Format individual cells...Can't...help

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steve Newton
  • Start date Start date
S

Steve Newton

Hello. I have an Excel file that I "inherited" from someone. The
problem is this:

I cannot format individual cells. In fact, when I use the Format Cells
command, I don't even get the usual list of options...nothing happens.

Oddly enough, if I select the cells in an entire column, I CAN format
the cells as a whole (i.e., I do get the format cells menu of options.

Any advice?

Thanks,
Steve
(e-mail address removed)
 
Sounds to me like they have protected your worksheet, probably with a
password. You can try TOOLS>PROTECTION and attempt to unprotect the workbook
and/or worksheet.

Richard Choate


Hello. I have an Excel file that I "inherited" from someone. The
problem is this:

I cannot format individual cells. In fact, when I use the Format Cells
command, I don't even get the usual list of options...nothing happens.

Oddly enough, if I select the cells in an entire column, I CAN format
the cells as a whole (i.e., I do get the format cells menu of options.

Any advice?

Thanks,
Steve
(e-mail address removed)
 
Just to add,
In excel 97/2000 if the sheet is protected, then you can't format any of
it - the format=>cells menu is grayed out - doesn't depend on what range is
selected. In Excel 2002, since the options to protect the sheet have a
finer granularity, this may very well be the cause - I can't say since I
don't have a copy handy.

It is always useful to state what version of Excel you are using.

Regards,
Tom Ogilvy
 
One more guess if your worksheet isn't protected:

I've seen a problem in a couple of workbooks that were created by a different
application (Lotus 123 and Crystal reports). There were ranges inside a
worksheet that just wouldn't all the Format|Cells dialog to even be shown.

My way around it was to increase the range--include some cells I didn't really
want to format. Then I format that bigger range, then select the "sacrificial"
range and format it the way it was.

The situation you describe (whole column works, smaller range doesn't) seems to
match.

But I haven't seen it in a long time. (xl97 showed the problem. I haven't seen
it xl2k or xl2002.)

Just curious: Did your workbook start off as Lotus (or something else) and what
version of xl are you using?
 
One more guess if your worksheet isn't protected:
Click to expand...

Dave,

Thanks. You're right...the worksheet is NOT protected. FWIW, I forgot
to mention that I'm using Excell 2000 on a machine that's running the
Office XP operating system.
I've seen a problem in a couple of workbooks that were created by a different
application (Lotus 123 and Crystal reports). There were ranges inside a
worksheet that just wouldn't all the Format|Cells dialog to even be shown.

My way around it was to increase the range--include some cells I didn't really
want to format. Then I format that bigger range, then select the "sacrificial"
range and format it the way it was.
Click to expand...

Yes. this works. I can even select a SINGLE cell outside the range,
and then use the "format painter" to format the previously
"un-formattable" cells. I was hoping there was a better solution.
The situation you describe (whole column works, smaller range doesn't) seems to
match.
Click to expand...

This does work. Whether it's a better alternative to the previous
"solution" is debatable.
But I haven't seen it in a long time. (xl97 showed the problem. I haven't seen
it xl2k or xl2002.)

Just curious: Did your workbook start off as Lotus (or something else) and what
version of xl are you using?
Click to expand...

The worksheet started out as an Access database (I'm told) that was
imported into Excel.
 
Back
Top