Colors live in the workbook--not the worksheet. So adding a new worksheet to an
existing workbook won't change the color scheme of your workbook.

But you can use:
tools|Options|Color tab|Copy colors from
(and copy from any other open workbook)

Heck, you could even have a macro that opens your template workbook (book.xlt)
and merges colors from there.

Something like this (stored in your personal.xls workbook) could make it easier:

Option Explicit
Sub testme01()

Dim TempWkbk As Workbook
Set TempWkbk _
= Workbooks.Add(template:=Application.StartupPath & "\" & "Book.xlt")
ActiveWorkbook.Colors = TempWkbk.Colors
TempWkbk.Close savechanges:=False

End Sub

If you're new to macros, you may want to read David McRitchie's intro at:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm

"*(((" wrote:

Good progress. I now have only BOOK.XLT and SHEET.XLT in the STARTUP
file. Excel opens with the colors I want!

HOWEVER, I cannot insert worksheet successfully. The worksheet that
inserts does not have my custom colors.

You guys have been great. Do you think you could help me resolve that
one remaining problem?

THanks!

Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
*((( ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

On Sat, 02 Sep 2006 16:13:55 -0700, Gord Dibben gorddibbATshawDOTca
wrote:

Remove Book.xls and Sheet.xls from the XLSTART folder.

They are both opening when you start up Excel.

Don't worry about the Templates Folder. Mine has never had any files in there.

The only files you want in the XLSTART folder are BOOK.XLT, SHEET.XLT and
Personal.xls if you have one.

The Excel.xlb file is the file in which Excel saves any menu or toolbar
customizations.

Leave it there. I keep a backup copy of this file just in case.


Gord


On Sat, 02 Sep 2006 15:32:41 -0700, "*(((" wrote:

Thanks for your help. I saved BOOK as a template into the Startup
Folder. I edited my customized colors workbook to have just one sheet
and saved it as SHEET as a template into the Starup Folder.

Now, I have these in my startup folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\myname\Application
Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART
BOOK.xls
BOOK.xlt
SHEET.xls
SHEET.xlt

How did the *.xls files get in there? I promise I didn't do that!

I have these files next to the startup folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\myname\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\
XLSTART (a folder)
Excel.xlb

When I start Excell, it automatically opens with just one sheet, not
with a workbook. The sheet has my colors in it. But when I choose
Insert Worksheet, I get the default (not my colors).

When I close all the sheets and Choose File New, I get a workbook
with two sheets and my colors. But when I Insert Worksheet, it too
brings up the default sheet and not my customized colors.

Fortunately, now when I open a new Sheet or a new Workbook and save
it, it defaults to MY DOCUMENTS. This is an improvement!

Can you help me with the remaining issues? Thank you!

PS: The TEMPLATES folder is empty!
C:\Documents and Settings\MyName\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates


Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
*((( ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~





On Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:43:03 -0700, "*(((" wrote:

I have reformatted the colors in Excel 2000. I've read the messages
about storing it in the Startup folder. But when I open a new
workbook, it tries to save over the one in the startup! That's not
what I want.

I want the template with the edited colors to be my default. I want
it to open as a new workbook, and I want it to save into my default
directory -- Data/Spreadsheets.

I also want, when I insert a new worksheet into the workbook, for the
worksheet with the edited colors to be inserted.

Can somebody help me?


~~~~~~~~~~~
Awaiting your responses with baited breath, I remain, yours truly,
*((( ~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~

--

Dave Peterson