I have a spreadsheet with LOTS of process charts using the drawing tools.
They've always worked perfectly. Recently, the symbols will not re-draw. If I
click on the symbol, it re-draws. If I click on all the symbols and make each
of them re-draw, previously drawn symbols will start disappearing. The text
in the symbols always appears. I thought it might be a memory issue, although
they were displaying before. Upgraded to 1MB of RAM - no effect. Thought it
might be file size, although it's only 2MB and I've had 5MB files before
without issue. Trimmed file size down to 1.5MB - no effect.

Any idea as to why the symbols aren't re-drawing consistently?

Roger,

I'm not sure what "re-draw" means in this context. Grouping the autoshapesprevents them
from moving around (something that Excel LOVES to do). Maybe it'll help with this display
problem. To group them, select them, then right-click one and choose "Group."
--
Earl Kiosterud
www.smokeylake.com

Note: Top-posting has been the norm here.
Some folks prefer bottom-posting.
But if you bottom-post to a reply that's
already top-posted, the thread gets messy.
When in Rome...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Roger Starnes" <Roger wrote in message
...
I have a spreadsheet with LOTS of process charts using the drawing tools.
They've always worked perfectly. Recently, the symbols will not re-draw. If I
click on the symbol, it re-draws. If I click on all the symbols and make each
of them re-draw, previously drawn symbols will start disappearing. The text
in the symbols always appears. I thought it might be a memory issue, although
they were displaying before. Upgraded to 1MB of RAM - no effect. Thought it
might be file size, although it's only 2MB and I've had 5MB files before
without issue. Trimmed file size down to 1.5MB - no effect.

Any idea as to why the symbols aren't re-drawing consistently?

Earl, thanks for the response. By re-draw, I'm referring to the Windows
re-draw function. When I select an Excel tab and it displays it on the
screen, Excel should instruct Windows to re-draw every object on the tab. All
of the text items show up, but only some of the shapes and lines. If I click
on a particular shape, then it will redraw the shape correctly. However,
after doing that with several shapes, some of the first shapes will disappear
(however, their related text will still display).

Roger,

Some remote possibilities: Can you select each graphic and ensure that it's the size it's
supposed to be, looking at the handles? They're not obscuring one another are they? I
don't think they are, from your description, but this is some tall weeds we're in here.

Try turning on Select Objects (the white arrow at the left of the Drawing Toolbar). Then
drag a select box around them (or some of them), to see if something unexpected shows up.
LIke maybe extra graphic objects. Look at all the handles. Be sure to turn it back off, or
you'll go mad trying to select cells.

Did you try grouping them?

Or try switching to a different printer? File - Print - select another printer, then
Cancel. ???

Or maybe http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907349/en-us "How to troubleshoot video issues in
Office programs."

If you want to send it to me, my email address is at my web site, below.
--
Earl Kiosterud
www.smokeylake.com

Note: Top-posting has been the norm here.
Some folks prefer bottom-posting.
But if you bottom-post to a reply that's
already top-posted, the thread gets messy.
When in Rome...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Roger Starnes" wrote in message
...
Earl, thanks for the response. By re-draw, I'm referring to the Windows
re-draw function. When I select an Excel tab and it displays it on the
screen, Excel should instruct Windows to re-draw every object on the tab. All
of the text items show up, but only some of the shapes and lines. If I click
on a particular shape, then it will redraw the shape correctly. However,
after doing that with several shapes, some of the first shapes will disappear
(however, their related text will still display).