Where is the Print Preview button in Excel 2008?

[Ildiko]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel I was a little bit forced to switch to Excel 2008 - because of the new file format - and now I'm discovering the changes... with disappointment.

I'm lacking very much the Print Preview command and icon from the toolbar. It was a great feature that cannot be replaced by Apple's Preview - as somebody explained on one of the forums. Through Preview you see a "frozen" image, that cannot be edited in the way you could do it in Excel 2004. The Toolbox is also great, it allows you to introduce data quickly and easily: but you are still missing the graphical feedback of the former Preview!! Set the margin, see what fits or not into the page, are things which cannot be replaced by other things about my opinion.
The Print Preview was an excellent feature, and in lack of this graphical feedback I feel as if I were "blind"...
Could you tell me when will it be added again? With the next upgrade maybe?

 

[CyberTaz]

Excel 2008 does not have Print Preview. It's been replaced by Page Layout
View which is also an editable viewing mode & provides direct access to
Headers & Footers. You can also preview the print job in Apple's Preview app
if you click the Preview button while in the Print dialog... plus the
miniature preview presented in the Print dialog, itself.

 

[Ildiko]

I've checked already the page layout and the Mac Preview, thanks. They are better workarounds to this missing feature, sorry to say that.
I'm still waiting for the Preview, I hope it will appear again with one of the upgrades. At least I hope they don't want to annoy us more than necessary because the new file format. I'm not the only one missing this feature.

 

[CyberTaz]

I understand how you feel -- my reaction was pretty much the same when I
found that Print Preview had 'gone missing' during the Beta testing of
Office 2008. Having worked with Page Layout View, however, I now realize how
limited & virtually useless Print Preview was. The only thing you can do in
that view is adjust margins & welllll... preview. You have no access to Page
Setup or formatting/data modification, & going to Page Setup directly from
Print Preview renders most features on the Sheet page inoperable. Perhaps
your impression will also change once you've had the opportunity to further
explore the functionality of Page Layout View.

I'd not hold my breath awaiting the return of Print Preview, though. I don't
claim to know what Microsoft has in store, but Print Preview was also
removed from PPT 2008 & that seems to be the trend being encouraged by
Apple. Printing is not a function of the app you're working in, it's
controlled by the OS in conjunction with your printer & its driver.

AFAIK, The "new file format" has absolutely nothing to do with it. It's more
likely a matter of trying to maintain compatibility in view of the thousands
of different printers from dozens of different mfrs combined with the
rapidly changing technology of both the hardware & software, including OSX.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Ildiko]

You're right, the file format has nothing to do with the Preview. I'm just a user who isn't always convinced of the necessity of upgrades, and in top of it, now I'm lacking one of my good old features
Thanks for your answers! While I'm still hoping, I'll try to manage with the Page Layout as you say. Do you know if in the Page Layout is an option to see only the border lines? And make the rest of the lines disappear? Or I have to open the Apple Preview for that?

 

[Phillip Jones, C.E.T.]

If your not using Snow leopard and still have Office2004 use it I have
both installed. I'll have to pass on 2011 or 12 or what ever it is as I
don't have an Intel machine and don't have funds to buy one anytime
soon. When I get one I don't want an entry level machine I want one with
some real memory so If I watch any type movies I don't have to see it
stop and load, stop and load and stutter in between.

 

[BBrownFW]

Count me in as another grumpy upgrader who desperately misses Page Break Preview as it was formerly know.
I have just read this blog and have found the notes on "page layout view' very helpful. HOWEVER - I find that it is totally inconsistent!
If I create a new document I find that I can insert page breaks and then see them 'live' however on some of my imported templates all I see is the green dotted line (which I can live with) but at other times I can see no indication at all of where the breaks are and I have to go all the way through to preview on the print menu to see them and then try to orient myself back to the right line back in excel to see it. This is hugely inefficient!! Is there a preference I need to set in all my documents to make sure that I can see the page break indicators?
Any advise is appreciated!

 

[CyberTaz]

You should only have to switch to Page Layout View then back to Normal View,
but Page Layout view will show you the same thing you see in Apple's
Preview. That includes exactly what rows & columns are included on each
page. You can also adjust the Margin settings by using the Rulers provided
in that view, set/remove page breaks, as well as make any other changes to
data or formatting.

If the Page Break indicators aren't displaying have a look in Excel>
Preferences - View to make sure 'Show page breaks' is checked.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac