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Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

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    Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

    I'm conditionally formatting column A-M and around 8,000 rows of data. Not all of the cells
    are filled in though. This is significantly slowing my computer down, but the computer is pretty well equipped:

    Intel Core Duo 3.0 GHz
    4 GB Ram

    Does any body have any reasons as to why this may be happening? And is their anything I can turn off in Excel that may make it work quicker aside from the formatting of course?

    Thanks.

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    Re: Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

    Is it possible to turn off "conditional formatting", but leave the areas the formatting highlighted. Basically a way of burning the color onto the cell.

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    Forum Expert shg's Avatar
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    Re: Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

    Conditional formatting is volatile, meaning it recalculates every time anything calculates, so it assuredly can slow down recalculation.

    Of course you can delete the conditional formatting and apply any static formatting you wish to cells, but it begs the question as to why you would have used conditional formatting in the first place if it didn't need to be dynamic.
    Entia non sunt multiplicanda sine necessitate

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    Re: Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

    Well, it shouldn't be slowing down the computer... I have attached a workbook which (hopefully) simulates your workbook. Try running it. The time displayed in it are the time taken to complete the process in my computer.

    I am not able to attach a file... Here's the link in my web server...
    http://htmlremind.bravehost.com/excel/temp.zip

    Edit: Link
    Last edited by vshankaa; 04-10-2010 at 02:22 AM.

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    Forum Expert teylyn's Avatar
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    Re: Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

    vshankaa,

    please use the forum facilities to upload files, rather than untrusted external sites.

    thanks.

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    Re: Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

    vshankaa, you should find that the attachments link is now working - if not you can try using the Manage Attachments button via the "Additional Options" dialog box.

    The impact of Conditional Formatting rather depends on the logic used - if formula based and complex it follows that given the inherent Volatility the performance impact will be significant.

    In such scenarios - if warranted - a VBA event driven process might be deemed preferable (where viable).

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    Re: Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

    Vashankaa,

    That was a cool test, very detailed. It didn't slow my computer down much, it took a minute
    to fill, 3.5 seconds to format. After it completed, the computer was not sluggish at all. This is the problem that I'm having with the "conditional formatting" button on the "home" tab.

    Maybe I just need to learn how to write a macro. Like DonkeyOte mentioned, "a VBA event driven process might be deemed preferable (where viable)"
    This is basically what a macro is, am I right?

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    Re: Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

    Quote Originally Posted by teylyn View Post
    vshankaa,

    please use the forum facilities to upload files, rather than untrusted external sites.

    thanks.
    I did not get the button "Manage Atachements" under "Attach Files" to add attachements. Must be a bug in the forum?!

  9. #9
    Forum Expert shg's Avatar
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    Re: Conditional Formatting Is Really Slowing Down My Computer, Any Suggestions?

    Several things were broken by a virus yesterday. The Manage Attachments button works fine for me now in IE7.

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