Conditional Format

[Guest]

I have a cell which only appears as an input cell only if another condition
is true. Its standard format is no fill with white font so that it doesn't
appear until the condition is met. The white font is because if they later
change the format condition the data in this cell will not be seen. The
conditional formatting has a coloured fill to indicate an input cell, with
black font.

Even when the condition has been met and the cell appears with its coloured
fill, the text in the cell stays white as the figures are entered and then
turns black when the enter key is pressed or the next cell is selected.

This is apparently off-putting for the people who use this sheet. How can I
make the text appear black as its entered - why doesn't it anyway?

Thanks,

 

[Biff]

Hi!

What formula or condition are you using to trigger the CF?

Biff

 

[Myrna Larson]

Conditional formatting won't "look at" the value in the cell until you've
press ENTER or TAB to terminate the input. Excel is essentially in a "holding
pattern" while you are typing.

 

[Biff]

After rereading your post and some testing, I don't think there's anything
you can do about this except for changing the default text color.

The default text color format is applied UNTIL you have actually finished
entering the data into the cell. When you are entering data in a cell Excel
is in edit mode and nothing else can execute until you're out of edit mode.
Because you're in edit mode, the text can't change color until you hit
enter. (or use other actions that terminate edit mode)

Biff

 

[Guest]

OK, thanks. I was thrown off by the fact that the appearance of the cell, ie
the fill color, changed immediately when the condition was met, so I assumed
that the font color would also change. It does, until you begin to enter
data. The cell is formatted as "Accounting" and the cell changes color and
the dollar sign appears - in black - as soon as the condition is met, but
then the font goes back to white as you key in the number, then back to black
when you leave the cell.

They'll have to put up with it.