Gridlines Lost with Paste Special of Excel Worksheet Object

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Word for Windows, if you use Paste Special to embed a Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object, the worksheet gridlines do not display on the screen, even in print preview mode. The gridlines do print correctly.

If you do not want the gridlines to display, choose Display from the Options menu in Excel, and clear the Gridlines check box. If you want the gridlines to display for the entire spreadsheet or for a selection of the spreadsheet, choose Border from the Format menu in Excel, and select the appropriate options for line placement and style. Border formatting displays correctly if you use the Paste Special command in Word for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

Excel for Windows is a screen-based application and Word for Windows is a printer-based application. When you use the Paste Special command to embed an Excel Worksheet Object, Word for Windows first converts the 1-pixel wide gridline into a printer image and then converts it to a Word for Windows screen image. In this process, the display of the worksheet's gridlines is lost. Specifically, the white space of the worksheet cells overlays the gridlines, preventing their display.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Excel versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a. and 5.0

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide," version 2.0, pages 690-694