No Backup copies?

[kevs]

Odd, that Excel, unlike Word, does not have feature to automatically save a
backup copy, no????


OS 10.3.4
Office 2004

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Odd, that Excel, unlike Word, does not have feature to automatically save a
backup copy, no????

Your premise is incorrect.

In the SaveAs dialog, click the Options button, and check the "Always
create backup" checkbox.

From XL Help (Save a Workbook):

5. To save your workbook with a password or a read-only recommendation, or
to always create a backup copy, click Options.

If you want all new default workbooks to do this, create a new document,
then save the file as a template named "Workbook" in the Microsoft
Office N:Office:Startup:Excel folder, performing the sequence above.

 

[kevs]

Your premise is incorrect.

In the SaveAs dialog, click the Options button, and check the "Always create
backup" checkbox.

From XL Help (Save a Workbook):


If you want all new default workbooks to do this, create a new document, then
save the file as a template named "Workbook" in the Microsoft Office
N:Office:Startup:Excel folder, performing the sequence above.

Thanks JE:
Ok, just did that, went to my template in startup folder and put check for
backups, but when I save new workbooks to desktop, don't see a backup there.

OS 10.3.4
Office 2004

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Ok, just did that, went to my template in startup folder and put check for
backups, but when I save new workbooks to desktop, don't see a backup there.

What happens when you then make a change and save it again?

Save Backups, AFAIK, does not actually create separate backups. This is
the way I think it works:

When XL saves normally, it first saves a temp file. If that works, it
deletes the original. If that works, it renames the temp file to the
original file name.

When you have Save Backups enabled, instead of deleting the old file,
it's renamed to "Backup of <filename>".

 

[kevs]

What happens when you then make a change and save it again?

Save Backups, AFAIK, does not actually create separate backups. This is
the way I think it works:

When XL saves normally, it first saves a temp file. If that works, it
deletes the original. If that works, it renames the temp file to the
original file name.

When you have Save Backups enabled, instead of deleting the old file,
it's renamed to "Backup of <filename>".

Boy, that's hard to understand. I'm used to Word, where you see a backup
file in your folder. Strangely enough, when I did this, I saw a backup file
for the workbook in the startup folder! I deleted it, but like I said ,
have not see any backup files since, but you are saying they are being
created, but you wont know where to find them if you need them.


OS 10.3.4
Office 2004

 

[kevs]

Boy, that's hard to understand. I'm used to Word, where you see a backup
file in your folder. Strangely enough, when I did this, I saw a backup file
for the workbook in the startup folder! I deleted it, but like I said ,
have not see any backup files since, but you are saying they are being
created, but you wont know where to find them if you need them.


OS 10.3.4
Office 2004

By way, in startup folder, now have workbook, and backup workbook. When
launch Excel, the backup comes up for split second. But now when hit file,
new I get a new default workbook, not mine tweaked one, so maybe this has
opened up new can of worms, I don't know. I'll tell you though, I don't see
backups of other stuff I do anywhere.

OS 10.3.4
Office 2004

 

[JE McGimpsey]

By way, in startup folder, now have workbook, and backup workbook. When
launch Excel, the backup comes up for split second. But now when hit file,
new I get a new default workbook, not mine tweaked one, so maybe this has
opened up new can of worms, I don't know. I'll tell you though, I don't see
backups of other stuff I do anywhere.

Delete backup of workbook.

Everything in your Startup folder is opened when XL starts - even if
it's a document of another application (it will launch that app).

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Boy, that's hard to understand. I'm used to Word, where you see a backup
file in your folder. Strangely enough, when I did this, I saw a backup file
for the workbook in the startup folder! I deleted it, but like I said ,
have not see any backup files since, but you are saying they are being
created, but you wont know where to find them if you need them.

The behavior isn't that different from word. Here's what I do and see:

1) My "Workbook" template, in my Startup:Excel folder was saved with the
Always make backup option checked.

2) I create a new workbook. Save it to my Documents folder with the
name, say, test1.xls. No backup is created yet. In a finder window the
file's create date is Thursday 05 August 2004, 19:57, with the same
modified date.

3) I make a change in test1.xls.

4) I wait at least one minute (just to be sure the file timestamps are
different), and save the file using CMD-S.

5) Looking at the finder window for Documents, I now have two files:

test.xls
Create Date: Thursday 05 August 2004, 19:57
Modified Date: Thursday 05 August 2004, 19:59


Backup of test.xls
Create Date: Thursday 05 August 2004, 19:59
Modified Date: Thursday 05 August 2004, 19:57


what happens when you follow a similar procedure?