What's going on here???

JMo · May 7th, 2002, 10:43 AM

I'm honestly about to go insane.

I'm an admitted novice who created a fairly complex timesheet (with some help from some nice folks here -- thanks, btw!) and sent it out.

Seemed harmless enough. :|

But all sorts of "spontaneous" things are happening to screw it up, and I have NO idea how to fix it. Here's what's going on:

1. One of the columns automatically displays the dates within the current time period. That column of cells is protected, and formatted with the Date format 3/4/97. BUT -- when SOME users (not all) open the worksheet, they get the ##### display in that column -- the reason is that THEIR column is formatted differently -- 3/4/2002 to be exact. What would cause this and how do I fix it?

2. The print areas were set up using Named Ranges, and saved with the spreadsheet. However, when users print, they're getting the typical result that occurs when there is no print range set -- the document, followed by about 20 blank pages. What would make the doc lose its print range?

3. The scaling was set to 84% on each page of the workbook. However, SOME users' scaling is spontaneously setting to 10%, so they're getting a teeny-tiny printout.

Holy guacamole...what have I done?! Of course, my phone is ringing off the hook and they're SCREAMING at me...but I can't hear them here under my desk.

ANY help would be MOST appreciated!!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!

zacemmel · May 7th, 2002, 10:47 AM

1. Your formatting is dependant on regional settings in windows. Different regional settings = different formatting hence the reason some of the users are getting #### and some are not.

Solution: Use a custom date format so it doesn't depend on Windows.

2. Have the users check the print area to SEE if it set. It's possible that it's user error.

Solution: Check with your users

3. Printer drivers can do strange things when it comes to print-time options. I would check to see which users are printing to which printers to see of the scaling issues/printers correlate to one another.

Solution: Check with your users

Jack in the UK · May 7th, 2002, 11:38 AM

i wish i could laugh but sadly i have years ago done just this kind of thing..

Custom setting asnd formatting are clashing,...

clean up the users sheets... or should i say PC, its tweaked some way that silly to yours.

times as dates indicate the formatting to that cell is wrong, easy to comvert

right click and edit to as reqd.

not being nasty you have teally done little wrong the users should really be a bit more reasonable and to speed, much they should sus themself or do just like moaning.

or maybe i expect to much.. prob both i guess.

no harm just adjustments

JMo · May 7th, 2002, 11:57 AM

Thanks for your posts...

Couple of problems, though...

I changed the formatting from date 3/4/97 to a custom format m/d/yy (which displays the same thing). But, when the user opens the sheet, the format is still being overwritten somehow to be formatted using the date format 3/4/1997. Maybe I misunderstood the post suggesting using the custom formatting instead of the date format??

The second post was very reassuring, however, the dates are not being converted to times...they're still dates, they're just in a longer format (4-digit year instead of 2) so they're too long to display in the column.

In addition, the print range that I set on all the sheets is indeed clearing when the users open it -- it's not a user error, the print range is actually gone.

Does that clarify? Thanks again!!!

zacemmel · May 7th, 2002, 12:03 PM

JMo,

I neglected to mention, the regional settings can still affect long and short year, month, and day formats. Regional settings still need to be checked because that is most likely where the problem lies.

As for your print range dissapearing, I'm going to have to do a little more research on that to see what I can come up with.

[ This Message was edited by: zacemmel on 2002-05-07 11:08 ]

zacemmel · May 7th, 2002, 12:10 PM

What is the name of the file and what your computer's file systems (NTFS or FAT32) ?

JMo · May 7th, 2002, 12:36 PM

[ This Message was edited by: JMo on 2002-05-07 12:03 ]

JMo · May 7th, 2002, 12:37 PM

The filename is ZS Timesheet, and we're on FAT32.

So, are you guys saying I have to go change the local settings on every user's computer to keep the date from spontaneously reformatting??? Trust me, they cannot do it themselves.

Please tell me there's another solution!!

And, if the custom date format is overwritten to, then what was the benefit of changing to that format? (Confused over here)

aaarrrggghhhh!

Thanks!

Julia

zacemmel · May 7th, 2002, 01:02 PM

JMo, you can export the correct regional settings from one computer and then just email the *.reg file to the other users. If they double click the file, their regional settings "should" be changed as the information is entered into the registry where the regional settings are stored.

JMo · May 7th, 2002, 01:12 PM

Okay, bear with me -- remember, I'm a novice.

If I save the workbook as a template instead of just distributing the file itself, would the settings (date format, print range, etc.) "stick" then? Or would that affect it at all?

Just racking my brain over here...a mass update of user .reg files isn't going to go over very well....

Thanks...

