Auto_Open Macro Not Working Correctly on Excel Worksheet

ID: Q28189


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.x, 4.x, 5.0, 5.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0


SUMMARY

To create a macro that runs automatically every time you open a particular Excel document, do the following:

Microsoft Excel version 5.0 and later

  1. Open the workbook from which you want to run your macro. Select either a worksheet or macro sheet tab.


  2. On the sheet, define the name Auto_Open that refers to the macro that you want to run, as in the following examples:
    =My_Macro (My_Macro located in same workbook)

    -or-

    =BOOK2.XLS!My_Macro (My_Macro located in separate workbook)
    Note that My_Macro may be either a Visual Basic macro or a Microsoft Excel 4.0 macro.


  3. Close and save the workbook.


Microsoft Excel versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0

  1. Open both your worksheet and your macro sheet.


  2. On your worksheet, define your Auto_Open macro with a reference to the open macro sheet, as in the following example:
    =test.xlm!my_macro


  3. Close the macro sheet.


  4. Save the worksheet.


The Auto_Open macro now runs correctly when you open the worksheet.


MORE INFORMATION

In Excel 2.x for Windows, symptoms of an improperly defined Auto_open macro are:

  • dropping to MS-DOS


  • the error message "Cannot find Auto_open"


  • system lockups upon loading the document



REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel User's Guide," version 3.0, pages 622-624

"Microsoft Excel Functions and Macros," version 2.x, page 194

Additional query words: 2.00 2.0 2.01 2.1 2.10 2.2 2.21 2.20 3.00 3.0 4.00 4.0 5.0 auto open

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Last Reviewed: March 11, 1999
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