XL97: Startup Switches for Microsoft Excel 97

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

Microsoft Excel 97 accepts a number of optional switches that you can use to control how Microsoft Excel starts. This article lists the switches and provides a description of each switch.

MORE INFORMATION

Editing the Microsoft Excel Shortcut to Use the Switches

To use these switches, you can edit shortcut you use to start Microsoft Excel. To do this, use the following steps:

1. Right-click Start on the taskbar. Click Open on the shortcut menu that appears.

2. Double-click Programs. Then, right-click the shortcut for Microsoft Excel and click Properties.

3. Click the Shortcut tab.

4. In the Target box, type the appropriate switches. For example, if you want Microsoft Excel 97 to start without creating a new workbook, the target would look something like this:

            "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Excel.exe" /e
   
   

5. Click OK.

Using a Command Line to Use One Switch at a Time

To use one switch one time, use the following steps:

1. Click Run on the Start menu.

2. Type the path to Excel.exe, and add the appropriate switches. For example, use the following command line:

         "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Excel.exe" /s
   

3. Click OK after you type the switch you want to use.

Switch          Function

/automation     Forces Microsoft Excel 97 to start without loading
                add-ins, templates, or processing files in the XLSTART
                folder or the Alternate Startup File Location. You can
                use this switch to perform a "clean-boot" of Microsoft
                Excel 97. (See also the /s switch, shown below.)

                Example: /automation

/e, /embedded   Forces Microsoft Excel to start in embedded mode. Use
                this switch when you want to start Microsoft Excel
                without creating a new workbook (Book1).

                Example: /e, /embedded

/i              Forces Microsoft Excel to start with a maximized window.
                Previously saved window size settings are ignored.

                Example: /i

/m              Forces Microsoft Excel to create a new workbook that
                contains a single Microsoft Excel 4.0 macro sheet.

                Example: /m

/o              Causes Microsoft Excel to re-register itself.
                Specifically, the following key is rewritten in the
                registry:

                   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Excel

                NOTE: If this key contains invalid values, they are
                not corrected by using this switch. This switch only
                replaces missing values.

                Example: /o

/p <folder>     Sets the active path to a different folder. Use this
                switch to set the active path to a folder other than the
                default file location.

                Example: /p "C:\Windows"

/r <filename>   Forces Microsoft Excel to open the specified file in
                read-only mode.

                Example: /r "C:\My Documents\Test.xls"

/s              Forces Microsoft Excel to bypass all files in the Xlstart
                and Alternate Startup Files folders. Use this switch when
                you want to start Microsoft Excel in Safe mode.

                Example: /s

/regserver      Forces Microsoft Excel to register itself and then quit.

                Use this switch when you want Microsoft Excel 97 to 
                rewrite all of its registry keys and reassociate itself 
                with Microsoft Excel files, such as workbooks, charts, 
                and add-ins.

                Example: /regserver

/unregserver    Forces Microsoft Excel to unregister itself and then
                quit.

                Example: /unregserver