Excel 2007 : Text format of cells

[Gabety]

Here is another simple one that I just can not whip or find the answer to in the help files.

I have merged 5 cells together. They are formatted for text, center allign, word wrap. Some times one line of text will do and another 2 or 3 lines will be necessary. I want the merged cells to expand down the page as lines are added through word wrap. They currently expand upwards and behind the frozen pane at top of page.

When expanding I want the whole row and it's other cells to expand to match the cell with text. Make sense?

[NBVC]

Do not use Merge... use Center Across Selection instead...

[Gabety]

So instead of merging 5 cells to get the size cell I want, I should just increase width of one cell?

[NBVC]

No...

First unmerge,

Then select 5 cells as if you were going to merge them

Go to Format|Cells and in Alignment tab, select Center Across Selection from the Horizontal drop down menu...

It will look like you merged them, but in fact you didn't.

[Gabety]

I've done something wrong because it's not behaving as I want. The five cells were unmerged, then reselected and set to "center across selection" used. The cells appear merged as you said. However they still behave as 5 different cells when entering text.

[NBVC]

That's right. But you only need to concern yourself with the cell that contains the original text.. just keep typing in that one and you will auto increase row height upon enter.... also make sure you still have wrap text set on.

[Gabety]

Not doing what I want. Plus the height of the cell does not expand with word wrap. It is still just cutting it off in the cell at the top. I want to type text in a cell and have it expand the entire row height as necessary. Each row has 14 cells/columns. 5 are set as center across selection and then another 4 the same. The remainder are individual cells

[NBVC]

I could be misunderstanding your requirement.

See attached for my interpretation.

Cell A1 contains text, then Cells A1:E1 are formatted for Center Across Selection and Text Wrap....

Select A1, hit F2 and continue typing, hit Enter, does the row height not expand?

[Gabety]

Ok I see that. That's not what I want. I have a previous sheet that behaves as I wish but when I duplicate the settings:
merge cells
center text
word wrap

the new one does not do that.

Let me ask this, I believe the sheet I am working on has defined page breaks. Could this be why the rows will not expand?

[NBVC]

I don't think that should affect it. But try removing them and see.

[Gabety]

[ATTACH]Look at this. My old format.[/ATTACH]

This is the action I'm trying to use in new excel

[NBVC]

I am not sure what you want me to see?

I Centred E3 across From E3:G3.... then I continued typind and it expanded in height?

[Gabety]

I wanted e to expand vertical and not horizontal. In my form each colum must be populated. E and F are basicly free form text but are two different columns and shouldn't be combined.

[Gabety]

Ok I think I just need to widen the column I'm using for text. That seems to work rather than centering across selection. Thanks for helping out

[Gabety]

No that don't work.

[NBVC]

Oh, I think I assumed you meant horizontally...

... not sure you can do what you want then... you said it worked in another sheet?

[Gabety]

wrong file, hold on please

[Gabety]

try this one

[NBVC]

What exactly am I trying?

[Gabety]

Thanks for your help so far. I've got to give up for now.