Date appears as 5 digits, and can't be converted back

[hildetf]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

I have a list of birth dates in an excel sheet. Up until last week, they appeared in a standard mm/dd/yyyy format, as I had chosen in formatting cells. I am not sure if I hit some key stroke on the keyboard, as I'm a PC user and almost all keystrokes are different. But, all of a sudden, all dates in this column changed to the 5 digit numbering system excel uses to store the data. Now whenever I enter new dates, anywhere in the worksheet, it automatically converts to displaying the 5 digit code. I can enter dates and have them appear correctly on other worksheets within the spreadsheet, and on other spreadsheets.
I have already tried to change the date format under format cells, but it doesn't change anything. I have tried to insert a new column and change the formatting before I enter the data, and it doesn't work. Any suggestions?

Many thanks

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I have already tried to change the date format under format cells, but it
doesn't change anything. I have tried to insert a new column and change the
formatting before I enter the data, and it doesn't work. Any suggestions?

Do formulas show up as formulas, too? In that case, try CTRL-` (the
accent grave, on the same key as the tilde ~ on US keyboards), or
uncheck the View formulas checkbox in Preferences/View.

 

[hildetf]

> I have already tried to change the date format under format cells, but it
> doesn't change anything. I have tried to insert a new column and change the
> formatting before I enter the data, and it doesn't work. Any suggestions?

Do formulas show up as formulas, too? In that case, try CTRL-` (the
accent grave, on the same key as the tilde ~ on US keyboards), or
uncheck the View formulas checkbox in Preferences/View.
[/QUOTE]

No, the formulas don't show, they appear correctly.

 

[hildetf]

> In article ,

> (e-mail address removed) wrote:
>
> > I have already tried to change the date format under format cells, but it
> > doesn't change anything. I have tried to insert a new column and change the
> > formatting before I enter the data, and it doesn't work. Any suggestions?
>
> Do formulas show up as formulas, too? In that case, try CTRL-` (the
> accent grave, on the same key as the tilde ~ on US keyboards), or
> uncheck the View formulas checkbox in Preferences/View.
>

No, the formulas don't show, they appear correctly.

But hey, that keystroke worked. Can you tell me what that actually does (command name). Thanks J.E.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

But hey, that keystroke worked. Can you tell me what that actually does
(command name). Thanks

It's not really an XL command. XL Help ("Excel keyboard
shortcuts:Working in cells or the Formula bar"):

Alternate between displaying cell CONTROL+GRAVE ACCENT (`)
values and displaying cell formulas