NickHK,

No, unfortunately, that is not what I mean, but I do appreciate your
response. What I mean is that the program will ultimately place its data
into Excel workbook files (.xls). Let's call these the "program output
files". I want an easy way to control what the program output files look
like without having to rewrite the program itself.

It occurs to me that one way to do this is to have the program refer to an
Excel template file (.xlt) to determine what the program output files should
look like, assuming I want them to look like the Excel template, which I do.
Another way might be to have the program load its data into an Excel template
file that looks like and is formatted just the way I want the program output
files to look and be formatted, save that file as an Excel workbook file
(.xls), which would become a program output file, and then clear the Excel
workbook file, or not save the changes to it that occur when its loaded with
data, so that it's ready to accept new program output.

The bottom line is I'm trying to find the easiest way to get my program
output files to look and be formatted exactly like my specified Excel
templates. This way when I want to change the appearance of the program
output files, all I have to do is adjust the appearance of the Excel
template--I do not have to rewrite the program creating the data itself.

Any additional help here would be greatly appreciated.

cwb1014

===================

"NickHK" wrote:

cwb1014,
When you open a template, you (normally) open a copy of that file, not the
original.
So if you make your required changes to the active file, then save as a
template to the same path/name.xlt, you will have changed the source
template.

Is that what you mean ?

NickHK


"cwb1014" wrote in message
...
Let's say you have a program that generates data that is placed in Excel
files. And let's say you want your program to examine an Excel template,
formatted just the way you want the Excel files that your program outputs
to
look, to determine how to format the files it will output. Can this be
done
and, if so, how?

The idea here is to have the program look at the template each time it
runs
to determine the proper formatting for its output and to allow the user to
change how the program's output will look in future runs of the program
simply by making changes to the template.

Many thanks in advance for any assistance here that anyone can provide.
If
you do post a reply, I'd appreciate your letting me know by email to
that you have done so.