Volatile print area

[stevepain]

I have created a range, such that the columns within the range extend as time progresses - i.e. in July, you only see columns of up to and including July information.
When I enter the range name in the page setup - define print area dialog box, and do print preview, the correct area is set as print area. However, I want the print area to automatically update when we move onto the next month, and when I return to page setup, the range name is lost, replaced by the cell references of the range.

Any ideas how to keep that print area as a range?

Thanks,

Steve

[Ron de Bruin]

Hi Steve

Why don't you clear you print area (File>Print Area...Clear)
It will print everything on the sheet then

--
Regards Ron de Bruin
http://www.rondebruin.nl


"stevepain" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I have created a range, such that the columns within the range extend as
> time progresses - i.e. in July, you only see columns of up to and
> including July information.
> When I enter the range name in the page setup - define print area
> dialog box, and do print preview, the correct area is set as print
> area. However, I want the print area to automatically update when we
> move onto the next month, and when I return to page setup, the range
> name is lost, replaced by the cell references of the range.
>
> Any ideas how to keep that print area as a range?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve
>
>
> --
> stevepain
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> stevepain's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21759
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>

[stevepain]

Ron,

Thanks for your response - however I fear you have missed the point of what I was trying to achieve.

I want to print a range of columns that over time (as the months change) increases to include the latest month.

I have defined the range, and when I enter the range name into the print area dialouge box, it sets the print area accordingly.

However, when I return to the print area dialogue box, my range name has been replaced by the cell references generated by the range name, and it has to be retyped to update. I would like to ensure that the range name is always the print area, and that as the months go by the extra columns are added to the range.

Hope this makes sense - any suggestions?

[Dave Peterson]

I don't think you can change this behavior.

But you may want to try this workaround--it seemed to work ok for me.

Insert Name Define
Names in workbook box: 'sheet 1'!print_area

(Print_Area is the name that excel uses to keep track of the print area. But
make sure you include that sheet name in the name. Doing so makes the name a
sheet level name and that means you can use this on other sheets and it won't
confuse you or excel!)

Refers to box: ='sheet 1'!yournamehere

Then if you want to use a different name for the print range, you can just
change what that print_area names refers to (via insert|Name|define).

stevepain wrote:
>
> Ron,
>
> Thanks for your response - however I fear you have missed the point of
> what I was trying to achieve.
>
> I want to print a range of columns that over time (as the months
> change) increases to include the latest month.
>
> I have defined the range, and when I enter the range name into the
> print area dialouge box, it sets the print area accordingly.
>
> However, when I return to the print area dialogue box, my range name
> has been replaced by the cell references generated by the range name,
> and it has to be retyped to update. I would like to ensure that the
> range name is always the print area, and that as the months go by the
> extra columns are added to the range.
>
> Hope this makes sense - any suggestions?
>
> --
> stevepain
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> stevepain's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21759
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=388412

--

Dave Peterson

[stevepain]

Thanks Dave, that seems to work.
Strange characteristic that the print area reverts back to the cell references in the first place - but I guess that's one of the quirks that has been sent to challenge us!

[stevepain]

Thanks Dave, that seems to work.
Strange characteristic that the print area reverts back to the cell references in the first place - but I guess that's one of the quirks that has been sent to challenge us!

[Dave Peterson]

Do you use VBA?

If you do, take a look at VBA's help for .printarea. You'll see that it's a
string. So behind the scenes, excel is storing that as the address--not the
range (or named range).

So it's not as surprising as it would seem at first blush.

stevepain wrote:
>
> Thanks Dave, that seems to work.
> Strange characteristic that the print area reverts back to the cell
> references in the first place - but I guess that's one of the quirks
> that has been sent to challenge us!
>
> --
> stevepain
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> stevepain's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=21759
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=388412

--

Dave Peterson