Can't change form portrait to landscape in excel

[wcwitowski]

When I go into page setup and change from portrait to landscape printing nothing changes! The preview and the actual printing still prints portrait style even when I click back and forth between portrait and landscape. Does anyone know how to fix this?
Thanks,
Bill

 

[DZarlengo]

Does it do this on all workbooks? Basic troubleshooting would be for you to close your applications, reboot your system, open Excel, then create a new workbook. Enter data into at least 1 cell. Set it to landscape and see if it takes.

If that doesn't work, there may be problems with your standard template file, or Excel may be corrupted and need reloaded. (Does landscape mode work in other programs, such as MS Word?

 

[wcwitowski]

MS Word has no problems with changing form portrait to landscape. I've tried what you said (creating a new workbook and adding text) but that does not work either. I've also rebooted/turned off/on the computer. Do you suggest reinstalling excel?
Thanks,
Bill

 

[DZarlengo]

If I was at your system, there are checks that I would do first, such as examining your Personal.xls to make sure there are no macros interfering. I'd check the default template Excel loads. I'd check which printer you are trying to print to, and set a different default printer to see if it made a difference. I'd try to set landscape mode from the menu and also from the print preview screen (yes, there is a difference). I'd set a workbook to landscape on another system, save it to a floppy, and see how it opens on your system. I'd print a workbook to see if it really knows it's landscape but is displaying wrong on the screen. In short, I'd try every possibility before reloading - because if it is some other problem, reloading may no clear it up.

 

[klb]

One mroe thing to check:

Is there a macro running before you print that changes the print mode to portrait?

 

[wcwitowski]

Thanks all. I saved a worksheet in landscape format on another machine and brought it to mine and when it opened it automatically was set to portrait.
I have been struggling in finding the default template settings. I went through excel help (searched index for template) and read about changing the template. I just cannot locate it on my harddrive. Any ideas?

Bill

 

[DZarlengo]

This is what Excel's Help says when you type in "Template"

Guidelines for storing templates

Storing default workbook and worksheet templates

Store the default templates for new workbooks and worksheets in the XLStart folder in your Microsoft Excel program folder. If you've created a template named Book.xlt or Sheet.xlt and saved it in the XLStart folder, Microsoft Excel uses the template to create new default workbooks or to insert new worksheets when you click Worksheet on the Insert menu. To use templates stored on a network file location, you can specify that location as the alternate startup folder. Custom templates stored in the XLStart folder or the alternate startup folder appear on the General tab in the New dialog box (File menu).

 

[DZarlengo]

Your issue may require reloading Excel. I searched the Microsoft Knowledge Base, and found nothing about it, so this must not be a widespread bug type of problem. Perhaps a corrupted file somewhere. Reloading won't affect your data, only your custom settings.

 

[klb]

If you reload, be sure to save your *.xlb somewhere if you have any customized toolbars. Been there and done that.