I need to share a custom toolbar on the network so that when multiple users
use a common terminal with Excel, the custom toolbar will appear. I would
prefer having a single custom toolbar file so that there is only one file to
update from time to time and to make sure that everyone's toolbar is
identical.

I have Excel 2003. I believe something has to be done with the registry but
what I tried so far using instructions from Excel 97 hasn't worked so I'm out
of options.

Saved from a previous post from someone named Formido:

Don't use a workbook named personal.xls (or personal.xla). If you share this
same workbook with others, then those users may have to decide to use your
version of personal.xl* or their own.

Call it something nice:
FormidoUtils.xls (or .xla)

I'd save it as an addin (*.xla) and store a single copy in a nice common network
location and refer to that location via its UNC path
(\\aaaa\bbbb\formidoutils.xla). I wouldn't use a mapped drive--others may not
connect using the same letter.

If that's not possible, I'd ask all the users to store the addin in a folder on
their C: drive--and make that folder name exactly the same for all users:

c:\Formido\formidoUtils.xla

Then any UDF used in a cell will always find the function in the same
location--it'll make working with links and users easier.

And if you have subroutines that need to be run from that addin, you'll have to
give the user a way to run them.

For additions to the worksheet menu bar, I really like the way John Walkenbach
does it in his menumaker workbook:
http://j-walk.com/ss/excel/tips/tip53.htm

Here's how I do it when I want a toolbar:
http://www.contextures.com/xlToolbar02.html
(from Debra Dalgleish's site)


Eric wrote:

I need to share a custom toolbar on the network so that when multiple users
use a common terminal with Excel, the custom toolbar will appear. I would
prefer having a single custom toolbar file so that there is only one file to
update from time to time and to make sure that everyone's toolbar is
identical.

I have Excel 2003. I believe something has to be done with the registry but
what I tried so far using instructions from Excel 97 hasn't worked so I'm out
of options.

--

Dave Peterson

Create the Toolbar through VBA code and make it available to all.

Steps...............

Open a new file and add the code for creating a Toolbar. See below for help.

Save the file as an add-in.

Place the add-in in a common folder and instruct all users to load that add-in
and keep it loaded.

For help on creating a Toolbar see Debra Dalgleish's site.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/xlToolbar02.html


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:58:00 -0700, Eric wrote:

I need to share a custom toolbar on the network so that when multiple users
use a common terminal with Excel, the custom toolbar will appear. I would
prefer having a single custom toolbar file so that there is only one file to
update from time to time and to make sure that everyone's toolbar is
identical.

I have Excel 2003. I believe something has to be done with the registry but
what I tried so far using instructions from Excel 97 hasn't worked so I'm out
of options.

Thank you for your replys,

I tried the instructions that were given but it only shows how to do it with
a macro button. How do I write the VBA code for a custom toolbar that is not
floating in addition to a macro button that is on the toolbar with regular
buttons?

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Create the Toolbar through VBA code and make it available to all.

Steps...............

Open a new file and add the code for creating a Toolbar. See below for help.

Save the file as an add-in.

Place the add-in in a common folder and instruct all users to load that add-in
and keep it loaded.

For help on creating a Toolbar see Debra Dalgleish's site.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/xlToolbar02.html


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:58:00 -0700, Eric wrote:

I need to share a custom toolbar on the network so that when multiple users
use a common terminal with Excel, the custom toolbar will appear. I would
prefer having a single custom toolbar file so that there is only one file to
update from time to time and to make sure that everyone's toolbar is
identical.

I have Excel 2003. I believe something has to be done with the registry but
what I tried so far using instructions from Excel 97 hasn't worked so I'm out
of options.

I don't understand what you mean by a macro button.

The code at Debra's site creates a toolbar with icons that can be clicked to run
the macros.

If you don't like it floating...

You can change this portion:

.Position = msoBarFloating
to
.Position = msoBarTop
or
.Position = msoBarBottom

Personally, I like to float it in the window. The user can move it to where
they want, but I figure that they'll notice that it was added!

Eric wrote:

Thank you for your replys,

I tried the instructions that were given but it only shows how to do it with
a macro button. How do I write the VBA code for a custom toolbar that is not
floating in addition to a macro button that is on the toolbar with regular
buttons?

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Create the Toolbar through VBA code and make it available to all.

Steps...............

Open a new file and add the code for creating a Toolbar. See below for help.

Save the file as an add-in.

Place the add-in in a common folder and instruct all users to load that add-in
and keep it loaded.

For help on creating a Toolbar see Debra Dalgleish's site.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/xlToolbar02.html


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:58:00 -0700, Eric wrote:

I need to share a custom toolbar on the network so that when multiple users
use a common terminal with Excel, the custom toolbar will appear. I would
prefer having a single custom toolbar file so that there is only one file to
update from time to time and to make sure that everyone's toolbar is
identical.

I have Excel 2003. I believe something has to be done with the registry but
what I tried so far using instructions from Excel 97 hasn't worked so I'm out
of options.



--

Dave Peterson

Thanks for clearing up how to fix the floating toolbar. What do I do If I
just want to share a custom toolbar with no macro at all?

Also, If I ever updated this add-in, would it be automatically changed in
excel or would the users need to remove it and reinstall the add-in? If
that's so I'd rather look for another way of sharing the toolbar.

Is there a way that you can go into Excel's registry to change it's path to
the toolbar file? That to me sounds like it would be the easiest way.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

I don't understand what you mean by a macro button.

The code at Debra's site creates a toolbar with icons that can be clicked to run
the macros.

