XL97: Data in Hidden Columns Is Not Deleted

Last reviewed: February 12, 1998
Article ID: Q164316

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to delete the cell contents of a selection that contains some hidden columns, Microsoft Excel fails to delete the data in the hidden cells.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs if the following conditions are true:

You are using AutoFilter to filter a list.
```
    -and-
```
The list contains hidden columns.
```
    -and-
```
The selection that you want to delete consists of entire rows.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, select a range of cells instead of the entire row, and then click Delete Rows on the Edit menu.

Example:

For example, to delete the cell contents in a selection that contains hidden columns, use the following steps:

Type the following data into a worksheet:

   A1:  1     B1:  A     C1:  A    D1:  A     E1:  A
   A2:  2     B2:  A     C2:  A    D2:  A     E2:  A
   A3:  3     B3:  A     C3:  A    D3:  A     E3:  A
   A4:  4     B4:  B     C4:  B    D4:  B     E4:  B
   A5:  5     B5:  B     C5:  B    D5:  B     E5:  B
   A6:  6     B6:  B     C6:  B    D6:  B     E6:  B
   A7:  7     B7:  C     C7:  C    D7:  C     E7:  C
   A8:  8     B8:  C     C8:  C    D8:  C     E8:  C
   A9:  9     B9:  C     C9:  C    D9:  C     E9:  C
   A10: 10    B10: C     C10: C    D10: C     E10: C

Select cells C1 and D1.
On the Format menu, point to Column, and then click Hide.
Select cell A1.
On the Data menu, point to Filter, and then click AutoFilter.
Click the AutoFilter arrow in cell B1, and click "b" (without the quotation marks).
Select the range A4:E6.
NOTE: Do not select the row by clicking the row number.
On the Edit menu, click Delete Row.
When you are prompted to delete entire rows, click Yes.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows, Service Release 1.

REFERENCES

For more information about filtering a list, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

   autofilter

and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Ways to find values in a list by using filters" topic.

Keywords          : xllist
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug

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Last reviewed: February 12, 1998
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.