Can Not Format Cells

[jbrown]

I have been sent a spreadsheet which I open I Excell 2000. All cells that have been used can no longer have any formatting done on them. If the "format cells" tool is selected (either from the menu or a right click on the cell) the curser just returns to normal and no dialog box pops up. Cells not used can be formatted. If I copy the format of an unused cell to one I can not format, the appearance changes but it still can not be formatted. If I copy the format of a used cell to an empty cell, the empty cell takes on all the characteristics of the copied cell, including no more forematting. Also, all surrounding cells to the changed cell, can not be formatted. An undo does work in either case. The sender does not know what happens, and neither do I.

Please 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.)

And I don't think I've seen this in xl2k (but I don't use the other programs as
much).