Excel 2003 - why do cell contents change format?

Discussion in 'Software' started by sharpconnect, Sep 23, 2010.

  1. sharpconnect

    sharpconnect Private E-2

    I am using Excel 2003 to type up a list with 3 columns [so when I am done, I can sort then save by the last name in column 1. Column 3 has large cells with a lot of comments for each name in column 1. I have used the alt-enter command to force a line break where the
    right end of the cell is [ie, so I can see all the contents in the cell I am typing in]. When I get done, the info in the cell at the top of the screen [shows up in the opening next to the fx symbol] looks good and is left justified like I want it. When I click on the cell below to start comments for the next one, the original cell in column 3 loses its formatting and looks a mess again [appears to be centered text]. I must continually go back and left
    justify to fix it. I keep saving the page with left justification in all columns, but it still
    messes up. Is there any way to fix this or make it easier to deal with?:confused

    Also, to view all the text in the first cell in column3, I have had to merge 5 cells in that column. Is there any way to enlarge the max size of the cell?
     
  2. GCWesq

    GCWesq MajorGeek

    Firstly, you don't need to use Alt+Enter to force line breaks, unless you particularly want them - like, you want to make actual paragraphs. To get everything into one cell, go to Right Click>Format Cells>Alignment, and tick "Wrap text". That should allow you to just keep typing, and when the end of the cell is reached, it goes on to the next line.

    Secondly:
    You can't tell what the formatting is by looking in the top bar - it is always left justified. It seems there is something wrong here - you may have a bug. After you have left justified a cell (or you can do all cells at once by first selecting them), right click in one of the cells and go to Alignment again and see if it is still on Left Justified (Horizontal Alignment). Make sure the Indent value is set to zero also - could that be the problem? - it just shifts everything over a bit... wouldn't look centred though.

    3rdly
    Again, select "Wrap text", as above. That should avoid the need to merge cells. You will however need to enlarge the cell, or the text will be in a long narrow cell. Easiest way is to put the cursor on the right end of the column-label cell you want to enlarge (in this case, on the right edge of the "C" cell, I guess). The cursor should turn into a vertical line with an arrow pointing right and left. Drag to the right until you get the column size you want. If you double click when you get that arrow, the column will automatically size to the longest paragraph in the cell - all on one line.

    If you do have a bug, you may be able to fix it by going to: Help>Detect and Repair...
    Otherwise, put your Office CD in and do a repair that way.
     
  3. sharpconnect

    sharpconnect Private E-2

    OK. I understand the wrap text. When I started using the alt-enter, the wrap text did not seem to be working. It does work now and may have worked then [while typing I realized today that I can't see it wrap until I am done in the cell and hit enter].

    However, now that the report is completed and the formatting marks are visible, how do I get rid of them? I have tried highlighting the column in question and doing
    1. alt-edit-clear-formats [when I enter or go to another cell, the cell I just cleared the formats in turns blank.
    2. find <p> and replace [with blank], the message says it can't be done [formula too long] or a message saying something like MS can't find what I am looking for. [the file is NOT protected and I have tried it locked and unlocked also]. I still can't get rid of the formatting marks.

    I don't know what to try next... as this is a very large file, I would hate to have to retype everything again.
     
  4. GCWesq

    GCWesq MajorGeek

    First thing is, you shouldn't have to retype everything. There is a fair chance that, as a last resort, you could copy everything and paste it into a new spreadsheet, or failing that, paste and copy in bits at a time.

    I'm not sure what formatting marks are showing. I have never seen an Excel sheet show formatting, and I can't find anything about that on the Internet. What sort of marks are showing? If you want, you can try copying and pasting (as above) and see if that fixes it. Also, try creating a new sheet, and just put any stuff in there, and see if the same thing is happening.
     

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