Microsoft Knowledge Base

XL5: Non-Text Values in Hidden Column Lost Saving in Text
Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
Article ID: Q132565
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you save a file to the Text (tab delimited) or CSV (comma delimited) file format, any non-text values in a hidden column on the worksheet are lost.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs when you hide a column on your worksheet that contains non-text values (such as a number value or a date value), and you save the worksheet as a text file. When you open the text file, the non-text values no longer appear on the worksheet.

If the hidden column does not contain any text values, when you save the file as text and then open the file again, the column appears to be empty. If the column does contain text values, when you save the file as text and then open the file again, only the text values appear in the column.

For example, in a worksheet that contains the following data 

   A1: ColA  B1: ColB  C1: ColC
   A2:    1  B2:    2  C2:    3
   A3:    2  B3:    4  C3:    6
   A4:    3  B4:    6  C4:    9
if you hide column B, and save the file as text, when you open the file again, the data appears as follows: 

   A1: ColA  B1: ColB  C1: ColC
   A2:    1  B2:       C2:    3
   A3:    2  B3:       C3:    6
   A4:    3  B4:       C4:    9
Note that this problem does not occur with data in hidden rows.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0.

MORE INFORMATION

Note that in Microsoft Excel version 5.0 for Windows, when you save a file that contains a hidden row or column as a text file, the entire hidden row or column is not saved. For additional information about this behavior, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q118600
   TITLE     : XL5: Hidden Column/Row Not Saved in Text or CSV File Format

REFERENCES

For more information about "File Formats (Macintosh)" or "File Formats (Windows)" choose the Search button in Help and type: 

    saving files in different formats

KBCategory: kbother
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: 5.00 5.00a 5.00c



THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.