OFF97: Gradient Fill Color Remains Unchanged

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you select an AutoShape that is formatted with a gradient fill pattern, and then attempt to change the color of the gradient pattern in the Colors dialog box, Microsoft Excel may fail to change the color.

CAUSE

This problem may occur when all of the following conditions are true:

• You create an object with a gradient fill pattern, and then select it.

  -and-

• You click the Fill Color arrow on the Drawing toolbar, and then click More Fill Colors.

  -and-

• You click the Custom tab and click OK without selecting a color.

NOTE: The color that appears in the New (Current) box on the Custom tab of the Colors dialog box is the same color on the top and the bottom, which seems to indicate that no change occurs. However, you may expect the color to change to the color that is displayed in the dialog box because the displayed color is not the same color that is used for the gradient fill pattern in the object.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1

Click a different color in the Colors dialog box and click OK.

Method 2

Display the Colors dialog box without clicking the Fill Color arrow on the Drawing toolbar, and then change the color. When you do this, Microsoft Excel changes the fill pattern color. To do this, use the following steps:

   1. Select the Autoshape.

   2. On the Format menu, click AutoShape.

   3. Click the Colors And Lines tab.

   4. Click the Color arrow under Fill, and click More Colors.

   5. In the Colors dialog box, click OK.

   6. In the Format AutoShape dialog box, 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.

REFERENCES

For more information about filling an object with color, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

   drawing objects, fills