How to make your Excel 'Options' choices persistent?

[MathUKTeacher]

I've a workbook that uses images embedded within pop-up Comments to help users navigate around and use the spreadsheet.
But when I share the workbook with others, it appears that the default comment visibility (set in 'Options', Advanced, Display to either 'No Comments or Indicators', 'Indicators only, and Comments on Hover', or 'Comments and Indicators') is determined by that user's own Excel settings, rather than being 'stored' within the workbook itself.

I obviously want to ensure (force!) my users to see the helpful comments - and not to inadvertently miss them by having their Options inappropriately configured.

Is there a way I can 'store' Excel option settings within a workbook itself so as to over-ride an end-users default preferences?
Would / could I have to do that by writing a little VBA code in the Workbook_Open() event?

Thanks for your advice,

MathUKTeacher


BTW, I'm using Office 10, 32-bit - but my workbooks are used on 32 and 64-bit machines with Office 13 too.

[JBeaucaire]

I understand your goal, and let me say that whenever anyone decides that their workbook design entitles them to make changes to MY Excel installation and settings, it frustrates me greatly. If Excel were a perfect environment and nothing ever went wrong, perhaps I'd feel differently. But it is what it is.

Making changes to a user's selected choices for their computer is an understandable thought, but I seldom come across a need that can't be solved another way, without doing that.

My two cents

[MathUKTeacher]

Sure. I agree.

I used the word 'persistently' wrongly. I meant 'for the duration of viewing / using my workbook'.
I've solved it now with a little VBA code that configures Excel as I wish for my workbook, and returns it to the user's preferred settings when it closes.
[Sure, there's risk that there'll open other workbooks at the same time, but I know my users and the usage context and that's very, very unlikely. :-)

Thanks for your thoughts.

[JBeaucaire]

Whatever method you have employed, I hope it uses a method of writing down in a separate text file EVERY change it makes to the users system. If Excel or Windows crashes while your workbook is open and the only place the settings you changed were stored were in the local workbook's memory, the user could be toasted. If you're going to change their computer settings, ever, you need to take responsibility for having an EASY TO USE method of restoring them from any failure.