format cell protection

[Guest]

I have received a spreadsheet that does not appear to have any protection on,
but I can’t get the cell formatting dialogue box to open (ctrl+1). Any ideas
as to why this would be? (Both parties using the same version of excel 2000)

Thanks

 

[Dave Peterson]

The only time I've seen this is when the original workbook was created in a
different program--crystal reports or Lotus 123.

I included a few "sacrificial" cells in my selection, made my changes to all of
them.

Then went back and fixed the sacrificial cells to the way they were supposed to
be. (Try a cell way out of the way of where the data really is.)