XL97: Cannot Click Once to Create Arrows and Lines

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 97, when you click Arrow or Line on the Drawing toolbar, and then click a worksheet or chart sheet once, no arrow or line appears.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs when you attempt to create an arrow or a line by clicking the worksheet or chart sheet without dragging the pointer.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, click the worksheet or chart sheet, and then drag the pointer. To do this, use the following steps:

1. On the Drawing toolbar, click Arrow or Line.

2. In the worksheet or chart sheet, position the pointer over the location for the starting point of the line or arrow. Hold down the mouse button and do not release it.

3. Continue holding down the mouse button and drag the pointer to the ending point of the arrow or line.

4. Release the mouse button.

STATUS

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel 97.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel 97, after you click a button on the Drawing toolbar, you can use three different methods to create the drawing object in the worksheet or chart sheet.

Clicking and Dropping

After clicking a button on the Drawing toolbar, if you click the worksheet or chart sheet once, a drawing object with a default size appears. If necessary, you can resize the object. This method is available for all drawing objects EXCEPT lines, arrows, and connectors.

Clicking Three Times

After clicking a button on the Drawing toolbar, click the worksheet or chart sheet once to establish the starting point. Then, click once more to create the ending point. If necessary, you can resize the object. This method is available ONLY for connectors.

Dragging

After clicking a button on the Drawing toolbar, drag the pointer to create the object. When the object is the size you want, release the mouse button. If necessary, you can resize the object. This method is available for all drawing objects, including arrows and lines.

When you attempt to create a line or an arrow by dropping it in Microsoft Excel 97, the arrow or line does not appear. This behavior occurs because arrows and lines require two endpoints. Clicking once creates only a single starting point; therefore, Microsoft Excel cannot create the arrow or line. Other objects, such as rectangles, ovals, callouts, basic shapes, and flowchart elements, can be created by dropping them.

In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, you can create objects in worksheets and chart sheets only by dragging. The other methods are supported only in Microsoft Excel 97.