I am tearing my hair out -- please help! I have an Excel 2003 worksheet which
I originally created for my previous years' taxes. I added a column for this
year, copied and revised the formulas and now want to change the print area
and the page breaks. I can't get the print area to include the new column and
the page break border won't drag. When I try to copy and paste the data into
a new file, I get the message that the command can't be done with multiple
cells. I can't figure this out -- what am I missing? The original file was
recovered from a disk defrag problem about 6 weeks ago. Could the file be
corrupted and that's why it's doing this? I need this spreadsheet!

If desired, send to my address below and I'll take a look

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software

"Terri" wrote in message
...
I am tearing my hair out -- please help! I have an Excel 2003 worksheet
which
I originally created for my previous years' taxes. I added a column for
this
year, copied and revised the formulas and now want to change the print
area
and the page breaks. I can't get the print area to include the new column
and
the page break border won't drag. When I try to copy and paste the data
into
a new file, I get the message that the command can't be done with multiple
cells. I can't figure this out -- what am I missing? The original file was
recovered from a disk defrag problem about 6 weeks ago. Could the file be
corrupted and that's why it's doing this? I need this spreadsheet!

Sounds to me that somewhere on your sheet there are some merged cells.
Try clicking on the top left corner of the shhet and selecting Format,
Cells, Alignment, then de-selecting from the text control area the merged
cells box.

Rob

"Terri" wrote:

I am tearing my hair out -- please help! I have an Excel 2003 worksheet which
I originally created for my previous years' taxes. I added a column for this
year, copied and revised the formulas and now want to change the print area
and the page breaks. I can't get the print area to include the new column and
the page break border won't drag. When I try to copy and paste the data into
a new file, I get the message that the command can't be done with multiple
cells. I can't figure this out -- what am I missing? The original file was
recovered from a disk defrag problem about 6 weeks ago. Could the file be
corrupted and that's why it's doing this? I need this spreadsheet!

Thanks for trying but it didn't work. I removed all of the formatting and I
still get the Print Area options greyed out.

"RobM" wrote:

Sounds to me that somewhere on your sheet there are some merged cells.
Try clicking on the top left corner of the shhet and selecting Format,
Cells, Alignment, then de-selecting from the text control area the merged
cells box.

Rob

"Terri" wrote:

I am tearing my hair out -- please help! I have an Excel 2003 worksheet which
I originally created for my previous years' taxes. I added a column for this
year, copied and revised the formulas and now want to change the print area
and the page breaks. I can't get the print area to include the new column and
the page break border won't drag. When I try to copy and paste the data into
a new file, I get the message that the command can't be done with multiple
cells. I can't figure this out -- what am I missing? The original file was
recovered from a disk defrag problem about 6 weeks ago. Could the file be
corrupted and that's why it's doing this? I need this spreadsheet!

Have you tried the File, Page setup, Sheet from the toolbar, this is
different that from the print preview options.

"Terri" wrote:

Thanks for trying but it didn't work. I removed all of the formatting and I
still get the Print Area options greyed out.

"RobM" wrote:

Sounds to me that somewhere on your sheet there are some merged cells.
Try clicking on the top left corner of the shhet and selecting Format,
Cells, Alignment, then de-selecting from the text control area the merged
cells box.

Rob

"Terri" wrote:

I am tearing my hair out -- please help! I have an Excel 2003 worksheet which
I originally created for my previous years' taxes. I added a column for this
year, copied and revised the formulas and now want to change the print area
and the page breaks. I can't get the print area to include the new column and
the page break border won't drag. When I try to copy and paste the data into
a new file, I get the message that the command can't be done with multiple
cells. I can't figure this out -- what am I missing? The original file was
recovered from a disk defrag problem about 6 weeks ago. Could the file be
corrupted and that's why it's doing this? I need this spreadsheet!

I tried using that method but when I click on the icon to select the print
area, nothing happens.

"RobM" wrote:

Have you tried the File, Page setup, Sheet from the toolbar, this is
different that from the print preview options.

"Terri" wrote:

Thanks for trying but it didn't work. I removed all of the formatting and I
still get the Print Area options greyed out.

"RobM" wrote:

Sounds to me that somewhere on your sheet there are some merged cells.
Try clicking on the top left corner of the shhet and selecting Format,
Cells, Alignment, then de-selecting from the text control area the merged
cells box.

