# Solved: Excel Click Multiple Cells



## ayurveda (Jan 19, 2008)

Sometimes when I click on a cell in Excel 97-2003 Worksheet, it also hilites several cells below that cell. If I click on another cell, same thing happens, sometimes hiliting more or less cells. This happens sporatically. It will go away as strangly as it appeared.

I'm working on a large spreadsheet where I have imported and am merging 3 different databases. Many times, I need to copy & paste several cells in a row at a time into row of one of other databases. Since it picks up the cells below the ones I'm wanting to copy & paste, I cannot perform this quickly. I have to click on each cell, copy & paste that cell where I want it and then come back to do this for next cell. Very time consuming.

Not sure if it has something to do w/the data I imported or a wierd function of Excel. Or if it has to do w/my running in Vista - even though I'm using an earlier version of Excel (primarily so others can open it).

Thanks for any help you can give me...


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## ChuckE (Aug 30, 2004)

Just guessing, but perhaps you have some rows or columns hidden? Selecting a cell might just the pick up the hidden adjacent cells too.

As for your decision to use an earlier version, I don't think that is valid. Using the latest version of Excel, you should be able to save to an earlier version. Besides, are you sure that the newer version saves will NOT open with earlier versions?

Running on Vista should have no affect of how any version operates in the cell selection process.


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## ayurveda (Jan 19, 2008)

Thanks for your suggestions. I 'unhide' all rows and columns, in case they had been hidden when I got this data. Still same problem. What's so frustrating is that one time I click on the cell and several cells around it are hilited. Next time I click that cell, it's fine - just that one cell is hilited.

Only reason I'm using Excel 97-2003 is -when I used Excel Vista, no one I sent my file to could open it so was easier for me to convert and then just start using this 97-2003 version. That's what I meant by not using the Vista version.

Thanks for your efforts!


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## The Villan (Feb 20, 2006)

The next time it occurs, just check on the status bar under your spreadsheet to see if you can see EXT.It will be on the right hand side of the status bar.
If you can see EXT then you have accidentally pressed the F8 function key called EXTEND Selection.
If that is the case, just press F8 to turn EXT off.


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## ayurveda (Jan 19, 2008)

It just happened again - I looked for EXT in lower status bar but did not see this - I did press F8 - nothing changed. I'm running on Vista - everything seems to be different. Are you referring to something that shows up on Vista op system?

Did right click on bottom status bar and 'Customized Status Bar' came up but nothing about EXT on it.

This time, I kept clicking on cells until found one that did not hilite others - it was in last row I was working in that did not do this. When I clicked on cell in this row and then clicked on cell in row having the problem, it was fixed. Hopefull this will work next time.

Thanks again for your help...


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## The Villan (Feb 20, 2006)

F8 extend selection is a feature of Office apps (maybe not all). So I suppose you would class it as a Wondows feature.
However, that feature has been around for a long long time.

The status bar I refer to is the one directly below the Sheet tabs and has Ready appearing on the left hand side of it.
The one below that is the taskbar with the Start button on the left hand side.

I wonder if you have a cell that is corrupt in that file. Thsi can sometimes happen in large files. Quite often caused by a spike in the power.

It a pity we don't have the file, to test it out ourselves.

Are you using a PC or Laptop. Can it be a mouse problem?


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## ayurveda (Jan 19, 2008)

Think I have found a way to work around this. When it happens, I go to one of rows above until I click on a cell that does not 'branch out'. Then I click on cell I'm working w/and it's working. I'm on a laptop. Yes - did consider the mouse and mouse pad - changed out both.

I am good to go now. Thanks for your help.


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