Julia

May 7th, 2002, 11:38 AM	#3
Jack in the UK Board Regular Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,065	i wish i could laugh but sadly i have years ago done just this kind of thing.. Custom setting asnd formatting are clashing,... clean up the users sheets... or should i say PC, its tweaked some way that silly to yours. times as dates indicate the formatting to that cell is wrong, easy to comvert right click and edit to as reqd. not being nasty you have teally done little wrong the users should really be a bit more reasonable and to speed, much they should sus themself or do just like moaning. or maybe i expect to much.. prob both i guess. no harm just adjustments __________________ Free Excel based Web Toolbar available here. Jack in the UK J & R Excel Solutions "making Excel work for you"

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May 7th, 2002, 10:43 AM	#1
JMo New Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 17	I'm honestly about to go insane. I'm an admitted novice who created a fairly complex timesheet (with some help from some nice folks here -- thanks, btw!) and sent it out. Seemed harmless enough. :\| But all sorts of "spontaneous" things are happening to screw it up, and I have NO idea how to fix it. Here's what's going on: 1. One of the columns automatically displays the dates within the current time period. That column of cells is protected, and formatted with the Date format 3/4/97. BUT -- when SOME users (not all) open the worksheet, they get the ##### display in that column -- the reason is that THEIR column is formatted differently -- 3/4/2002 to be exact. What would cause this and how do I fix it? 2. The print areas were set up using Named Ranges, and saved with the spreadsheet. However, when users print, they're getting the typical result that occurs when there is no print range set -- the document, followed by about 20 blank pages. What would make the doc lose its print range? 3. The scaling was set to 84% on each page of the workbook. However, SOME users' scaling is spontaneously setting to 10%, so they're getting a teeny-tiny printout. Holy guacamole...what have I done?! Of course, my phone is ringing off the hook and they're SCREAMING at me...but I can't hear them here under my desk. ANY help would be MOST appreciated!!! Thanks!!!!!!!!

May 7th, 2002, 10:47 AM	#2
zacemmel Board Regular Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Redmond, WA Posts: 636	1. Your formatting is dependant on regional settings in windows. Different regional settings = different formatting hence the reason some of the users are getting #### and some are not. Solution: Use a custom date format so it doesn't depend on Windows. 2. Have the users check the print area to SEE if it set. It's possible that it's user error. Solution: Check with your users 3. Printer drivers can do strange things when it comes to print-time options. I would check to see which users are printing to which printers to see of the scaling issues/printers correlate to one another. Solution: Check with your users

May 7th, 2002, 11:57 AM	#4
JMo New Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 17	Thanks for your posts... Couple of problems, though... I changed the formatting from date 3/4/97 to a custom format m/d/yy (which displays the same thing). But, when the user opens the sheet, the format is still being overwritten somehow to be formatted using the date format 3/4/1997. Maybe I misunderstood the post suggesting using the custom formatting instead of the date format?? The second post was very reassuring, however, the dates are not being converted to times...they're still dates, they're just in a longer format (4-digit year instead of 2) so they're too long to display in the column. In addition, the print range that I set on all the sheets is indeed clearing when the users open it -- it's not a user error, the print range is actually gone. Does that clarify? Thanks again!!!

May 7th, 2002, 12:03 PM	#5
zacemmel Board Regular Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Redmond, WA Posts: 636	JMo, I neglected to mention, the regional settings can still affect long and short year, month, and day formats. Regional settings still need to be checked because that is most likely where the problem lies. As for your print range dissapearing, I'm going to have to do a little more research on that to see what I can come up with. [ This Message was edited by: zacemmel on 2002-05-07 11:08 ]

May 7th, 2002, 12:10 PM	#6
zacemmel Board Regular Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Redmond, WA Posts: 636	What is the name of the file and what your computer's file systems (NTFS or FAT32) ?

May 7th, 2002, 12:36 PM	#7
JMo New Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 17	[ This Message was edited by: JMo on 2002-05-07 12:03 ]

May 7th, 2002, 12:37 PM	#8
JMo New Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 17	The filename is ZS Timesheet, and we're on FAT32. So, are you guys saying I have to go change the local settings on every user's computer to keep the date from spontaneously reformatting??? Trust me, they cannot do it themselves. Please tell me there's another solution!! And, if the custom date format is overwritten to, then what was the benefit of changing to that format? (Confused over here) aaarrrggghhhh! Thanks! Julia

May 7th, 2002, 01:02 PM	#9
zacemmel Board Regular Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Redmond, WA Posts: 636	JMo, you can export the correct regional settings from one computer and then just email the *.reg file to the other users. If they double click the file, their regional settings "should" be changed as the information is entered into the registry where the regional settings are stored.

May 7th, 2002, 01:12 PM	#10
JMo New Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 17	Okay, bear with me -- remember, I'm a novice. If I save the workbook as a template instead of just distributing the file itself, would the settings (date format, print range, etc.) "stick" then? Or would that affect it at all? Just racking my brain over here...a mass update of user .reg files isn't going to go over very well.... Thanks... Julia