new to macros, you may want to read David McRitchie's intro at:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm

 

[Guest]

Yabbut ,

When I open a workbook, I get the colors and gridlines and
everything I want.
When I insert a new worksheet, I get the default gridlines
instead.

I will try your suggestions.

Thank you!

Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
<*(((>< ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Dave Peterson]

Did you save the sheet.xlt file with gridlines off?

 

[Guest]

I customized the gridlines. They are light blue. And that's the way
they are in the customized BOOK.xlt & SHEET.xlt.

Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
<*(((>< ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Dave Peterson]

Sorry, I don't have another guess.

I customized the gridlines. They are light blue. And that's the way
they are in the customized BOOK.xlt & SHEET.xlt.

Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
<*(((>< ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[David McRitchie]

You don't want to set your default save location to
your XLSTART directory.

Tools, Options, General
Default file location: ______________

it should be set to where you want your new Excel files
stored by default. You can override with File, Save As
when you first save a file.