Borders for entire columns doesn't work at all

[nandor]

Greetings. This should be verifiable and repeatable - at least, it happens every time *I* do it. Excel 2008, OS X 10.4.11.

Open a new document. Choose any set of columns, whether it be a single column or multiple. From the menu choose Format-> Cells, then choose the Border tab.

Now select ANY border characteristic to apply to your entire column(s).

Save the file as a 97-2004 document (.xls).

Close the file.

Open the file.

Whatever you had chosen for your one (or multiple) columns NOW occurs for EVERY column.

Next, try with a new document. This time, also take some other random area (not an entire column) and give it any sort of border formatting. Also give any border formatting to an entire column. After saving/closing/opening, you'll find that the repeated formatting still goes on with the columns, but that the repeated formatting is "interrupted" by the other border formatting you made.

Can anyone else verify that this issue exists on their machines with 2008?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Greetings. This should be verifiable and repeatable - at least, it happens
every time *I* do it. Excel 2008, OS X 10.4.11. <br><br>Open a new document.
Choose any set of columns, whether it be a single column or multiple. From
the menu choose Format-&gt; Cells, then choose the Border tab. <br><br>Now
select ANY border characteristic to apply to your entire column(s).
<br><br>Save the file as a 97-2004 document (.xls). <br><br>Close the file.
<br><br>Open the file. <br><br>Whatever you had chosen for your one (or
multiple) columns NOW occurs for EVERY column. <br><br>Next, try with a new
document. This time, also take some other random area (not an entire column)
and give it any sort of border formatting. Also give any border formatting
to an entire column. After saving/closing/opening, you'll find that the
repeated formatting still goes on with the columns, but that the repeated
formatting is "interrupted" by the other border formatting you made.
<br><br>Can anyone else verify that this issue exists on their machines with
2008?

I can reproduce this with XL08, OSX 10.5.1, and I'm submitting a bug.
Please do the same using Help/Send Feedback on Excel.

Fortunately , it only appears to affect whole columns when saved as
..xls, so at least there's a workaround (i.e., instead of formatting the
entire column, format rows 1 to 65536, which is all a .xls can handle
anyway).

 

[nandor]

Thanks again, JE.

Is there an easy way to select a certain number of rows? I don't see a "select" function anywhere (that I recognize). The only way I can think to do it is to select, say, A1, then select A65536 while holding down shift. Is there a better way?

Cheers.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Thanks again, JE. <br><br>Is there an easy way to select a certain number of
rows? I don't see a "select" function anywhere (that I recognize). The only
way I can think to do it is to select, say, A1, then select A65536 while
holding down shift. Is there a better way? <br><br>

One way:

In the Name box (on the left side of the Formula Bar) type

A1:A65536

then hit Return.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

One way:

In the Name box (on the left side of the Formula Bar) type

A1:A65536

then hit Return.

Another:

Type F5 (or CTRL-g) and enter A1:A65536 in the Reference input box in
the Go To dialog

 

[Dan_Draney]

You can select an entire row by clicking on the row number at the left edge. (Pointer turns to left arrow when you hover above the row number.) Shift-click or command-click on other row numbers to select additional, whole rows.

In an analogous manner, you can select one or more entire columns.

 

[nandor]

Right, but the point is that the borders are not working properly when an entire column is selected. If, on the other hand, the "column" is chosen by instead selecting each row in the column, the border works properly.

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Right, but the point is that the borders are not working properly when an
entire column is selected. If, on the other hand, the "column" is chosen by
instead selecting each row in the column, the border works properly.

How are the borders not working properly when an entire column is selected?
This has always worked correctly.

 

[nandor]

I guess I don't understand your question. Did you see the first post in this thread? Have tried what it says to do?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

I guess I don't understand your question. Did you see the first post in this
thread? Have tried what it says to do?

Sorry. Now I do see the first post, and YES, I do see this problem with
excel 2008. I¹ll report it. You should do the same using send feedback from
the HELP menu.