Excel 2010: Is there anyway to make a file default print the entire workbook, instead of just the active sheet?

No default, no hack in the registry.  

However this is done simply by recording a hotkey macro in your personal workbook which will automatically open every time you open Excel.

Just create a macro.  Mine was activated by Ctrl Shift P but you can choose whatever you want.  

Then post this into the macro code via the vba editor

Sub PrintEntireWorkbook()
'
' PrintEntireWorkbook Macro
'
' Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+P
'
    Sheets().Select
     ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets.PrintOut Copies:=1, Collate:=True, _
        IgnorePrintAreas:=False
End Sub

Select allOpen in new window

I suppose I should note here that the personal workbook always opens hidden.  So if you ever need to edit anything on it, just unhide it and edit then rehide.

-SA

Option Explicit
Private Sub App_WorkbookBeforePrint(ByVal Wb As Workbook, Cancel As Boolean)
Application.EnableEvents = False
ActiveWorkbook.PrintOut Copies:=1, Collate:=True
Application.EnableEvents = True
Cancel = True
End Sub

Select allOpen in new window

It doesn't appear that there is a registry entry for this.

You could create a class module in the user's Personal.xls file (or in any hidden workbook stored in the user's XLStart folder)

You can find most of what you need here:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/AppEvent.htm

Open the Visual Basic Editor in Excel by going to Tools -> Macro -> Visual Basic Editor. Locate VBAProject(Personal.xls) on the left side of the VB editor, click on it and then go to the Insert menu and choose Class Module and then paste the code below:

Option Explicit
Private Sub App_WorkbookBeforePrint(ByVal Wb As Workbook, Cancel As Boolean)
Application.EnableEvents = False
ActiveWorkbook.PrintOut Copies:=1, Collate:=True
Application.EnableEvents = True
Cancel = True
End Sub

Then double-click on the ThisWorkBook module of VBAProject(Personal.xls) and paste this code:

Option Explicit

Dim AppClass As New EventClass

Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Set AppClass.App = Application

End Sub

Click on the Save button in the VB editor. Then close and relaunch Excel.
Note: This will force the printing of all worksheets all the time, even if the user chooses to print only a selected area or activeworksheet

Thank you for your fast replies.

I like the 'personal.xls' option.

I'm following your steps.  At the end when I re-open Excel, MS VB opens with a "Microsoft Visual Basic for Application: Compile Error: User-defined type not defined" error.  It references (highlights) this portion when showing me the error:

AppClass As New EventClass (from the ThisWorkbook code)

I'm not sure what to do.

This is the error I'm getting.


compile-error.pdf

you need to add this code block to your personal book:

Option Explicit

Dim AppClass As New EventClass

Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Set AppClass.App = Application

End Sub

Select allOpen in new window

Oh I see that you did now that I've looked at the message.  Did you also add this code block as a class module in the VB editor?

Option Explicit
Private Sub App_WorkbookBeforePrint(ByVal Wb As Workbook, Cancel As Boolean)
Application.EnableEvents = False
ActiveWorkbook.PrintOut Copies:=1, Collate:=True
Application.EnableEvents = True
Cancel = True
End Sub

Select allOpen in new window

Yes, I did add that code block as a class module in the VB editor.

I'm going to attach a screen shot...works better.

Thank you!!!
screenshot.pdf

Ok sorry here is what you need to do: name the class module as Appclass

Add this line to the class module:

Public WithEvents App As Application

Select allOpen in new window

To do this
1)click on the class1 module
2)the properties hand between the box and the triangle & ruler in the bar across the top
3) type in Appclass
Appclass.png

Then change this on the workbook:

Option Explicit

Dim AC As New Appclass

Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Set AC.App = Application

End Sub

Select allOpen in new window

Let me know if you have any further problems

I made those changes.  I'll attach screen prints.  I do not get any VB errors when opening Excel 2010 now, but if I make a test workbook with three sheets, I go to File\Print and it still shows "Print Active Sheets".  It hasn't set it to 'Print Entire Workbook', yet. Am I missing something?
vb-screenshot.pdf

Are you checking the print preview? I think if you just press print it will print all three pages.  

It doesn't select the entire workbook to print until you press the print.  It doesn't matter what you select now it will always force the entire workbook to print.  I think you might need to have some cells used, but if you put 1 on A1 cell of sheet one, 2 on A1 of sheet 2, and 3 on A1 of sheet 3 and then just press print it should all roll off the presses for you.

Print Preview or other methods don't give an accurate representation of what is going to happen.

That said you might want to comment out the code if you don't want to to print the entire workbook all the time by just adding a ' in front of the items you added to the workbook.

Option Explicit

Dim AC As New Appclass
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
'Set AC.App = Application
End Sub

Select allOpen in new window

You're right, I was only checking Print Preview.  I never actually tried to print out 3 sheets of a workbook as a test.  So I just tried that now.  I selected my printer and hit print.  This is another VB error.  I didn't see this error, yesterday, because I never actually tried to print it.

Error:
Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications
Compile error:
Only comments may appear after End Sub, End Function, or End Property

When I click OK on that error and then try to close VB, the message 'This command will stop the debugger' pops up and I'll click OK.  Then the printer spits out only the first sheet of the three sheets i have in the workbook.  And yes, I labeled the first sheet with a 1 in cell A1, labeled second sheet with a 2 in A1, and labeled third sheet with a 3 in A1.  So it only printed the sheet with the 10 in it.

See attached.
newerror.pdf

Please delete the second end sub in your screenshot

Simply wonderful help from ScriptAddict!

Very knowledgeable, Very prompt, Very detailed (code and screenshots)-very helpful!

I have more questions and I hope I am lucky enough to get him again:)

Just select all the files and right click and select print.  :)