Problem Chaning Cell Formating

[SteveB]

I have "inherited" a workbook used to generate budget documents. As
part of the book, there are several sheets that contain the formatted
"form" which includes boxes or borders around certain cells. My
problem is I cannot change the format of these cells using the
"Format:Cells" menu or the Ctrl+1 shortcut. I can however copy a
format to these cells to change them. Unfortunately, if I happen to
copy something to the cell that is "detrimental" to my formatting I
play the devil getting the formatting corrected. Another twist is I can
change all of the formatting using toolbar functions, except for the
bordering. The only way I can change the bordering is to copy another
border format to the cell. I have discovered that the only cells that I
cannot change are those that either contain a border or "connect" to a
cell that contains a border.

I've looked for conditional formatting, there is no protection on the
cells or the worksheets, I can find nothing that causes this
phenomenon! The only think I somewhat out of the ordinary is that I
believe this workbook was converted from QuartroPro but I have the
workbook in QuartroPro and there is nothing special about it that I can
tell (although I'm do not know much about QuartroPro).

What is "wrong" with my spreadsheet and how do I "correct" it
so I can manipulate the cell formatting?

HELP!

[Dave Peterson]

The only time I've seen this is when the original workbook was created in a
different program--crystal reports or Lotus 123.

I included a few "sacrificial" cells in my selection, made my changes to all of
them.

Then went back and fixed the sacrificial cells to the way they were supposed to
be. (Try a cell way out of the way of where the data really is.)

===
You may want to try copying the cells, then paste special formulas and paste
special formats into a new worksheet to see if you can format the cells then.

SteveB wrote:
>
> I have "inherited" a workbook used to generate budget documents. As
> part of the book, there are several sheets that contain the formatted
> "form" which includes boxes or borders around certain cells. My
> problem is I cannot change the format of these cells using the
> "Format:Cells" menu or the Ctrl+1 shortcut. I can however copy a
> format to these cells to change them. Unfortunately, if I happen to
> copy something to the cell that is "detrimental" to my formatting I
> play the devil getting the formatting corrected. Another twist is I can
> change all of the formatting using toolbar functions, except for the
> bordering. The only way I can change the bordering is to copy another
> border format to the cell. I have discovered that the only cells that I
> cannot change are those that either contain a border or "connect" to a
> cell that contains a border.
>
> I've looked for conditional formatting, there is no protection on the
> cells or the worksheets, I can find nothing that causes this
> phenomenon! The only think I somewhat out of the ordinary is that I
> believe this workbook was converted from QuartroPro but I have the
> workbook in QuartroPro and there is nothing special about it that I can
> tell (although I'm do not know much about QuartroPro).
>
> What is "wrong" with my spreadsheet and how do I "correct" it
> so I can manipulate the cell formatting?
>
> HELP!

--

Dave Peterson

[SteveB]

Thanks for the reply. My workbook was converted from a Quattro Pro file
so I guess that's what has it "locked", I cannot find anyway to un-lock
it as it is, your suggestion is the only thing that seems to work. It
is tedious and time consuming since it is a large workbook with
multiple sheets but once completed it won't have to be done again.

Actually, if a copy the cells "as is" they remain locked, not matter
where they are copied. I have to save them with no borders, replace the
borders via Format:Cells then copy them back but hey, it works!

THANKS!