Cell locking problem

**suman.biswas** · 05-04-2009, 10:44 AM

Hi Friends,
I'm getting a problem to lock a cell.
I lock a cell by that way -
1. Right click on targeted blank cell.
2. Click on on Format cell menu.
3. Select protection tab, from 'Format Cells' window.
4. Checked 'Locked' check box.
5. Click on OK
6. Then I protect the sheet.

After doing these steps I can put some value in that cell but if I choose a cell with some value then it stopped to change it's value and shows a message box about protected.
Seems to me I'm doing some mistake to protect a blank cell. Please help me.

Thanks,
Suman

**martindwilson** · 05-04-2009, 11:06 AM

to lock an individual cell you
select whole sheet
format cells un check locked
now all cells are unlocked
now select your cell and format cell
check lock
now protect sheet

**suman.biswas** · 05-04-2009, 11:20 AM

Thanks for reply.
But I'm doing the same but not working (see my steps). Any other idea?

Regards,
Suman

**martindwilson** · 05-04-2009, 11:27 AM

no you're not you haven't unlocked them all first
if you protect sheet the way you describe all will be locked

**suman.biswas** · 05-04-2009, 11:37 AM

Thanks, it works fine.
But I can't unlock first the sheet, because it's an existing sheet with thousands of rows with hundreds of columns. And there has many cells with locked and unlocked.
So at that point how I can do it? Please help.

Regards,
Suman

**ChemistB** · 05-04-2009, 11:51 AM

If this is the case, then you must highlight/select all of the cells that you wish to unlock (you can do this with noncongruous cells by holding down the cntrl key). Then uncheck the Lock Cells box.

It sounds like you are saying that after you unprotect a cell, it allows you to put in a value but then does not allow you to change it. Is this true? If that is the case, then you have code or data validation working in the background.