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Excel considers my formulas as plain text
Sometimes Excel just stops processing certain formulas on a worksheet and
considers the as plain text (regardless of the fact that the cell contents starts with an equation sign "="). For example formula "=1+2" doesn't show anymore as "3" but as "=1+2", as if it's only a string of text .But if I type the same formula in the cell next to it, it shows the correct result "3". Also, when I try to evaluate the formula, excel tells me that "the cell currently being evaluated contains a constant" -- so its not about wether my formulas are "visible" (tools-options-view-formulas) or not. The number of my formulas asre always under the maximum 1024 characters. |
Excel considers my formulas as plain text
Perhaps the particular cells were inadvertently formatted as Text ?
Check & reformat as general or number, then re-confirm the formula (Click Format Cells general/number OK) -- Max Singapore http://savefile.com/projects/236895 xdemechanik --- "Kimmo Kallio" wrote: Sometimes Excel just stops processing certain formulas on a worksheet and considers the as plain text (regardless of the fact that the cell contents starts with an equation sign "="). For example formula "=1+2" doesn't show anymore as "3" but as "=1+2", as if it's only a string of text .But if I type the same formula in the cell next to it, it shows the correct result "3". Also, when I try to evaluate the formula, excel tells me that "the cell currently being evaluated contains a constant" -- so its not about wether my formulas are "visible" (tools-options-view-formulas) or not. The number of my formulas asre always under the maximum 1024 characters. |
Excel considers my formulas as plain text
No, they were not. And even if they were, the cell formatted as text would
(normally) show only the result of the particular calculation formatted as text; not the entire formula. I even tried to copy-paste formats from other "working" cells, but it didn't help. So it certainly is not about formats. Frankly speaking, I really think it's a bug. Thanks anyways. Kimmo "Max" wrote: Perhaps the particular cells were inadvertently formatted as Text ? Check & reformat as general or number, then re-confirm the formula (Click Format Cells general/number OK) -- Max Singapore http://savefile.com/projects/236895 xdemechanik --- "Kimmo Kallio" wrote: Sometimes Excel just stops processing certain formulas on a worksheet and considers the as plain text (regardless of the fact that the cell contents starts with an equation sign "="). For example formula "=1+2" doesn't show anymore as "3" but as "=1+2", as if it's only a string of text .But if I type the same formula in the cell next to it, it shows the correct result "3". Also, when I try to evaluate the formula, excel tells me that "the cell currently being evaluated contains a constant" -- so its not about wether my formulas are "visible" (tools-options-view-formulas) or not. The number of my formulas asre always under the maximum 1024 characters. |
Excel considers my formulas as plain text
Maybe you has Display Formulas on. Try CTRL+~ to go back to Display Values
best wishes -- Bernard V Liengme www.stfx.ca/people/bliengme remove caps from email "Kimmo Kallio" <Kimmo wrote in message ... Sometimes Excel just stops processing certain formulas on a worksheet and considers the as plain text (regardless of the fact that the cell contents starts with an equation sign "="). For example formula "=1+2" doesn't show anymore as "3" but as "=1+2", as if it's only a string of text .But if I type the same formula in the cell next to it, it shows the correct result "3". Also, when I try to evaluate the formula, excel tells me that "the cell currently being evaluated contains a constant" -- so its not about wether my formulas are "visible" (tools-options-view-formulas) or not. The number of my formulas asre always under the maximum 1024 characters. |
Excel considers my formulas as plain text
Did you re-confirm* the formula after ensuring the format was ok ?
*eg: click inside the formula bar, press ENTER ..the cell formatted as text would (normally) show only the result of the particular calculation formatted as text; not the entire formula. I'm not sure about that. Think cells which are pre-formatted as text would exhibit behaviour very similar to what you posted (Just tried it here <g) How about the calc mode of the book ? Is it set to Auto ? (Click Tools Options Calculation tab Automatic OK) -- Max Singapore http://savefile.com/projects/236895 xdemechanik --- "Kimmo Kallio" wrote: No, they were not. And even if they were, the cell formatted as text would (normally) show only the result of the particular calculation formatted as text; not the entire formula. I even tried to copy-paste formats from other "working" cells, but it didn't help. So it certainly is not about formats. Frankly speaking, I really think it's a bug. |
Excel considers my formulas as plain text
"Max" wrote: Did you re-confirm* the formula after ensuring the format was ok ? *eg: click inside the formula bar, press ENTER In fact, I'm not sure... ..the cell formatted as text would (normally) show only the result of the particular calculation formatted as text; not the entire formula. I'm not sure about that. Think cells which are pre-formatted as text would exhibit behaviour very similar to what you posted (Just tried it here <g) That's true. But it doesn't really solve my problem, since it has occured only when editing a perfectly well working formula... How about the calc mode of the book ? Is it set to Auto ? (Click Tools Options Calculation tab Automatic OK) Have to check this one out on monday when I'm back at the office... Kimmo |
Excel considers my formulas as plain text
"Kimmo Kallio" wrote:
Did you re-confirm* the formula after ensuring the format was ok ? *eg: click inside the formula bar, press ENTER In fact, I'm not sure... The formula needs to be re-confirmed/re-entered before it'll work. This step might have been the missing piece why it failed to fire. -- Max Singapore http://savefile.com/projects/236895 xdemechanik --- |
Excel considers my formulas as plain text
Thanks Max for this one, it really does fix a part of my problem: I am now
able to reformat the cell contents into a formula again. But unfortunately the other part still remains, since this mysterious "morphosis" from formula into plain text happens EVERY TIME I edit the formula. So, I have to reformat the cells after every modification. And it is, I must admit, pretty annoying. Kimmo "Max" wrote: "Kimmo Kallio" wrote: Did you re-confirm* the formula after ensuring the format was ok ? *eg: click inside the formula bar, press ENTER In fact, I'm not sure... The formula needs to be re-confirmed/re-entered before it'll work. This step might have been the missing piece why it failed to fire. -- Max Singapore http://savefile.com/projects/236895 xdemechanik --- |
Excel considers my formulas as plain text
"Kimmo Kallio" wrote:
Thanks Max for this one, it really does fix a part of my problem: I am now able to reformat the cell contents into a formula again. You'e welcome ! But unfortunately the other part still remains, since this mysterious "morphosis" from formula into plain text happens EVERY TIME I edit the formula. So, I have to reformat the cells after every modification. And it is, I must admit, pretty annoying. I'm out of guesses here as to the phenomena you describe above. Hang around awhile, perhaps others might drop by with insights for you. -- Max Singapore http://savefile.com/projects/236895 xdemechanik --- |
Thanks. The ENTER from the formula bar fixed this for me. Any idea why this comes on so suddenly and is not completely consistent?
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