Format Painter overwrites text

I

infodex

I'm using Excel 2003 on XP Pro.

I have a sheet with a variety of cell backgrounds (colors and
patterns). I want to paint the backgrounds into new cells containing
text. I select the cell I want to paint from, double-click Painter,
then click the cell I want to paint to. Painter paints the background
but removes the text.

What's up with that?
 
V

Victor Delta

I'm using Excel 2003 on XP Pro.

I have a sheet with a variety of cell backgrounds (colors and
patterns). I want to paint the backgrounds into new cells containing
text. I select the cell I want to paint from, double-click Painter,
then click the cell I want to paint to. Painter paints the background
but removes the text.

What's up with that?

When you double click the format painter, do you get the paintbrush cursor?
If so, are you sure the text is actually being deleted or is it possible the
text colour is set to the same as the background colour...?

V
 
I

infodex

When you double click the format painter, do you get the paintbrush cursor?
If so, are you sure the text is actually being deleted or is it possible the
text colour is set to the same as the background colour...?

Holy crap. Here's what it's doing. The cell has a single character in
22pt Arial. When I apply the background format, the character shrinks
to 10pt and gets lost in the background pattern.

Any idea why it's doing that?
 
D

David Biddulph

If the painter is doing that, then presumably that's the format which the
cell from which you are copying has? Format the text in the way you want
it, and use that as the format from which to copy.
 
I

infodex

If the painter is doing that, then presumably that's the format which the
cell from which you are copying has? Format the text in the way you want
it, and use that as the format from which to copy.

The cell I'm copying from has no text, only background.
 
D

David Biddulph

Even if there isn't any text in there, the format characteristics for text
in that cell are presumably set up in the way you're seeing. You've copied
to a cell that does have text. Change the formatting to what you want, and
copy from there.
 
I

infodex

Even if there isn't any text in there, the format characteristics for text
in that cell are presumably set up in the way you're seeing. You've copied
to a cell that does have text. Change the formatting to what you want, and
copy from there.

In that case, see my post immediately preceding this one on changing
the default font. I don't want to have to format individual cells, I
want text to input at 22pt default, but changing the default doesn't
seem to work.
 

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