Automatic Backups

[Ron Patterson]

Some of my files make a backup copy (.xlk) automatically. Others do not.
Question #! - where is the 'switch' that controls this?
Question #1 - is there a manual way to make a .xlk backup copy of a file ?

AliBaba
Blue Master

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

Choose File>Save As
Choose Tools>General Options
Select 'Always Create Backup', click OK
Name and save the file

 

[Ron Patterson]

Debra,
I am running Excel from Office XP.
The "Choose File>Save As" suggestion has nothing to do with creating a
backup (.xlk) file
The "Choose Tools>General Options" suggestion is not an option on this
version. I can go to Tools/Options/ and the General tab but the "Always
Create Backup" switch is not there.
Suggestions?
A. Baba

 

[wiseman]

Ron,
Could you tell us which version of Excel you are using. Help, About
Microsoft Excel and it will say there.

If it is Excel 200 then the following should work.
File, Save as,
Click on the tools on the right of the icons on the top,
General Icons,
In this box which opens (save Options) click in the 'Always create backup'
box to put an x in there.
Barbara
(sorry I did not intend to reply to you, I hit the wrong button, should
have hit the 'reply group' button. Please can you reply to the group, my
address is not real, getting loads of spam from the time I used my real
address on these groups.)

 

[Ken Wright]

It is the Tools menu on the DIALOG BOX that appears that Debra is referring to
that you should be using, not the one on the main menu.

 

[wiseman]

I have found a newsgroup reply (using Ron de Bruin's google search add in)
which says 'The autosave add-in has been removed from Excel in 2002 and
2003'. I only have excel 2000.
This is a reply by Jim Rech to a similar question.

Autosave was not included in Excel 2002 because of the new Autorecovery
feature that is somewhat similar (Tools, Options, Save).

You can still use the AutoSave add-in from earlier Excels if you have it.
Also you might try Jan Karel Pieterse's AutoSafe utility found here:

http://www.bmsltd.co.uk/MVP/Default.htm

--
Jim Rech
Excel MVP

Ron sent me this via email rather than on the newsgroup (after I hit reply
rather than reply group!)

Hi Barbara,
I am running Office XP which contains Excel 2002. And thanks, I found
the switch. But I still have some questions. In my previous versions, a
backup was made automatically, every time I reopened an excel file and saved
it. It appears that this solution you gave me works for any given file you
choose to "Save As". But how do you set Excel so it always saves a backup
automatically of any new file you create once you reopen it and save it
again.
In other words, in the older files made in previous versions, if I
delete their backups, and open them and click Save, I automatically get a
new backup. And, when these files were created, I never keyed anything
individually so that they would create backups. There was a switch in the
older versions of Excel I think that made "Always create backup" a default
for all new files and any old ones that were 'reSaved'.
Any thoughts?
Ron

 

[Ken Wright]

rotflmao ( crying here :-> )

Barbara wrote:-

(sorry I did not intend to reply to you, I hit the wrong button, should
have hit the 'reply group' button. Please can you reply to the group, my
address is not real, getting loads of spam from the time I used my real
address on these groups.)

Ron, if you read this you have been duly chastised - Please keep all your
answers within the newsgroup so that all may benefit, and only communicate
privately if requested - LOL (Still rotflmao!!!!)

Talk about role reversal ;-)

--
Regards
Ken....................... Microsoft MVP - Excel
Sys Spec - Win XP Pro / XL 00/02/03

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have found a newsgroup reply (using Ron de Bruin's google search add in)
which says 'The autosave add-in has been removed from Excel in 2002 and
2003'. I only have excel 2000.
This is a reply by Jim Rech to a similar question.

Autosave was not included in Excel 2002 because of the new Autorecovery
feature that is somewhat similar (Tools, Options, Save).

You can still use the AutoSave add-in from earlier Excels if you have it.
Also you might try Jan Karel Pieterse's AutoSafe utility found here:

http://www.bmsltd.co.uk/MVP/Default.htm

--
Jim Rech
Excel MVP

Ron sent me this via email rather than on the newsgroup (after I hit reply
rather than reply group!)

