Excel: Recalculating or Choosing Command Clears Clipboard

ID: Q58228

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 1.x, 2.x, 3.0, 4.0
Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a
Microsoft Excel for OS/2, versions 2.2, 3.0

SUMMARY

When you Cut or Copy data in Microsoft Excel, a description of the operation and the selection on is maintained the internal Clipboard. For example "Cut 1R x 1C" indicates that a selection of one row by one column has been cut.

Microsoft Excel clears the internal Clipboard when most commands other than Paste or Paste Special are used or when the worksheet is recalculated immediately following a Cut or Copy operation. Any information currently in the Clipboard (other than external copied information) is lost. If the moving border surrounding the currently cut or copied information stops moving, the internal Clipboard contents have been cleared.

Commands that do not affect the Clipboard include: commands on the Window menu; and New, Open, Close, and Links (on the File menu).

MORE INFORMATION

Macintosh Version Only

In Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, you can externalize the Clipboard, to allow the copied data to be retained in the Clipboard until another Copy operation is executed. To externalize the Clipboard, do the following:

Select the area to be copied.

From the Edit menu, choose Copy.

From the Apple menu, choose Scrapbook.

From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

The desired editing commands can now be executed and the Clipboard will not be cleared. The data can be pasted repeatedly until another Copy is executed.

Another way to externalize the Clipboard is to using MultiFinder to switch to the Finder and then switch back to Microsoft Excel.

Additional query words: 1.00 1.03 1.04 1.06 1.50 2.00 2.01 2.10 2.20 4.00a

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