XL97: Shadows on Drawing Objects may not Appear Correctly

- Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you create a drawing object in Microsoft Excel 97, if you apply a shadow to the drawing object, the shadow may appear differently than in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel.

CAUSE

This will occur if all the following conditions are true:

• The drawing object was created in Microsoft Excel 97.

      -and-
  

• The drawing object is not filled (it is transparent).

      -and-
  

• The workbook containing the drawing object has not been saved, or has been saved in the Microsoft Excel 97 format, closed and reopened.

WORKAROUND

If you create a drawing object in Microsoft Excel 97 and it needs to have a solid shadow, you must apply a fill to the drawing object. Use the following steps to do this:

1. Select the drawing object.

2. On the Format menu, click AutoShape.

3. Click the Colors and Lines tab.

4. In the Fill drop-down list box in the Color section, click a color, or click Fill Effects and select a fill effect.

5. Click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel, drawing objects that you create can be filled or unfilled. Filled objects are opaque; unfilled objects are transparent, and you can see cells or other objects through them.

In Microsoft Excel 97, when you create a drawing object, such as a rectangle, and then apply a shadow to the object, the shadow may not appear solid, but as a line. This will occur if the drawing object is not filled (it is transparent).

Shadows applied to drawing objects should appear correctly if any of the following conditions are true:

• The drawing object was created in an earlier version of Microsoft Excel.

      -or-
  

• The drawing object is filled.

      -or-
  

• The workbook that contains the drawing object is not saved in the Microsoft Excel 97 format.