customized toolbars reset for no apparent reason can't find .xlb

[JT Spitz]

I have added some icons to excel 2000 toolbars in order to more quickly work
on my spreadsheets. All the customizations disappear every so often. I
tried to locate the .xlb file per an article I read in this forum but I can't
locate the file. Also, I read that the file or the toolbar can become
unstable if too many icons are added, yet my customizations last for a long
period of time before they disappear.

Is there any way to make my customizations permanent? Can I back up the
customizations and make it easier to replace or insert the file, rather than
going through the trouble of having to start from scratch?

Thanks.

 

[Gord Dibben]

You will have an *.xlb file.

Before searching, make sure My Computer>Tools>Folder Options>View "hide
known file extensions" is unchecked.

When found, back it up so's you can replace when things go bad.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[JT Spitz]

Just changed the toolbar, exited excel and did a search on my c drive for the
*.xlb file. I did uncheck the box you mentioned before I did the search, but
search couldn't find any such file. Could this be stored on my network
server despite the fact excel was installed on my pc? Thanks.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Good chance of that although I haven't been on a network for many years so
don't remember the setup.

Check with your IT person.


Gord

 

[JT Spitz]

After going things over again, I found a second item to uncheck in the view
menu, to show hidden files. Once I did that I found 2 .xlb files. They are
both on my C drive under documents and settings but 2 different
subdirectories, one under my name and one under administrator. I looked at
the dates so I know which one is the revised one, but what I still don't get
is why excel resets at times. Or is that got something to do with our server?

Thanks for your assistance.

Sheldon

 

[Dave Peterson]

Make a minor change to one of the toolbars. Then close excel and look to see
which one got updated.

That's the "real" toolbar file.

If the toolbar in the other location is the one you want to keep, move (not
copy!) it to this real location.

===
I was doing some testing a while back and put a copy of my *.xlb file in my
XLStart folder.

So each time I'd open excel, my real toolbar would appear (just for a moment).
Then it would get superseded by my toolbar file in the XLStart folder.

I'd make a change and the real toolbar file would get updated--but since that
got replaced within moments after starting excel, my changes never looked like
they stuck.

I deleted the file from my XLStart folder and all was ok.

I learned that I only want one *.xlb file to open!

 

[JT Spitz]

Wouldn't moving it replace the one I don't want, just like copying? In
either case I appreciate both yours and Mr. Dibben's assistance with this.
As I am sure you can see, this is an irritating thing to have to deal with
and now, thanks to both of you, I have a solution. I still don't get why
this happens, but now I can deal with it.

Have yourselves a good day.

 

[Dave Peterson]

If you move the one you want to keep to the correct location, it will overwrite
any (bad) existing versions.