How can Excel user preferences be imported from an existing PC?

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Guest

User wishes to preserve his preferences in Excell on a new installation of MS
Office on a new laptop PC. How can these settings be migrated from his old
machine to the new one most efficiently (if at all?). Thanks for helping out
with this immediate need!
 
Information for versions older than Office 2007........not sure what to say
about 2007 since I don't use it.

Toolbar and Menu customizations are stored in your xxxxxx.XLB file where
xxxxxx is version-dependent name.

Excel 97.....username.xlb

Excel 2000...Excel9.xlb

Excel 2002...Excel10.xlb

Excel 2003...Excel11.xlb

Note: there may be other customizations you want to transfer at the same time.

Before reading further.......

Transferring your *.xlb file from 97 to 2003 will reduce the functionality
of new version menu items, although most of them can be dragged onto the old
menu.

Read on.........

NOTE: some settings are workbook-specific and would be stored with the
workbook.

For other global stored settings..........

Screen layout, color info, checked Add-ins and many Tools>Options
settings are stored in the Registry, not in the *.XLB file.

To see some of what's stored in the Registry have a peek at this
section in it, if you feel comfortable.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\XX.0\Excel\Options

XX is your version of Excel...8,9,10,11

Assuming you are aware of the precautions taken when editing the
Registry and know how to restore a recent backup of same.......

If not, maybe have a look here first...scroll down to "Registry
editing tips"

http://www.activewin.com/tips/reg/index.shtml

Export all these keys(as a branch group) to a .REG file so's you can
back them up.

Note also: you may want to move over your *.ACL(autocorrect files) and any
*.DIC files.

For a more comprehensive listing see Dave Peterson's posting at

http://snipurl.com/8r7x


Gord Dibben Excel MVP
 
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