Transferring Custom Toolbar from One Machine to Another

[louishong]

I'm running XL2003 and have created a custom toolbar (named
MyToolbar). I'm trying to move it from one machine to another and
can't get the custom toolbar to "stick" in the new machine.

I've read extensive posts on this subject...some say to move it
to .xlt and open in the new machine and other say as .xlb and
overwrite the existing one in the new machine (my new machine didn't
a .xlb).

Both method doesn't work for me and I'm about to throw my machine out
the window. The time that I've spent on this I could have customized
20 machines by now so I don't want to quit now.

When I directly open the .xlt or .xlb I get all the customized
settings but I want to click on a saved .xls files and have the custom
setting load automatically. I don't want to have to first load
the .xlb or .xlt then navigate to the eventual .xls file I want to
open.

Is this possible (open a single .xls file with the custom toolbar
loaded)? If so, can some please list the detailed steps for
everyone? Much thanks.

 

[Gord Dibben]

If the Toolbar is specific to a particular workbook, you would be far better off
to create the Toolbar "on the fly" through code when opening a workbook but, to
address your questions about where to store the customized Toolbar..........

Toolbar and Menu customizations are stored in your *.XLB file, not
*.XLT file.

If you want to copy the *.xlb file to another computer follow these steps.

Drill down to

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel

Copy the Excel11.xlb file and save to portable media.

Carry that portable media to the other machine.

Copy the Excel11.xlb to the same folder on that machine and overwrite the
original.....which you do have, you just didn't find it.

Excel11.xlb opens automatically when you start Excel......no need to open it
separately.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[louishong]

Hi Gord,


Thanks for the info. I did a search of my entire drive C: on the new
machine and there was/is no .xlb file. I place it in the C:\Documents
and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel as suggested in
other posts but the darn file will NOT load. It still comes up with
the default toolbar. And btw, this is true of my IBM and HP
laptop...they both do not have it and when the .xlb file is placed in
the folder above it does nothing.

The only issue that I can think of is that both Office 2003 are
corporate editions since these are corporate laptops.

If I manually customize the toolbar then reopen Excel the
customization is reloaded but even then there is no .xlb file so it
must be saved somewhere on these two machines and these machines only
have drive C:

 

[Dave Peterson]

If you manually update a toolbar and close excel, then that *.xlb file is
created.

My bet is that you're just missing it in your search.

Make sure you're looking in hidden folders in your search.

Another way to search for that *.xlb file is to use an old DOS command:

Windows Start button|Run
type:
CMD
(to get to the Command prompt)

C:
(to get to the C: drive--change this to the drive that excel is installed on)

cd\
(to get to the root directory)

dir *.xlb /s

The /s says to search subfolders, too.

Make a note of where you find it. Then you can replace that file with your real
*.xlb file (copied from the old pc).