Microsoft KB Archive/141694

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

XL: How to Work with Settings Files on a Macintosh Computer
Last reviewed: September 12, 1996

Article ID: Q141694

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.0a

SUMMARY
On the Macintosh, Microsoft Excel uses two main preferences files for controlling its environment: Excel Settings and Excel Toolbars. These files are located in the "System Folder:Preferences" folder.

MORE INFORMATION
Depending on the version of Microsoft Excel that you are using, these preferences files may be listed under a slightly different name than that given in the previous section. The following table lists the preference file names for Microsoft Excel versions 3.0-5.0a.

Version of         Settings            Toolbars Microsoft Excel    File name           File name -

3.0                Excel Settings      * 4.0                Excel Settings (4)  Excel Toolbars 5.0, 5.0a          Excel Settings (5)  Excel Toolbars (5) Note: In Microsoft Excel version 3.0, there is no toolbars preferences file.

If these two files are removed from the preferences folder, Microsoft Excel will automatically rebuild new ones; these new files will use the default values. Also, if you choose the Remove All button in maintenance mode Setup, these two files will remain in the preferences folder.

The Excel Settings File
The Excel Settings file keeps track of settings for options that you choose in Microsoft Excel. For example, if you click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the General tab in the Options dialog box, and you change the number of Worksheets you get in a new workbook, the change is recorded in the Excel Settings file.

The Excel Toolbars File
The Excel Toolbars file contains settings for the various toolbars in Microsoft Excel. These settings include which toolbars are visible when you quit the program, any customization you may have done to toolbars (removing or adding buttons to the toolbars), positions of visible toolbars (docked versus floating), as well as any custom toolbars you may have created.