Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Full Path Names in Excel.
When you open a workbook in Excel, the workbook name is displayed in the title bar. At times, it would be nice to display more than a simple workbook name in the title bar. Many people could profit by a way to display a full path name along with the workbook name in the title bar. Unfortunately, Excel does not provide a way to do this easily.
If you only need to know the full path name once in a while, then you can create a very simple macro and assign it to a toolbar button. When you click on the button, the information in the title bar for the active window is changed to reflect the full path name. This macro, called ChangeCaption, is as follows:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: 
Sub ChangeCaption()
ActiveWindow.Caption = ActiveWorkbook.FullName
End Sub
The only drawback to this approach is that whenever you rename your workbook by using Save As to save it under a different name, the new file name (and path) are not updated in the title bar unless you rerun the macro.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2238) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Full Path Names in Excel.
Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel 2013 Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!
Keeping tabs on the size of a workbook can be important when using Excel. You have a couple of options that will allow ...
Discover MoreIf you need to combine the contents of a bunch of workbooks into a single workbook, the process can get tedious. Here's a ...
Discover MoreIf you have a full path designation for the location of a file on your hard drive, you may want a way for Excel to pull ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2014-05-31 13:44:56
MWilson
You can also add a command to the toolbar that will always display the updated full file path.
Go to: Tools | Customize... (or double click a blank spot on the toolbar) select the Commands tab and under Categories select Web — then drag the Address command to your toolbar.
The same procedure works in Word too.
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2020 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments