Personal Macro Workbook in the startup folder must stay open for recording

[Chris Waller]

Hi,

I am experiencing a problem trying to record macros in my Personal Macro Workbook. I get an error message "Personal Macro Workbook in the startup folder must stay open for recording". I then get an Excel Pop-up box "Unable to record". When I look there is a Personal Macro Workbook in the XLSTART Folder. I have deleted this several times, but, when I try to record a macro it comes up with the error message above. I have tried to look on the Internet to find out what to do and there doesn't appear to be the same scenario anywhere. I would appreciate it if anyone could shed some light on this problem?

 

[My Aswer Is This]

You cannot record Macros in the Personal Workbook to my knowledge.
Create the Macro in a standard workbook and then look in the Vba Project window.
You will see your module there. I would give the module a name that relates to what your script does. Then click on the Module and drag it into the Personal folder.

You can then remove the module from the active workbook.

The script in the Personal folder can be run now in any current or future workbooks you create. I would assign the script a shortcut key so you can run it needing no buttons. But that is not the only way to run it.

 

[Chris Waller]

Hi, This is the way I ha

You cannot record Macros in the Personal Workbook to my knowledge.
Create the Macro in a standard workbook and then look in the Vba Project window.
You will see your module there. I would give the module a name that relates to what your script does. Then click on the Module and drag it into the Personal folder.

You can then remove the module from the active workbook.

The script in the Personal folder can be run now in any current or future workbooks you create. I would assign the script a shortcut key so you can run it needing no buttons. But that is not the only way to run it.

This is the way I have recorded macros in all the previous versions of Excel. I have recently tried to do this in Excel 2016, but to no avail. I will give your reply a thought and I will come back if I have an update.

Thanks in the meantime.

 

[xenou]

Are you testing with a very simple macro?
For instance, start record, type a value in Cell A1, then stop recording. Does it work?

In general I would agree that a first "hello world" macro by default is saved in the personal workbook ... that's what its for as far as I know. Although I haven't actually used the personal workbook in ages. I have my own macro workbooks for various purposes. Nothing special about the personal macro workbook ... its just a workbook like any other (except perhaps, hidden and in a startup folder, which is why it works as it does).

Note that the next question (if the first one above provides a successful result) is what the heck are you recording...?

 

[MARK858]

@Chris Waller, when you open an Excel file and look in the VB editor at the VBAProject window is the Personal Workbook showing?

You cannot record Macros in the Personal Workbook to my knowledge.

If you go to record a macro and click the Store macro in dropdown you will see that one of the options is the Personal Workbook (which is what I think the OP means).

 

[Chris Waller]

MARK858,

When I open the VB editor there is no Personal Workbook showing.

 

[MARK858]

In the Start up folder right click the Personal workbook, click properties, on the General tab is there an unblock checkbox showing?

 

[Chris Waller]

No I am afraid there isn't.

 

[MARK858]

Try putting a new workbook in the startup folder, obviously give it a different name. Close and reopen Excel. Does the new workbook open and appear in the VBAProject window?

 

[Chris Waller]

No it doesn't.