I have a large Excel 2003 spreadsheet with about 30 worksheets. On most of
them I've been using (quite successfully) the data validation dropdown lists.
However, I recently added content to one of the worksheets and the data
validation dropdown lists no longer dropdown. The cells still contain the
data validation data...I checked by doing a Edit-GoTo-Special-Data
Validation-All on the sheet and it found all the cells where I have put the
dropdown list. I also checked the data validation for each cell and the list
is still selected. Has anyone had this happen before? Did I reach some
Excel limit?

Are the dropdown arrows not appearing or just the dropdown won't drop when you
hit the arrow?

See Debra Dalgleish's site for possible reasons.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/xlDataVal08.html#Freeze


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:09:02 -0800, D.R. wrote:

I have a large Excel 2003 spreadsheet with about 30 worksheets. On most of
them I've been using (quite successfully) the data validation dropdown lists.
However, I recently added content to one of the worksheets and the data
validation dropdown lists no longer dropdown. The cells still contain the
data validation data...I checked by doing a Edit-GoTo-Special-Data
Validation-All on the sheet and it found all the cells where I have put the
dropdown list. I also checked the data validation for each cell and the list
is still selected. Has anyone had this happen before? Did I reach some
Excel limit?

No dropdown arrows!

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Are the dropdown arrows not appearing or just the dropdown won't drop when you
hit the arrow?

See Debra Dalgleish's site for possible reasons.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/xlDataVal08.html#Freeze


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:09:02 -0800, D.R. wrote:

I have a large Excel 2003 spreadsheet with about 30 worksheets. On most of
them I've been using (quite successfully) the data validation dropdown lists.
However, I recently added content to one of the worksheets and the data
validation dropdown lists no longer dropdown. The cells still contain the
data validation data...I checked by doing a Edit-GoTo-Special-Data
Validation-All on the sheet and it found all the cells where I have put the
dropdown list. I also checked the data validation for each cell and the list
is still selected. Has anyone had this happen before? Did I reach some
Excel limit?

The dropdown arrows simply are not appearing. Thanks for the link. My
spreadsheet is using the Show ALL option in the Tools-Options-View dialog and
the In-cell Dropdown is checked in the Data-Validation-Settings dialog. I am
not using Split or Freeze Panes. If I Copy-Paste the cell in another sheet
of the same workbook the dropdown arrow appears. Still a mystery.

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Are the dropdown arrows not appearing or just the dropdown won't drop when you
hit the arrow?

See Debra Dalgleish's site for possible reasons.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/xlDataVal08.html#Freeze


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:09:02 -0800, D.R. wrote:

I have a large Excel 2003 spreadsheet with about 30 worksheets. On most of
them I've been using (quite successfully) the data validation dropdown lists.
However, I recently added content to one of the worksheets and the data
validation dropdown lists no longer dropdown. The cells still contain the
data validation data...I checked by doing a Edit-GoTo-Special-Data
Validation-All on the sheet and it found all the cells where I have put the
dropdown list. I also checked the data validation for each cell and the list
is still selected. Has anyone had this happen before? Did I reach some
Excel limit?

Just to close this out, once I performed the Copy-Paste to another sheet in
the same workbook I realized I could probably Copy-Paste the contents of the
sheet to a new sheet and the data validation dropdown arrows may reappear. I
tried this and sure enough the dropdown list arrows re-appeared for the
selected cell. I don't think this workaround is the preferred method to
solve this problem...it'd be nice to understand the root cause.

"D.R." wrote:

The dropdown arrows simply are not appearing. Thanks for the link. My
spreadsheet is using the Show ALL option in the Tools-Options-View dialog and
the In-cell Dropdown is checked in the Data-Validation-Settings dialog. I am
not using Split or Freeze Panes. If I Copy-Paste the cell in another sheet
of the same workbook the dropdown arrow appears. Still a mystery.

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

Are the dropdown arrows not appearing or just the dropdown won't drop when you
hit the arrow?

See Debra Dalgleish's site for possible reasons.

http://www.contextures.on.ca/xlDataVal08.html#Freeze


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:09:02 -0800, D.R. wrote:

I have a large Excel 2003 spreadsheet with about 30 worksheets. On most of
them I've been using (quite successfully) the data validation dropdown lists.
However, I recently added content to one of the worksheets and the data
validation dropdown lists no longer dropdown. The cells still contain the
data validation data...I checked by doing a Edit-GoTo-Special-Data
Validation-All on the sheet and it found all the cells where I have put the
dropdown list. I also checked the data validation for each cell and the list
is still selected. Has anyone had this happen before? Did I reach some
Excel limit?