Conditional Formatting - Border Problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter mlv
  • Start date Start date
M

mlv

My work computer is running Excel 2002 SP3

I have a worksheet with a cell consisting of two identically-sized
horizontal cells merged into one. This merged cell may be blank, or it may
contain data.

I want to use Conditional Formatting to place a red border all around the
merged cell, and to highlight the merged cell background in yellow, ONLY
when the merged cell contains data.

I don't have a problem with the formula, or in setting the format for the
red border and yellow background. The problem I have is that excel only
puts the border around the top half of the merged cell, and not around the
whole merged cell. The coloured background displays correctly.

I end up with an all yellow merged cell, with a red border running along the
top and half-way down both sides.

I've seen this problem before and managed to find a workaround, but not this
time. I've tried un-merging the cells, setting the Conditional Formatting,
and then re-merging the cells, but this hasn't worked.

Any ideas?

TIA
 
I started with cell E8 and this conditional formatting formula: =LEN(E8)>0
and it worked. Then I merged E8 and E9 and I got the same partial border
you did. Then I selected the merged cell and changed the formula to this
and it worked: =LEN($E$8)>0. By making the cell reference absolute both E8
and E9 look at E8.

--
Jim
| My work computer is running Excel 2002 SP3
|
| I have a worksheet with a cell consisting of two identically-sized
| horizontal cells merged into one. This merged cell may be blank, or it
may
| contain data.
|
| I want to use Conditional Formatting to place a red border all around the
| merged cell, and to highlight the merged cell background in yellow, ONLY
| when the merged cell contains data.
|
| I don't have a problem with the formula, or in setting the format for the
| red border and yellow background. The problem I have is that excel only
| puts the border around the top half of the merged cell, and not around the
| whole merged cell. The coloured background displays correctly.
|
| I end up with an all yellow merged cell, with a red border running along
the
| top and half-way down both sides.
|
| I've seen this problem before and managed to find a workaround, but not
this
| time. I've tried un-merging the cells, setting the Conditional
Formatting,
| and then re-merging the cells, but this hasn't worked.
|
| Any ideas?
|
| TIA
| --
| Mike
| -Please remove 'safetycatch' from email address before firing off your
| reply-
|
|
|
 
Jim Rech said:
I started with cell E8 and this conditional formatting formula:
=LEN(E8)>0 and it worked. Then I merged E8 and E9 and
I got the same partial border you did. Then I selected the
merged cell and changed the formula to this and it worked:
=LEN($E$8)>0. By making the cell reference absolute both
E8 and E9 look at E8.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jim, I'll give that a try.

Strange how the coloured background works OK, but not the border.

This will mean a lot of manual editing, as I actually have a whole column of
these merged cells to do, and if I make the formula absolute.with the $
signs, 'copy' won't update the cell reference as I move down the column.

One at a time it is :-)
 
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