Hi Barbara,
I am running Office XP which contains Excel 2002. And thanks, I found
the switch. But I still have some questions. In my previous versions, a
backup was made automatically, every time I reopened an excel file and saved
it. It appears that this solution you gave me works for any given file you
choose to "Save As". But how do you set Excel so it always saves a backup
automatically of any new file you create once you reopen it and save it
again.
In other words, in the older files made in previous versions, if I
delete their backups, and open them and click Save, I automatically get a
new backup. And, when these files were created, I never keyed anything
individually so that they would create backups. There was a switch in the
older versions of Excel I think that made "Always create backup" a default
for all new files and any old ones that were 'reSaved'.
Any thoughts?
Ron

<snip>

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

Ron could also create a new default template, with the 'Always save
backup' setting turned on:

Open a new workbook.
Choose File>Save As
From the Save As Type dropdown, choose Template (*.xlt)
Name the File "Book.xlt"
At the top of the Save As dialog box, click the Tools button
Choose General Options
Check 'Always create backup', click OK
Save the file in the XLStart folder
(usually in Program Files/Microsoft Office/Office)

When you click the New button on the toolbar, the new workbook will be
based on this template.
A backup copy will be created when you save the file. (It doesn't appear
to create a copy when the file is originally saved, but creates one on
subsequent saves.)

 

[Ron Patterson]

Ron has Excel 2002 which apparently, from what I am learning from these fine
experts, does not have the "Always Save Backup' Switch.
Ron

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

The instructions that I posted will create a new default template, with
'Always Save Backup' enabled.

When you click the New button on the Standard toolbar, the new workbook
will have the settings established in the new default template.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Ron

My Excel 2002 has the "Always create Backup" function at File>Save
As>Tools>General Options.

With this checked "on", an updated "Backup of *.xlk" file is created whenever
the file is saved.

"Create a backup" and "Autosave" are not the same thing. Perhaps the
confusion arises from this.

Gord Dibben Excel MVP

Ron has Excel 2002 which apparently, from what I am learning from these fine
experts, does not have the "Always Save Backup' Switch.
Ron

 

[Ron Patterson]

Ron
My Excel 2002 has the "Always create Backup" function at File>Save
As>Tools>General Options.
With this checked "on", an updated "Backup of *.xlk" file is created whenever
the file is saved. ..........................................

So I have discovered, but again, it is not a default for all files. Just
the one that is
open when you do this process.

Further, to accompish the "Always create backup' as a default, I have tried
Debra's
method, and I may be wrong, but I think for it to work, when you open Excel
you
must first select File\New to open a file that will backup automatically.
Debra, please
correct me if I am wrong.

However, a source un-named came up with this "work around". Immediately
upon
opening Excel, it will display a worksheet that is already coded with
"Always create
backup". This is accomplished by taking an old existing worksheet created
in a previous
version of Excel that had the "Always create backup" as a default. Then
deleting all
data and formatting from this work sheet so that it resembles one that would
normally
open. Then...
Save As\Tools\General Options\click on Always create backup"\ OK
then in the "Save as type" box, select Templete (*.xlt) and name the file
Book.xlt
then in the "Save in" box select C:\Documents and Settings\(user name)\
Application Data\
Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART and click Save to save it in the XLSTART directory.

Works for me. Now, everytime you open Excel, you can use the worksheet that
appears with full
knowledge that a backup will automatically be created. This method differs
from Debra's
in that after you open Excel, you do not have to go to File\New to get a
worksheet that
has automatic backup as a default. Please correct me if I am wrong - and
if so apologies
to Debra.

AliBaba
Blue Master

 

[Gord Dibben]

Ron

Correct. All new workbooks will be based upon the Book.xlt stored in the
XLSTART folder.

Previously created workbooks must be set individually to "always create
backup".

You didn't need the "old" workbook as a starter. You could have opened a new
one and formatted to your choices then saved as BOOK.XLT in your XLSTART
folder.

Gord

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

You don't have to Choose File>New for my suggestion to work -- you can
click the New button on the toolbar.

However, as I noted in my original post:

"A backup copy will be created when you save the file. (It doesn't
appear to create a copy when the file is originally saved, but creates
one on subsequent saves.)"

Immediately after you save the file the first time, you could click the
save button again, to create the backup.