Cannot call "Format Cells" dialogue box - Excel Bug?

[Tiger Chen]

The attached Excel sheet is not protected. There is no VBA code inside. We can format cells in green zone as normal - via formatting menu bar or "Ctrl+1" format cells dialogue box.

However, we cannot call the format cells dialogue box via Ctrl+1 shortcut nor cells popup menu by right clicking on the cells for the cells in yellow zone. (Format cells command is not faded on the cells menu.)

We can set the Font format and fill patterns for the cells in yellow zone. But we cannot change the border setting (Actually, there is no borders for the zone by checking from Style - modify...)

We can remove the limitation on yellow zone by change the style - modify... or by selecting both yellow zone and other zone, and then change the format.

(I also did some trials on copy - paste ranges. There are some special effects with different operations. Ignored here.)

How can we create this limitation? How to explain it in Excel?

This is a discussion on www.excelhome.net.
One reasonable explanation is that when we copy data from other application like ERP or SAP, we can get this kind of effect sometimes. But this is not confirmed and we cannot explain it.

So, please help! Thanks!

[Ivan F Moala]

Not sure how this could have occured, I have like you suspect it can happen via copy from ERP eg SAP or some other.

I know how to enable it again.

Save as SLK file format, accept = yes, you are given 4 errors in the file record (corrupt) acept and save. close and open then save as Excle file and all is restored.

[Simon Lloyd]

Chien, it seems that the cells have been pasted or imported in, the are not true excel cells, you can of course select all the cells in the in the yellow group and format them together, you can also use the formatting toolbar and format each cell individually, but excel's option for Ctrl 1 or Format from the menu are for excel cells explicitly.

If you choose one of your cells in the yellow area you can press F2 and then right click and choose format or you can choose format from the menu or even use Ctrl 1 but the only option you are given is to change the Font of the cell.

In hind sight it would be better to import or copy values only rather than the cells, of course this is of no help to you if you already have large workbooks like this.

Hope this helps!

Regards,
Simon

[Tiger Chen]

Thanks, Ivan and Simon.

Question is how to create it and explain. Anyway, it is easy to fix it. Please keep an eye on it if you have chance to copy data from other application to Excel.

P.S.
I downloaded lots of Excel examples from Ivan's website. I liked them. Thanks.