Columns hidden, font zero and data lost

[Scott Mest]

I have an Excel problem similar to that posted by karma-guy (April 4).

I'm running Excel 98 on a G3 (blue), OS 9.2.1. Once a spreadsheet is open, I
can work in it and save it and everything will be fine. However, if I were to
click in the Finder and open another Excel file, both files will have Font size
of 0 in the display window, and some of the data (usually numerical data)
will be changed to 0. If I were to save the file at this point and close it, as I
did the first time Excel did this and I did not notice it, the next time I open
the file any column that contained data is hidden or squashed on the left
side of the worksheet, but font size goes back to the normal default. I can
not reveal the hidden cells by scrolling, nor by entering a cell# in the Name
Box. I can get around this problem and get some of the data back if I enter
the range of hidden cells that contains data and copy and paste this range
into a new file, and just retype the data that was changed to 0. This problem
is more of a nuisance than debilitating - as long as I remember to save
before straying from Excel, and don't save them when Excel goes wacky, I'm
ok.

I've been using this version of Excel on this Mac (and OS) for about 4 years
without any problems and I've only encountered this problem in the last year
or so. I've reinstalled Office several times, but the problem still occurs, and
I've scoured all of the pulldown options to try and find a solution, but to my
knowledge none exists. Certainly buying a new computer and the new
version of Office would help to solve this, but I don't have that luxury at this
point.

Any help would be great.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Scott,

This is a really oddball problem, and since Excel was working fine for 4
years I am inclined to think there is something about your MacOS that is
funky rather than Excel.

But for starters, with all office applications closed try deleting all of
the Excel preferences, office preferences and CarbonLib preferences.

Make sure you have allocated enough RAM to Excel using Finder's GetInfo
command.

See if that helps. If there's no change then I'd start doing basic system
cleaning up. Run DiskWarrior, Norton Utilities, Tech Tools, rebuild desktop,
and stuff like that to fix whatever is currently out of whack.

If you solve the problem, please post the cure here.

-Jim

I have an Excel problem similar to that posted by karma-guy (April 4).

I'm running Excel 98 on a G3 (blue), OS 9.2.1. Once a spreadsheet is open, I
can work in it and save it and everything will be fine. However, if I were to
click in the Finder and open another Excel file, both files will have Font
size
of 0 in the display window, and some of the data (usually numerical data)
will be changed to 0. If I were to save the file at this point and close it,
as I
did the first time Excel did this and I did not notice it, the next time I
open
the file any column that contained data is hidden or squashed on the left
side of the worksheet, but font size goes back to the normal default. I can
not reveal the hidden cells by scrolling, nor by entering a cell# in the Name
Box. I can get around this problem and get some of the data back if I enter
the range of hidden cells that contains data and copy and paste this range
into a new file, and just retype the data that was changed to 0. This problem
is more of a nuisance than debilitating - as long as I remember to save
before straying from Excel, and don't save them when Excel goes wacky, I'm
ok.

I've been using this version of Excel on this Mac (and OS) for about 4 years
without any problems and I've only encountered this problem in the last year
or so. I've reinstalled Office several times, but the problem still occurs,
and
I've scoured all of the pulldown options to try and find a solution, but to my
knowledge none exists. Certainly buying a new computer and the new
version of Office would help to solve this, but I don't have that luxury at
this
point.

Any help would be great.

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

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