filling a cell with "-"

[R.Pelkie]

I am using Excel v.X and am having trouble trying to put
one "-" (or any character like "+" or "=") in a cell and
having it expand to fill the cell no matter what the cell
width. It should fill the cell when the column width is
changed.
Used to be able to do it in Office 98, What's the secret?
"Fill right" does not help.

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

I am using Excel v.X and am having trouble trying to put
one "-" (or any character like "+" or "=") in a cell and
having it expand to fill the cell no matter what the cell
width. It should fill the cell when the column width is
changed.
Used to be able to do it in Office 98, What's the secret?
"Fill right" does not help.

You can use an asterisk in the format to repeat the next character for the
width of the column. For example, if the custom format of a cell is *= and
the cell's value is positive, the cell will be filled with equal signs.

 

[Harvey Waxman]

What I am trying to do is just put a line of "-" in a cell
below a column of numbers to separate the numbers from the
total. The "-" does not depend on the cells values above
the line.

I'm probably way of the mark but why not just put a heavy (or light) outline in
the top border of the cell with the total in it? or the bottom border of the
last cell in the list?


--

Harvey Waxman
Harvey Products makers of Dinghy Dogs
The Boater's Best Friend
http://www.dinghydogs.com

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

What I am trying to do is just put a line of "-" in a cell
below a column of numbers to separate the numbers from the
total. The "-" does not depend on the cells values above
the line.

I'm with Harvey, put a border on the cells. Looks much more Excel like and
much less like Lotus. However, to do what you want with a line of "----",
format the cell where you want it with the custom format "*-". Then simply
type a 1 in that cell. It has nothing to do with values of any other cell.

 

[J.E. McGimpsey]

I'm with Harvey, put a border on the cells. Looks much more Excel like and
much less like Lotus. However, to do what you want with a line of "----",
format the cell where you want it with the custom format "*-". Then simply
type a 1 in that cell. It has nothing to do with values of any other cell.

Just another way (since I prefer using borders, too):

Choose Format/Cells/Alignment and select Fill from the Horizontal:
dropdown. Then any character you type (e.g., -) will be filled
across the entire cell.