Why does Custom Format not control Cell Display?

XL 2003

Have a cell which shows in the formula bar:
06/10/2005 10:10:32 AM

In the worksheet (same cell but unselected) the display is:
38513.4239814815

No matter what I do with cell formating i.e. general to
text to custom (BTW which is mm/dd/yyyy h:mm) the cell
displays 38513.4239814815 UNLESS I select the cell - then
it displays 06/10/2005 10:10:32 AM?

When I de-select the cell it reverts back to 38513.4239814815

I thought that I knew better! What is the very obvious thing that I am
missing?

Dennis

Maybe you're looking at formulas...

Tools|options|view tab
Uncheck Formulas

There's a shortcut key that toggles this setting
ctrl-`
ctrl-backquote. The backquote is to the left of the 1/! key on my USA
keyboard.)

Maybe you hit that combination in error.

Dennis wrote:
>
> XL 2003
>
> Have a cell which shows in the formula bar:
> 06/10/2005 10:10:32 AM
>
> In the worksheet (same cell but unselected) the display is:
> 38513.4239814815
>
> No matter what I do with cell formating i.e. general to
> text to custom (BTW which is mm/dd/yyyy h:mm) the cell
> displays 38513.4239814815 UNLESS I select the cell - then
> it displays 06/10/2005 10:10:32 AM?
>
> When I de-select the cell it reverts back to 38513.4239814815
>
> I thought that I knew better! What is the very obvious thing that I am
> missing?
>
> Dennis

--

Dave Peterson