Conditional Formatting bug?

[johnston]

I’d appreciate help understanding why an apparently simple conditional
formatting is not working as expected. A group of rows was formatted at one
time but responded erratically to changes in cell entries. What I did was -
*open a new workbook,
*select rows 1-10
*in the Conditional Format menu, choose “Formula isâ€
*enter =if($A$1=â€â€,TRUE, FALSE)
*choose fill color, for ex. red
*hit the ENTER key
*rows 1-10 turned red, as expected.

Here’s the problem. When I typed into cell A1 a few random letters, some of
the rows returned to the default color of white. Why not all? Even more
confusing, if I minimize and expand the window, the formatting of all rows is
now correct.

 

[Vasant Nanavati]

The conition should be just:

Formula Is =$A$1=""
________________________________________________________________________

 

[Vasant Nanavati]

Actually, I think it's a screen repainting issue. Not sure what's causing
it.
_______________________________________________________________________

 

[johnston]

Thank you, but the same problem is still there.

The conition should be just:

Formula Is =$A$1=""
________________________________________________________________________

 

[johnston]

Thank you for trying.

Can someone else help?

Actually, I think it's a screen repainting issue. Not sure what's causing
it.
_______________________________________________________________________

 

[Gord Dibben]

I can't help other than to say =if($A$1="",TRUE, FALSE) does as it should.

Also =$A$1="" works for me.

With A1 empty............color

With anything in A1.............no color rows 1:10

I think you should not be looking at Excel as the source of your problem.

Perhaps a video driver issue?


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[johnston]

Thank you for the reply. I also found an article on the Microsoft website
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/213243/en-us) titled "Odd refresh behavior
after you specify a conditional format in Excel." Could this be applicable?

Any advice on how to check the video driver?

Thanks

 

[Gord Dibben]

Could the article be applicable?

Only you know for sure.

Are you referring to a UDF? Doesn't appear so.

Try with the shortened version of the formula and see what you get.

Could be Excel is confused by the IF and TRUE, FALSE although as I
said.........worked for me on 2003

I'm not a hardware person so all I can think of is to go to your driver
manufacturer's site and download the latest driver.


Gord

 

[johnston]

Thanks for the advice. I entered the shortened formula. What happened was
odd. If the cells were blank when I did the conditional format, I had the
same problem. If I first typed something into the cells and then applied the
conditional format, it worked the way it should - all cells either with or
without color.

I will try the manufacturer's site also.

 

[Bob Phillips]

Sounds like the cells have a space(s) in them.

--
HTH

Bob

(there's no email, no snail mail, but somewhere should be gmail in my addy)

 

[johnston]

I tried "edit" "clear all" and then entered conditional format. Same problem.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Are you typing the $ signs for =$A$1="" to lock A1 as the trigger cell?

Or did you mean =$A1 to lock just the column?


Gord

 

[johnston]

I was trying to lock A1 as the trigger cell ($A$1). However I just tried it
the other way ($A1) as you suggested, and the outcome was correct, i.e. color
in row 2 or 3 or 6 when the cells A2, A3, or A6 were blank and white when I
typed letters or numbers into the cells. Have no idea what's going on.

 

[johnston]

I was trying to lock A1 as the trigger cell ($A$1). However I just tried it
the other way ($A1) as you suggested, and the outcome was correct, i.e. color
in row 2 or 3 or 6 when the cells A2, A3, or A6 were blank and white when I
typed letters or numbers into the cells.

Have no idea what's going on - but will try this on my work computer
tomorrow. If I don't have the problem there, it may be a driver problem as
you suggested earlier.

 

[johnston]

Tried this on my work computer and had the same issue so unlikely to be a
hardware issue. Thanks to everyone who offered their advice.