How do you open a template at startup?

[Guest]

I have been asked if you can start up a template on automatically opening the
Excel program when someone starts the computer. I can get Excel to open but
I can not get the template to open automatically. How can I do this? I have
tried to put the template in the XLStart folder under the program file\office
on the local drive and even in the startup folder. Neither worked and one
opened then closed Excel. One more thing worth mentioning. This template is
on a network drive. I tried placing the template file on the local and
network drive but neither opened it when put into the startup areas. What am
I doing wrong? --Frustrated at this point--

 

[Ragdyer]

Some questions:

Is the template a .xls file or a .xtl file?
Is the file (folder) that the template is stored in on the network drive?
Is this file populated with other XL WBs (files)?
If yes, are these other XL WBs (files) .xlt or .xls files?
Would you want this template to open automatically in XL on *all* the
machines on the network, or just certain ones?

 

[Guest]

Please see the answers below the questions. Thanks.
--
Thank you for your time.
Windows NT
Office 97

Some questions:

Is the template a .xls file or a .xtl file? The file is an .xlt file.
Is the file (folder) that the template is stored in on the network drive?

The file is under a folder on the network drive.

Is this file populated with other XL WBs (files)?

The Network file folder is populated with several xl* files that are used
regularly.

If yes, are these other XL WBs (files) .xlt or .xls files? Both.
Would you want this template to open automatically in XL on *all* the
machines on the network, or just certain ones?

No. I only need this on one persons signon or just his workstation.

 

[RagDyer]

See if this works for you.

Do all this from *that* single machine.

Open Windows Explorer, and create a new folder on the machines C:\ drive.
Say you name it
User1

Navigate to your templates folder on the server and copy the template in
question to this *new, empty* User1 folder (should be a .xlt file as you
said).

Close Explorer and open XL.
<Tools> <Options> <General> tab,
In the Alternate StartUp File Location box, enter:
c:\user1\
Then <OK> out , and close XL.

Re-open XL, and you should see the *normal* book1 open.
That means, that since that Alternate StartUp file is populated with only a
..xlt file, nothing out of the ordinary occurs.

Now, from XL, navigate to the "user1" file and open that .xlt template file,
and do a "save as", and save as a XL workbook (.xls) to this same "user1"
file.
Make sure the name is spelled correctly, removing any suffixes or
extensions.

Now close XL once more, and then re-open.

You should now see that this template will become the default start-up WB.

The main rule is:
*Everything* in the Alternate StartUp File Location will open when XL opens,
*EXCEPT* .xlt template files.

The user will now use the template and when finished, will do a "SaveAs" to
rename it, and the default folder it will be saved in should be the file
that you designated in the "Default File Location" window.

You can keep the .xlt template file in that "user1" folder, just in case you
need to copy and transform it to a .xls file again.
--
HTH,

RD
==============================================
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
==============================================

Please see the answers below the questions. Thanks.
--
Thank you for your time.
Windows NT
Office 97

Some questions:

Is the template a .xls file or a .xtl file? The file is an .xlt file.
Is the file (folder) that the template is stored in on the network

drive?
The file is under a folder on the network drive.

Is this file populated with other XL WBs (files)?

The Network file folder is populated with several xl* files that are used
regularly.

If yes, are these other XL WBs (files) .xlt or .xls files? Both.
Would you want this template to open automatically in XL on *all* the
machines on the network, or just certain ones?

No. I only need this on one persons signon or just his workstation.

--
Regards,

RD

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Please keep all correspondence within the NewsGroup, so all may benefit

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[Dave Peterson]

Another way is to use the workgroup templates folder.

You can't change it in excel, but you can change it in MSWord.

Inside MSWord
tools|Options|File Location Tabs

point at that network folder.

 

[Guest]

--
What I did to complete this project was to create a subfolder in the network
drive instead of the local drive that contained the ".xls template" so it was
the only file and linked that location to this personal alternate startup
file location.
I just wish that it would take an .xlt file and open it up automatically.
The way I got around that so other users would not be able to modify the .xls
file was to place the file on 'Read Only' status so when they accidentally
hit save it forces a renaming of the file. If I further wished to protect it
I could Password protect it but I don't need to in this circumstance.
Idea - Perhaps in the future Microsoft will allow automatic opening of a
template file on startup using a .xlt formated file.

 

[RagDyer]

I really don't understand your hesitation in implementing a "regular"
template scenario for this one user (machine).

Are your users that inept<bg>, so that after opening XL, they cannot click
on:
<File> <New>
And then click on the template icon (or file name) in the default "General"
window (3 mouse clicks)?

This way you have your template protected since it's working within the
"normal" template environment.

 

[Guest]

*chuckle* Um...how to explain. I have set my computer up to load certain
things when I come in and log on. They saw it and liked it and wanted to do
the same thing for the things they do on a daily basis. The only difference
was that I didn't know how to use a template directly on excel. I use
certain .xls files instead. So I guess I set the precedence...<bg - big grin>
I also like challenges, learning new things, and helping people in saving
time. That's why I had to try it with a template.
As for the inept<bg> issue...Perhaps. That may be why I have found so many
computer projects to supplement my quality inspection job. I also do MS
Access programing/database creation/modification. Since I have picked up
these skills, I have become known as a "computer guru" (far from the truth,
but it gives me a certain level of job security). I just know things and
take the time to find out things that they are unwilling to spend time
looking into.
Thanks again and feel free to poke fun at my coworkers anytime.
James