custom templates

[annie_Eastman]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I need to custom format the settings for new sheets in Excel (when it launches I need it to default to the custom format that I've created).

I found very clear instructions in Excel Help on how to do this (it involves creating a custom format, saving it as .xltx naming it Sheet, clearing the APPEND FILE EXTENSION, and saving it in Office 2008/Office/Startup/Excel

But it didn't work! I keep going over the same steps. I've restarted my computer. What should I try now?!

 

[annie_Eastman]

OK - I just solved my own problem. I figured out that it should not be named SHEET, but instead, WORKBOOK.

This works perfectly when I launch Excel now. Groovy.

BUT....I'm launching Excel from a batch list file that I exported from Final Cut Pro (to print out log notes). I right click the batch list, choose Excel, but it does NOT open in the custom format that I created.

Darn...I thought I solved this problem! What should I try?

 

[John McGhie]

Make a Workbook in Excel that uses the Data>Get External Data>From Text File
function to go and get the log notes.

It will import them, format them, and then you can print them.


IOW: Instead of "Sending" the log notes to Excel, go to Excel and tell it
to go "get" the log notes. That way, Excel is in control of the
transaction.

Cheers

OK - I just solved my own problem. I figured out that it should not be named
SHEET, but instead, WORKBOOK.

This works perfectly when I launch Excel now. Groovy.

BUT....I'm launching Excel from a batch list file that I exported from Final
Cut Pro (to print out log notes). I right click the batch list, choose Excel,
but it does NOT open in the custom format that I created.

Darn...I thought I solved this problem! What should I try?

--

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[annie_Eastman]

Brilliant! That works great.

Just one last thing—I am still having to tell it to "wrap text" in the
format menu. Is there anyway to make "wrap text" my default in Excel?
I did it that way when I created the custom template but it seems it
doesn't work!

Thanks!

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Annie:

Set the column format in Excel to "General" and "Wrap text".

That will hold.

Next time you open the spreadsheet, it will import the latest log notes,
provided you ensure you do not change the file name or location of the log
notes text file.

When it does that, it will keep the formatting you have specified and simply
replace the imported text.

Cheers

Brilliant! That works great.

Just one last thing—I am still having to tell it to "wrap text" in the
format menu. Is there anyway to make "wrap text" my default in Excel?
I did it that way when I created the custom template but it seems it
doesn't work!

Thanks!

--

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]