Macro File Locations

L

Lori-Wheaten

Planning on copying Excel Macros from one PC to another; he uses a base Macro
template for the majority of the macro's. Are there file extensions for
Macro files? I realize that the macros are associated with the specific file
or workbook, but can we locate the macros separately?

Copying all the current Excel documents to the new system should accomplish
maintaining his Macro files, am I right?
 
D

Dave Peterson

Macros live in workbooks--so any extension that is ok for a workbook is ok for a
workbook with macros. Well, until you get to xl2007. It has special extensions
that indicate the workbook has macros (like .xlsm (with the M)) and special
extensions for workbooks with no macros (like .xlsx (with the last X)).

So workbooks with macros (in xl2003) could be .xls, .xla, .xlt (pretty unusual
for templates, but not impossible), and even .html.

If you're staying within the same version of office...

Saved from a previous post (so there it's kind of redundant at the end):

I have a short list of things to copy/update when we changed pc's at work.

It's not complete, but may help you.

Word/Excel files:

FileName Use
custom.dic personal dictionary
*.acl personal autocorrect list
mssp2_en.exc personal exclusion dictionary
normal.dot default (for new documents) template
*.dot Any other templates you've made

*.xlb personal toolbar
book.xlt defaults for new workbooks
sheet.xlt defaults for new worksheets
personal.xl* personal macros
*.xlt Any other templates you've made

And don't forget any:
Local files (If you don’t store on LAN)
(Settings) Directories and other defaults (Tools|Options stuff)

====

I've found the easiest way to find these files is to use Windows start
button|Search.

Remember to look through hidden folders/files. And if I find multiple files of
the same name, I open excel (say), then make a minor change to that file. Then
search again. Then I can pick out the current version of the file.

That said, if you're upgrading from an older version of office, I wouldn't copy
the toolbar. (I would take good notes to help me rebuild this toolbar (maybe
even fix it up a bit).)

Same with the normal.dot (I'd let MSWord rebuild that--then just copy|paste any
macros into it manually.)

The *.xlt (book.xlt, sheet.xlt), I'd copy over, but then open and resave them
using the newer version.
 
J

Jim Thomlinson

Macros are embedded directly in the XL files. There are no seperate files
associated with the macros as you would find in uncompiled VB6 source code.
 

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