New Fun & Games with Templates

[hrlngrv]

Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2211 Build 16.0.15806.20000) 32-bit

I'm in the Insider Program.

Something new happened today. This is NOT a request for help. I have an acceptable work-around.

I keep my XLSTART directory on my E: drive, which is a local drive.

I've had Book.xltx, Sheet.xltx and Worksheet.xltx templates in XLSTART for years. Sheet and Worksheet are identical. Book differs from them by having 4 worksheets rather than just 1. I want these because I purge ALL predefined styles other than Normal, which I don't believe can be deleted, and I set gridlines NOT to be displayed (yes, I know about the Options3 registry tweak).

Today, Excel started complaining about the Book, Sheet and Worksheet templates. The message I see in a dialog before the Excel splash screen shows:

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This dialog shows Yes and No buttons on the bottom. I disable them, and upon disabling the last of them, Excel finally launches.

I can clear the .xltx files out of XLSTART, launch Excel (with no problem), and recreate these templates in XLSTART, and they remain available IN THAT SESSION but not in subsequent sessions. Same dialog when launching new sessions requiring disabling .xltx add-ins or moving them out of XLSTART. FWIW, I also have PERSONAL.XLSB in XLSTART, and it loads and works as it always has, so it appears that XLSTART not being on C: isn't the problem.

I can use .XLT templates. Excel doesn't complain about them in XLSTART. However, new workbooks based on .XLT templates are created with all the default styles and in compatibility mode. I've added a Workbook_Open event handler to Book.XLT to check the built-in Template property (which I set to -1 for the template), and if it's -1, change it to vbEmpty and delete all but Normal style. To get around compatibility mode, I have to save, close, and reopen new workbooks. Annoying, but this is Excel, so annoyances come with the territory.

I'm curios whether anyone else has had problems with templates in XLSTART. I figure I may be one of the 0.000001% of Excel users who uses Book, Sheet and Worksheet templates in XLSTART, so I'm on my own with not a prayer of MSFT considering this to be something in need of fixing.

[snb]

1. Check

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2. check in the Trust Center whether all these folders are marked as 'trusted locations'.

[AliGW]

@snb

Add code tags, please!!! Thanks.

[rorya]

It has been reported to the Excel team.

[hrlngrv]

As I mentioned, I have my PERSONAL.XLSB workbook in XLSTART, it loads automatically when Excel launches, and it functions correctly. Trust Center would then presumably not be an issue.

Tangent: Office version Redhat -- nice.

[hrlngrv]

I've checked the Office feedback site and didn't find anything. Do you know the title for that report? Thanks.

I ask because I'd be willing to provide details including the Book.xltx file causing problems.

[rorya]

Jon Peltier told me he'd reported it via the MVP channels. The issue is there, in my experience at least, with any book template even just one made from a new blank workbook. It appears to be a bug in the latest release so will hopefully get a quick fix.

[hrlngrv]

Thanks.

Good to know others use Book templates.

[rorya]

FYI, the latest build seems to have resolved the problem.

[hrlngrv]

Thanks.

Apparently that line above is too short to be acceptable in this forum. There are times this forum's software is less than ideal. Sorry for the rant, but blame it on the forum.