Locking column names

**pdgood** · 07-10-2006, 10:28 AM

If each column has a name (and these are in Row 1) is there any way to keep these so that they view at the top of the page even if you scroll down (in the same way that the A, B, C..... do now)?
For example, if you have Jan, Feb, March etc. in row 1 column A, B, C etc. it is difficult to tell which month the contents of a cell in say Row 50 belongs to once you scroll out of sight of the names of the months.
Thanks.

**swatsp0p** · 07-10-2006, 10:41 AM

What you want is to "Freeze" the row at the top of the sheet. To do this, place the cell pointer in cell A2 (or the row below the last row you want 'frozen') and from the main menu click on Window and select "Freeze Panes".

Now, scrolling down will leave the top row visible.

Note that this can also be used to 'freeze' columns from scrolling to the left (which is why you need to be in column A when selecting 'Freeze Panes' if you don't want any columns frozen).

HTH

Bruce

Ken Johnson · 07-10-2006, 10:44 AM

Hi,

select A2 then go Window|Freeze Panes.

Ken Johnson

David Biddulph · 07-10-2006, 10:49 AM

"pdgood" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> If each column has a name (and these are in Row 1) is there any way to
> keep these so that they view at the top of the page even if you scroll
> down (in the same way that the A, B, C..... do now)?
> For example, if you have Jan, Feb, March etc. in row 1 column A, B, C
> etc. it is difficult to tell which month the contents of a cell in say
> Row 50 belongs to once you scroll out of sight of the names of the
> months.

Select row 2, then
Windows menu/ Freeze Panes.

You can do the same for columns, so if you click in cell C4, for example, &
then Freeze Panes, rows 1 to 3 and columns A & B will be fixed.
--
David Biddulph

Sheila D · 07-10-2006, 10:49 AM

If you go to Cell A2, then go to the Window menu and choose Freeze Panes,
this will 'lock' Row 1 into place.
HTH Sheila
www.c-i-m-s.com
MS Office training - London

"pdgood" wrote:

>
> If each column has a name (and these are in Row 1) is there any way to
> keep these so that they view at the top of the page even if you scroll
> down (in the same way that the A, B, C..... do now)?
> For example, if you have Jan, Feb, March etc. in row 1 column A, B, C
> etc. it is difficult to tell which month the contents of a cell in say
> Row 50 belongs to once you scroll out of sight of the names of the
> months.
> Thanks.
>
>
> --
> pdgood
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> pdgood's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=31623
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=559906
>
>

**pdgood** · 07-10-2006, 02:21 PM

Thanks very much for all replies but....that option is grayed out. I tried selecting a single cell, a row, a column, a group of cells but it always remains grayed out.
I am using Excel 2004 for Mac.

**pdgood** · 07-10-2006, 02:26 PM

By the way, the sheet I am trying on is NOT password protected. I know that that would cause it to be grayed out, but I can't think of anything else.

Gord Dibben · 07-10-2006, 03:54 PM

Actually, having the worksheet protected does not disable Window>Freeze Panes.

Having the Workbook structure and windows protected will disable the Freeze
Panes feature.

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 14:26:19 -0400, pdgood
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>By the way, the sheet I am trying on is NOT password protected. I know
>that that would cause it to be grayed out, but I can't think of
>anything else.

**pdgood** · 07-11-2006, 12:11 PM

Thanks, Gord. But I've tried it on new pages where nothing whatsoever is protected. I'm not an expert, but I don't think that that is the issue. I'm at a loss to explain what else would prevent this from working.