unable to copy cell reference

[steven]

I'm just copying one cell to another in Excel 2003, the cell I'm copying has
a formula, however only the data is getting copied, not the formula
(=B2+$A$2). I've used excel for over 10 years and never seen this problem,
I'm stumped. Usually I would use Paste Special to get this result, but Paste
Special doesn't even seem to have an option for pasting my formula. I'm
using CTRL+C & CTRL+V as always.

 

[Joachim]

Hallo Steven

try Tools-Options-Calculation-Automatic.

 

[steven]

Hi Joachim,

It's set to automatic, even so, the value of the cell is a value rather than
a formula so that wouldn't make a difference.

When I do CTRL+C there is a long delay, then if I try to paste my formula to
multiple cells I get an error that the data on the clipboard is not the same
size and shape as the selected area. This is something I do dozens of times
every day, suddenly today it no longer works.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Are you copying and pasting within the same workbook or from one workbook to
another?

Possibly you have two instances of Excel running with a workbook in each
instance.

Close one insrance and open both workbooks in the single instance.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[steven]

Same workbook. I've closed Excel, rebooted, if I then open Excel and type
the number "1" in cell A1, then type "=A1+1" in cell A2, then select cell A2,
copy, paste in A3, it should copy the formula and give me the number 3,
however, it doesn't copy the formula, it just copies the number 2 from A2.
The formula bar at the top shows that the formula didn't copy. It's driving
me crazy. I can grab the plus in the lower right of the cell and drag it
down to copy the formula, but I cannot copy and paste it.

 

[Gord Dibben]

You can drag/copy A2 down column A and all is as it should be.

But a straight copy of A2 to A3 does not copy the formula..........value
only in cell and formula bar.

Have I get that right?

I cannot replicate this behaviour in Excel 2003 so don't know what to
suggest.

Hopefully someone can leap into this and make a suggestion.


Gord

 

[steven]

yes, you've got that right. It's very strange and I don't think there is any
option that got accidently changed to create this behaviour, so I'd say
something has gone seriously wrong with Excel. I'll try to repair my
installation or uninstall/reinstall.

13 years using Excel I've never seen anything like this before.