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View Full Version : Undead Data, or: what's a "block of data", anyway?



Sebastian H
12-08-2010, 10:46 AM
According to (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/keyboard-shortcuts-HP005203781.aspx) Microsoft, END+arrow key moves "by one block of data within a row or column." I had always assumed that "block of data" means a contiguous range of non-empty cells. However, that's not the way Excel behaves in the attached file. Try it out:
1. select cell A1
2. press END, followed by down arrow
Expected: cursor to land on last cell in column (A17). (Column "reference" behaves that way.)
Observed: cursor lands on A7.

What's going on here? My first thought was that the cells aren't really empty but contain some invisible characters. But when I looked at their lengths (column B), they all appear to be really empty.

Well, I thought, maybe there's some formatting difference. So I copied the column into a fresh column, with Paste Special → Values. The behavior remained. What else can a cell contain that's copied with Paste Special → Values, even when the cell is empty?

Bob Phillips
12-08-2010, 10:55 AM
Just moves down to A2 for me.

Sebastian H
12-08-2010, 11:00 AM
Thanks for trying it out. I should have added that I'm using XL 2003. It persists after ending Excel, and even after reboot.

Sebastian H
12-08-2010, 11:10 AM
Just moves down to A2 for me.

Hmm, on second thought: Why A2? Does it behave the same way in column C for you?

Bob Phillips
12-08-2010, 11:18 AM
Actually, I tell a lie. I just tried it again and it now goes to A7. On column C, it goes to C17.

Sebastian H
12-08-2010, 11:31 AM
Actually, I tell a lie.
Don't be so harsh on yourself:whip - no harm done!