Excel save changes

I

Iain A C T

When I open a blank workbook and the go to close it again without having done
any work on it Excel asks me if I want to save the changes. How can I stop it
from doing this? It is getting annoying everytime I just want to look at a
workbook being asked if I want to save the changes.
 
D

Dave Peterson

Do you have any of these volatile functions in your workbook?

=AREAS()
=INDEX()
=OFFSET()
=CELL()
=INDIRECT()
=ROWS()
=COLUMNS()
=NOW()
=TODAY()
=RAND()

These evaluate with each calculation. And cause excel to think your workbook
has changed.

And excel likes to recalculate workbooks created in earlier versions. Is this
the case in your situation?
 
I

Iain A C T

Thanks for the reply but it has nothing to do with formulas or earlier
versions of Excel, even if you open a new workbook and then just close it, it
still ask me if I want to save the changes.
 
D

Dave Peterson

Have you recently upgraded to a new version of excel?

If yes, are you still using the old version of book.xlt in XLStart?
 
I

Iain A C T

That sounds like it might be the problem. How do I know if I am using an old
version of Book.xlt and if I am how do I change it to an up to date version?
 
D

Dave Peterson

Close excel
windows start button|seach
search for book.xlt in hidden folders/files.

If you've upgraded excel on this pc, you could have a couple of different
XLStart folders that the current version of excel will respect.

If you have multiple versions of book.xlt in different folders, make a note of
those folders.

Then reopen excel.
file|open
and open one of the book.xlt files.
make a small change (maybe just a unique identifier in A1).
Save and close that file.

Do the same thing for the other book.xlt files (but use a different identifier).
Save and close
(repeat until done)

Now click on that New Icon on the toolbar (not file|new--just the icon that
creates a new workbook).

What do you see in A1. That's the version of book.xlt that you want to keep.

File|open that book.xlt and clean up A1
save and close that file.

Then I'd go back and delete all those other imposter book.xlt's. Might as will
clean it up to make it easier for the next time <vbg>.



That sounds like it might be the problem. How do I know if I am using an old
version of Book.xlt and if I am how do I change it to an up to date version?
Click to expand...
 
I

Iain A C T

Ok, I have searched for file book.xlt and there doesn't appear to be one I
have found the following files with the following paths-

1. C:\Documents and Settings\iain\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\Excel.xlb
2. C:\Documents and Settings\iain\Application
Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\PERSONAL.xls

Under the following path there was no file
3. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\XLSTART

I have made sure that I can see hidden files and if I try and open the file
Excel.xlb it won't open.

I have tried to supply you with as much info as possible, thanks for your
help in trying to figure this out.
 
D

Dave Peterson

excel.xlb is where excel stores customized changes to the toolbars. That
shouldn't be the problem.

Maybe looking again using an old DOS command would help:

(Windows start button|run
for winNT/win2k (winXP): cmd
for win9*, type: command

Then

dir c:\book.xlt /s /ah

You may have to change the drive letter (depending on where you installed office
and the versions of excel/windows you're using).

The /s means to search subfolders, too. The /ah means to search for files with
(a)ttributes that are (h)idden.

Ok, I have searched for file book.xlt and there doesn't appear to be one I
have found the following files with the following paths-

1. C:\Documents and Settings\iain\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\Excel.xlb
2. C:\Documents and Settings\iain\Application
Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\PERSONAL.xls

Under the following path there was no file
3. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\XLSTART

I have made sure that I can see hidden files and if I try and open the file
Excel.xlb it won't open.

I have tried to supply you with as much info as possible, thanks for your
help in trying to figure this out.
Click to expand...
 
I

Iain A C T

I have now tried searching in Dos aswell but still no book.xlt file to be
found.

Any other ideas?
 
D

Dave Peterson

Try starting excel in safe mode.

Close excel
windows start button|run
excel /safe

Then File|open your workbook (or create a new workbook).

If that works ok, then maybe you do have something that's changing that file.

Chip Pearson has some notes on how to diagnose startup errors at:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/StartupErrors.htm

And Jan Karel Pieterse has more notes at:
http://www.jkp-ads.com/Articles/StartupProblems.htm
I have now tried searching in Dos aswell but still no book.xlt file to be
found.

Any other ideas?
Click to expand...
 
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