Rob

"Terri" wrote:

I am tearing my hair out -- please help! I have an Excel 2003 worksheet which
I originally created for my previous years' taxes. I added a column for this
year, copied and revised the formulas and now want to change the print area
and the page breaks. I can't get the print area to include the new column and
the page break border won't drag. When I try to copy and paste the data into
a new file, I get the message that the command can't be done with multiple
cells. I can't figure this out -- what am I missing? The original file was
recovered from a disk defrag problem about 6 weeks ago. Could the file be
corrupted and that's why it's doing this? I need this spreadsheet!

On the sheet try pressing the Alt key and hold it, then press F, let both
keys go, the press U. This should bring up a page set-up dialogue box. Is
this box greyed out as well?

"Terri" wrote:

I tried using that method but when I click on the icon to select the print
area, nothing happens.

"RobM" wrote:

Have you tried the File, Page setup, Sheet from the toolbar, this is
different that from the print preview options.

"Terri" wrote:

Thanks for trying but it didn't work. I removed all of the formatting and I
still get the Print Area options greyed out.

"RobM" wrote:

Sounds to me that somewhere on your sheet there are some merged cells.
Try clicking on the top left corner of the shhet and selecting Format,
Cells, Alignment, then de-selecting from the text control area the merged
cells box.

Rob

"Terri" wrote:

I am tearing my hair out -- please help! I have an Excel 2003 worksheet which
I originally created for my previous years' taxes. I added a column for this
year, copied and revised the formulas and now want to change the print area
and the page breaks. I can't get the print area to include the new column and
the page break border won't drag. When I try to copy and paste the data into
a new file, I get the message that the command can't be done with multiple
cells. I can't figure this out -- what am I missing? The original file was
recovered from a disk defrag problem about 6 weeks ago. Could the file be
corrupted and that's why it's doing this? I need this spreadsheet!

I'm thinking you have more than one worksheet selected.

Do you see [Group] on the title bar?

If so, right-clcik on any sheet tab and "Ungroup sheets"


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:53:00 -0700, Terri
wrote:

I tried using that method but when I click on the icon to select the print
area, nothing happens.

"RobM" wrote:

Have you tried the File, Page setup, Sheet from the toolbar, this is
different that from the print preview options.

"Terri" wrote:

Thanks for trying but it didn't work. I removed all of the formatting and I
still get the Print Area options greyed out.

"RobM" wrote:

Sounds to me that somewhere on your sheet there are some merged cells.
Try clicking on the top left corner of the shhet and selecting Format,
Cells, Alignment, then de-selecting from the text control area the merged
cells box.

Rob

"Terri" wrote:

I am tearing my hair out -- please help! I have an Excel 2003 worksheet which
I originally created for my previous years' taxes. I added a column for this
year, copied and revised the formulas and now want to change the print area
and the page breaks. I can't get the print area to include the new column and
the page break border won't drag. When I try to copy and paste the data into
a new file, I get the message that the command can't be done with multiple
cells. I can't figure this out -- what am I missing? The original file was
recovered from a disk defrag problem about 6 weeks ago. Could the file be
corrupted and that's why it's doing this? I need this spreadsheet!

It sounds like you're having trouble changing the print area and page breaks in your Excel 2003 worksheet. Here are a few steps you can try to resolve the issue:

1. Check that the new column is included in the print area:
   - Select the cells you want to include in the print area (including the new column)
   - Go to File Print Area Set Print Area
   - Check that the correct cells are included in the print area
   
2. Adjust the page breaks:
   - Go to View Page Break Preview
   - Check that the page breaks are where you want them to be
   - If they're not, click and drag the blue lines to adjust them
   - If the blue lines won't move, try going to File Page Setup Sheet and unchecking "Allow spacing between cells"
   
3. Copy and paste the data into a new file:
   - Select the cells you want to copy
   - Right-click and choose "Copy" or press Ctrl+C
   - Open a new Excel file
   - Right-click and choose "Paste" or press Ctrl+V
   - If you get an error message about multiple cells, try selecting just one cell and pasting into that cell, then dragging the formula across the rest of the cells

It's possible that the file could be corrupted, especially if it was recovered from a disk defrag problem. You could try saving a copy of the file under a new name and see if that resolves the issue. If none of these steps work, you may need to seek further assistance or consider recreating the worksheet from scratch.