Default gridlines

[Joe Fisher]

Is there a way to make the default spreadsheet open with the "print
gridlines" box checked?
I've tried going to File->Page Setup->Sheet->Print gridlines, then doing
Save As, saving it as a template. But it doesn't "stick"

I usually use Excel making lists, etc. Often at school especially I want to
print the SS out. I invariably will forget to print the gridlines, so I
waste a sheet of paper (or more) by the time I remember. I'd like to make
this the default.

 

[Guest]

Hi
Set a sheet up as you like it and save it as book.xlt in your Xlstart
folder. This will become the default book format.

 

[Joe Fisher]

Nope, doesn't seem to work.
I mentioned in my first post that I had done that (not saved it the XLstart
folder though)

Any other ideas?

Joe

 

[Fred Smif]

I have a lot of preferences for viewing and printing with Excel. I got tired
of manually setting these all the time so I made a bunch of macros and
linked these to custom menus and/or toolbar buttons. For example, a button
to toggle the row/column heading and gridlines on or off, set my preferred
options for printing (footer, header, margins, etc).

You can do the same. Then when you want to print, just click the appropriate
button to have the grid lines printed. It'll be a good way to learn how to
write and use macros.

 

[Joe Fisher]

How do I start? I looked in Help, I'm sure it tells me, but I don't know
which entry to follow.
Joe

 

[Fred Smif]

The best place to start is to record a new macro, then study the commands in
the VBA editor.

Record a new macro by selecting the Tool menu, Macro menu, Record New
Macro... command. When you're done (and have shut down the macro recorder),
then go back and select Tool menu, Macro menu, Visual Basic Editor command.
Then experiment to see the effect of various commands and use the VBA Help
for more information.

 

[Joe Fisher]

Thanks Fred..I'll speriment...
I didn't think that I'd have to use a Macro just to do a simple thing like
have a new sheet open with "print gridlines" already checked.:-/ That's
all I want, no special toolbar buttons, etc.
Thanks, I'll have a look

Joe

 

[Gary Smith]

The template must be named "book.xlt" and it must be saved in the XLstart
folder. Those names are fixed.

Nope, doesn't seem to work.
I mentioned in my first post that I had done that (not saved it the XLstart
folder though)

 

[Joe Fisher]

Yay, thanks Gary! Also Yay Andy, I see you also supplied the answer but I
didn't read carefully.
Out of curiosity, why does it open book1.xlt, yet the gridlines are there. I
saved it as book.xlt
Joe

 

[Gord Dibben]

Joe

Open a new workbook.

Delete all but one sheet.

Do your print setup as you wish.

File>Save As>File Type>Template(*.xlt)

Name it SHEET(do not add the extension, Excel will do that for you).

Store it in your XLSTART folder.

When you click on Insert>Worksheet, this will be the default worksheet.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP

 

[Joe Fisher]

Question:
I've done what you all suggested, it works fine. One odd thing now, when I
open up a worksheet I've already done, Ex: "XYZ.xls", a blank worksheet
called Book1.xls will open, then XYZ.xls will open.
So I'll have to worksheets open, the one I wanted to open to edit, and a
blank one called Book1 which I *did not* need to open.

Why this odd behavior? It's not a big huge deal, but it is annoying.