Row AutoFit in Excel doesn't work right (again)

[balfors]

Someone posted this same problem but didn't get an answer (see below):
the row height autoFit doesn't work for all rows (Excel 2004 v11.2, OS
X 10.3.9). This is a consistent bug where most, but not all, rows will
revise to show all text when using the AutoFit command.

The response to the previous post indicated that AutoFit is not a
format, but a command, and therefore will not stay applied if the row
height is manually changed. My problem is that AutoFit doesn't work in
the first place.

On a related note, there used to be a command in Excel (if memory
serves) that WAS a format - auto fit with a minimum row height. Is
this possible anymore? I spend way more time formatting in Excel than
I used to because of the loss of these kinds of options.

Previous query:

Please help. 1. Why does the <Format> <Row> <AutoFit> seem to work on some rows but not all?

Please help if anyone knows a fix for this.

Thanks.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

On a related note, there used to be a command in Excel (if memory
serves) that WAS a format - auto fit with a minimum row height. Is
this possible anymore? I spend way more time formatting in Excel than
I used to because of the loss of these kinds of options.

Don't know about past versions, but I don't see anything like that in
XL04. However, it's not that hard to create a command like that.

In your Personal Macro Workbook, or another global template/add-in, put
this in the ThisWorkbook code module (right-click on the window titlebar
and choose View Code):

Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Application.OnKey "^%a", "AutoFit"
End Sub

Put this in a regular code module (Insert/Module) in the same
workbook/add-in:

Public Sub AutoFit()
CommandBars.FindControl(Id:=882).Execute
End Sub

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Someone posted this same problem but didn't get an answer (see below):
the row height autoFit doesn't work for all rows (Excel 2004 v11.2, OS
X 10.3.9). This is a consistent bug where most, but not all, rows will
revise to show all text when using the AutoFit command.

The response to the previous post indicated that AutoFit is not a
format, but a command, and therefore will not stay applied if the row
height is manually changed. My problem is that AutoFit doesn't work in
the first place.

Are any of your cells merged? AutoFit doesn't work (in any version) with
merged cells.

If not, when you say it's consistent, is there anything common to the
rows that don't AutoFit?

 

[CyberTaz]

I'm not 100% sure I am tuned in to the problem, but some thoughts are
interjected below:

Someone posted this same problem but didn't get an answer (see below):
the row height autoFit doesn't work for all rows (Excel 2004 v11.2, OS
X 10.3.9). This is a consistent bug where most, but not all, rows will
revise to show all text when using the AutoFit command.

I didn't see this post, but I get the impression that there may be some
confusion between the effects of AutoFit - which pertains more to row height
based on font size - and Wrap Text - which is better described as affecting
cell height based on volume of cell content (although it has to affect the
entire row).

The response to the previous post indicated that AutoFit is not a
format, but a command, and therefore will not stay applied if the row
height is manually changed. My problem is that AutoFit doesn't work in
the first place.

The default behavior of Excel is to automatically adjust the height of a row
based on the largest font size used in any cell on that row. It will
continue to do so automatically when you change font size *unless* you
manually change the height of the row - either by dragging/double-clicking
the row separator or by using Format>Row>Height & specifying a value. If you
do *either* of these, you are effectively telling Excel "This is what I
want, don't change it!".

If you select any cell on the row & use Format>Row>*AutoFit* the height of
the row will be adjusted to accommodate the largest font size on the row at
that time. However, that height adjustment is based on only *one line* of
text in the cell - IOW, if the cell has multiple lines of content the row
height *will not* increase enough to display all lines.

Unless...

For displaying multiple lines of content in a row, use
Format>Cells>Alignment, tick the box for *Wrap Text*, which *will* allow the
row to grow to whatever height necessary based on the font size & number of
of lines in the highest volume cell in the row.

Long story short, your perception that AutoFit may seem erratic is
understandable because it has a different effect if Wrap Text is ON than it
does if Wrap Text is OFF.

Perhaps this is the point being made in the reply you mentioned - AutoFit is
a command, Wrap Text is a format - confusing the two because they are both
accessed from the FORMAT menu & the one influences the other.

On a related note, there used to be a command in Excel (if memory
serves) that WAS a format - auto fit with a minimum row height. Is
this possible anymore? I spend way more time formatting in Excel than
I used to because of the loss of these kinds of options.

I've been using Excel since it was first introduced (Mac & PC) and don't
recall such a feature, although I haven't used all versions as extensively
as others and I'll be the first to admit that I don't have the best memory
in the first place Perhaps it is the Format>Row>Height setting that you
are thinking of.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac