KB120795 - How to Set the Descriptive Name of an Add-in File

Article ID: 120795

Article Last Modified on 8/15/2003

Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q120795

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, it is possible to create a descriptive name and descriptive text for an add-in file that is listed in the Add-Ins dialog box.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel, the Add-Ins dialog box lists add-in files that are automatically opened when you start Microsoft Excel. In the Add-Ins dialog box, these files have descriptive names that resemble the following examples:

   Analysis ToolPak
   Analysis ToolPak - Visual Basic for Applications
   MS Query Add-In
   Report Manager
   Update Add-In Links
   View Manager

Add-in files also have descriptive text that appears in the lower part of the dialog box. For example, the descriptive text for the ODBC add-in states the following:

   Lets you use ODBC functions to connect to external data sources
   directly.

To set the descriptive name and descriptive text for a workbook that is to be made into an add-in file, follow these steps:

Microsoft Excel 7.0 and 97

With the workbook active, click Properties on the File menu.
In the Summary tab, enter the following values:
Title : <enter the descriptive name you want to use here>

Comments : <enter the descriptive text you want to use here>
Click OK to accept the changes.

Microsoft Excel 5.0

With the workbook active, click Summary Info on the File menu.
In the Summary Info dialog box, enter the following values:
Title : <enter the descriptive name you want to use here>

Comments : <enter the descriptive text you want to use here>
Click OK to accept the changes.

When you make the workbook into an add-in, by choosing Make Add-In from the Tools menu, the new add-in will use the descriptive name and text that you entered when you added the add-in into the Add-Ins dialog box.

Microsoft Excel 97 uses a different procedure to create an add-in. For more information on this, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

156942 How to Create an Add-In File in Microsoft Excel 97

If you have already created your add-in file, but you did not properly set the descriptive name and/or text, it may not be possible to modify the existing add-in file. Instead, you must reopen your source workbook, set the descriptive name and/or text, and then recreate the add-in by choosing Make Add-In from the Tools menu, or by following the steps in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article mentioned above.

Additional query words: xl97 XL

Keywords: KB120795