Microsoft KB Archive/68403

{| = ALTSTART.XLA Adds the Parameter AltStartup= to EXCEL.INI =
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Last reviewed: November 2, 1994

Article ID: Q68403

SUMMARY
The add-in macro ALTSTART.XLA adds the parameter AltStartup= to the EXCEL.INI file and appends the path and subdirectory you specify. Excel will automatically open every file in the specified directory on startup.

ALTSTART.XLA is placed in the LIBRARY subdirectory if the option Library Macros is chosen during Setup.

MORE INFORMATION
For example:

 Open ALTSTART.XLA  Enter &quot;c:\windows\excel\myfiles&quot; (without the quotation marks). This results in the following line in EXCEL.INI: AltStartup=c:\windows#92;excel#92;myfiles.  Close Excel. Restart Excel. Every file in the MYFILES subdirectory will be opened.

Example to Undo

 * 1) Edit EXCEL.INI and remove the line &quot;AltStartup=...&quot;

-or-
 * 1) Open ALTSTART.XLA again. Delete the current path displayed and choose OK. This will leave the parameter &quot;AltStartup=&quot; in EXCEL.INI with no path.

Problems that Might Arise

 * 1) ALTSTART.XLA does not verify whether the path and subdirectory you entered are valid. Upon startup, no error message will be displayed if either the path or the subdirectory does not exist.
 * 2) Excel will open every file in the specified path regardless of whether it is a format that Excel can translate.
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