If you don't like it floating...

You can change this portion:

.Position = msoBarFloating
to
.Position = msoBarTop
or
.Position = msoBarBottom

Personally, I like to float it in the window. The user can move it to where
they want, but I figure that they'll notice that it was added!

Eric wrote:

Thank you for your replys,

I tried the instructions that were given but it only shows how to do it with
a macro button. How do I write the VBA code for a custom toolbar that is not
floating in addition to a macro button that is on the toolbar with regular
buttons?

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Create the Toolbar through VBA code and make it available to all.

Steps...............

Open a new file and add the code for creating a Toolbar. See below for help.

Save the file as an add-in.

Place the add-in in a common folder and instruct all users to load that add-in
and keep it loaded.

For help on creating a Toolbar see Debra Dalgleish's site.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/xlToolbar02.html


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:58:00 -0700, Eric wrote:

I need to share a custom toolbar on the network so that when multiple users
use a common terminal with Excel, the custom toolbar will appear. I would
prefer having a single custom toolbar file so that there is only one file to
update from time to time and to make sure that everyone's toolbar is
identical.

I have Excel 2003. I believe something has to be done with the registry but
what I tried so far using instructions from Excel 97 hasn't worked so I'm out
of options.



--

Dave Peterson

#1. You could add built in commands to the toolbar if you wanted.

#2. There is code in the workbook that builds the toolbar each time the
workbook/addin is opened. And that same toolbar is destroyed when the
workbook/addin is closed.

So if you update the file and distribute it to your users--and they install it
in the correct (same) location, then there should be no problems.

#3. I've seen a KB article that describes how to use a network drive to hold
the toolbar file--instead of a local (probably C:) drive.

If you're creating a toolbar with a bunch of icons that you like -- and you can
destroy the user's toolbars, then you could just search for your excel11.xlb
(xl2003 toolbar file) and share it with them. Have them put it in the correct
location and their customized changes will be replaced with yours.

If your users don't care (and lots don't!), then this seems like a reasonable
approach--well, I've done it for others. But if your users care, I wouldn't do
it.

Eric wrote:

Thanks for clearing up how to fix the floating toolbar. What do I do If I
just want to share a custom toolbar with no macro at all?

Also, If I ever updated this add-in, would it be automatically changed in
excel or would the users need to remove it and reinstall the add-in? If
that's so I'd rather look for another way of sharing the toolbar.

Is there a way that you can go into Excel's registry to change it's path to
the toolbar file? That to me sounds like it would be the easiest way.

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

I don't understand what you mean by a macro button.

The code at Debra's site creates a toolbar with icons that can be clicked to run
the macros.

If you don't like it floating...

You can change this portion:

.Position = msoBarFloating
to
.Position = msoBarTop
or
.Position = msoBarBottom

Personally, I like to float it in the window. The user can move it to where
they want, but I figure that they'll notice that it was added!

Eric wrote:

Thank you for your replys,

I tried the instructions that were given but it only shows how to do it with
a macro button. How do I write the VBA code for a custom toolbar that is not
floating in addition to a macro button that is on the toolbar with regular
buttons?

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Create the Toolbar through VBA code and make it available to all.

Steps...............

Open a new file and add the code for creating a Toolbar. See below for help.

Save the file as an add-in.

Place the add-in in a common folder and instruct all users to load that add-in
and keep it loaded.

For help on creating a Toolbar see Debra Dalgleish's site.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/xlToolbar02.html


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:58:00 -0700, Eric wrote:

I need to share a custom toolbar on the network so that when multiple users
use a common terminal with Excel, the custom toolbar will appear. I would
prefer having a single custom toolbar file so that there is only one file to
update from time to time and to make sure that everyone's toolbar is
identical.

I have Excel 2003. I believe something has to be done with the registry but
what I tried so far using instructions from Excel 97 hasn't worked so I'm out
of options.



--

Dave Peterson


--

Dave Peterson

Sharing a Custom Toolbar on the Network for All Users in Excel 2003

1. Create the custom toolbar with all the necessary buttons and commands. To do this, go to View Toolbars Customize. In the Customize dialog box, you can add, remove, or modify toolbar buttons and commands.
2. Once you have created the custom toolbar, save it as a file. To do this, right-click on the toolbar and select Customize. In the Customize dialog box, select the Toolbars tab and click on the New button. Give the toolbar a name and click OK. Then, click on the Commands tab and drag the necessary buttons and commands to the new toolbar. Once you have added all the necessary buttons and commands, click Close. Finally, go to File Save As and save the toolbar file with a .xlb extension.
3. Copy the custom toolbar file to a shared network folder that all users have access to. Make sure that the file is saved in a location that is easy to remember and access.
4. Modify the registry to point to the shared custom toolbar file. To do this, open the Registry Editor by going to Start Run and typing "regedit" in the Open box. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\C ommon\Toolbars. Right-click on the Toolbars key and select "Export". Save the exported file to a safe location in case you need to restore the registry later.
5. Double-click on the exported file to open it in Notepad. Find the line that reads "Toolbar Files" and add the path to the shared custom toolbar file after the equals sign. For example, if the shared custom toolbar file is located in the folder "C:\Shared\CustomToolbar.xlb", the line should read: "Toolbar Files"="C:\Shared\CustomToolbar.xlb"
6. Save the modified registry file and close Notepad. Double-click on the modified registry file to import it back into the registry.
7. Close Excel and reopen it. The custom toolbar should now be available to all users who have access to the shared network folder.

By following these steps, you should be able to share a custom toolbar on the network for all users in Excel 2003.