Knowledge Base

Hidden Rows and Columns Are Displayed in Point Mode

Article ID: 148628

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005

Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 5.0c

This article was previously published under Q148628

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0 and 7.0, if you select the Transition Navigation Keys option, and you select cells in point mode, hidden rows and columns temporarily appear.

Also, hidden rows and columns appear while any dialog box that accepts cell references is open. For example, with Transition Navigation Keys selected, if you click Name on the Insert menu, and you then click Define, Microsoft Excel displays any hidden rows or columns.

NOTE: Microsoft Excel is in point mode when you specify a cell reference in the formula bar after an equals sign, or in a dialog box, when you select cells using the mouse or keyboard.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, disable Transition Navigation Keys. To do this, use the following steps:

On the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Transition tab.
Clear the Transition Navigation Keys check box, and click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

The Transition Navigation Keys option provides an alternate set of keyboard actions for moving around the spreadsheet, and entering formulas and data.

If you select Transition Navigation Keys and click any of the following commands on the Insert menu in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0

   Name, Define
   Note

hidden rows and columns appear.

If you select Transition Navigation Keys and click any of the following commands on the Tools menu in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0

   Data Analysis (version 5.0 only)
   Goal Seek
   Solver

hidden rows and columns appear.

If you select Transition Navigation Keys and click any of the following commands on the Data menu in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0

   Consolidate
   Table

hidden rows and columns appear.

If you view the portion of your worksheet that does not contain hidden rows or columns, the screen may appear to blink every time you select a cell, you choose one of the commands mentioned in this article, or you make a selection by pressing the ENTER key after selecting cells.

NOTE: When you collapse levels in an outline, Microsoft Excel hides the appropriate rows or columns; however, the collapsed outline levels are temporarily displayed when you select cells in point mode with the Transition Navigation Keys option enabled.

For additional information about this behavior in Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 4.0, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

89182 XL4: Hidden Rows and Columns Are Displayed in Point Mode

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel User's Guide," version 5.0, page 35

Additional query words: screen flash unhide outline expand

Keywords: KB148628