Sorting protected worksheet & workbook

[Guest]

Operating excel 2003
I have an excel workbook which is protected but sort has been checked in the
protection box. This worksheet sorts column F into date of birth order.
Oldest at the top using A->Z. I have installed this workbook onto two other
computers at different sites and all sort beautifully in protected mode.
However, I have installed this workbook onto a 3rd computer (once again a
separate site) and it will not allow the sort to happen without unprotecting
the worksheet. All of these computers are running Windows XP and Office
2003. The workbook was designed using the same system and same Office
programs. I copied the non sorting workbook onto flash disk and brought it
back to my computer. That copy on the flash disk works perfectly fine on my
computer. Could there be something on that particular computer's Excel
program that has been fiddled with by the user to deny the sort on protected
worksheets as three out of four are operating fine. The owner is not able to
help.
Can anyone help. I have left it unprotected at the moment so it at least
will work for them but it leaves all formulas exposed for someone to wipe.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Sue

 

[Dave Peterson]

I don't have a real good guess...

But is the user selecting the range to sort? Maybe the problem is that they're
not selecting the correct range???

Has the user selected any cells in that unlocked area to be sorted and done
Edit|clear (not clearcontents)

Clearing the cell will set the "lockedness" state back to it's default (usually
locked).

Have they copied a locked cell (even from a different worksheet or a different
workbook) and pasted into that range. The "lockedness" state would come with
that paste, too.

Did the user put some data into locked cells that are in the same row as the
data to sort? (Excel likes a gap when you do this kind of protection/sorting.

 

[Guest]

Hi Dave,
I replaced the workbook with a fresh workbook (that works on all other
computers) and keyed in mock examples but it still wouldn't sort while
locked. So that's when I loaded it onto a flash disk and brought it back to
find that it worked perfectly on my computer. Is there anything that they
could have fiddled with on Excel but not on this workbook that would stop
this sort process for any workbook operating on their computer.
It's got me baffled. Any other thoughts?
Sue

 

[Dave Peterson]

The only thing I can think of that could cause a difference is running different
versions of excel -- but you wrote that both of you are using xl2003.

The onliest guess I have left is so out there that it can't be true.

But...

If the user opens excel in safe mode:
close excel
windows start button|Run
excel /safe
file|open yourworkbook

Does the sort work ok then?

My weird guess is that there is some application event that may be sticking its
head in where it doesn't belong. (But I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that's
not the problem.)

========
One more guess...

Tell them to select the range first, then use data|sort.

I try to stay away from those A->Z and Z->A buttons--they rely on excel being
able to guess what should be sorted--and that isn't always correct.

In fact, I'm betting my dollars (or doughnuts) on this one!

Good luck,

 

[Guest]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the suggestions and I will head around there later today and give
them a try if the building is open to get in.
Will let you know the results.
Sue

 

[Dave Peterson]

My fingers are crossed. And tell that user to never click those A-Z and Z-A
buttons!

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the suggestions and I will head around there later today and give
them a try if the building is open to get in.
Will let you know the results.
Sue

 

[Guest]

Hi Dave,
Just a quick word to let you know when I got there the building was locked
and will stay that way now for the next 2 weeks as it is an education
institute and the school holidays have started. I will have to wait until
the new school term begins.
Frustrating!
Thanks heap for your help.
Sue

 

[Dave Peterson]

Dohhhhhhhhhhh!

Hi Dave,
Just a quick word to let you know when I got there the building was locked
and will stay that way now for the next 2 weeks as it is an education
institute and the school holidays have started. I will have to wait until
the new school term begins.
Frustrating!
Thanks heap for your help.
Sue