disappearing columns

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jcridgeway@gmail.com - 26 Dec 2006 18:59 GMT

I have a workbook on the network that is shared by three people and
myself and it consists of four worksheets. When I open the workbook it
opens to the first sheet. The first couple of seconds as Excel loads
all the data, focus is on the first sheet and I see all the columns
that I expect to see. As soon as the hourglass goes away it is as if I
had deleted columns 4 and everything to the right of it shifts to the
left. If I reopen the spreadsheet, I get the same behaviour everytime
I reopen it.
If I remove the share on the worksheet then the column that keeps
"disappearing" is gone for good.
How can I get that column to stay visible so that I can use it?
Thanks.
- jc -

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Roger Govier - 27 Dec 2006 11:32 GMT

Hi

It sounds like there is a macro running on opening the file that hides
column D.
Maybe you are not supposed to use this column for any data entry.

If you do want to unhide it and look at the contents, then mark both
columns C and E, right click and choose Unhide.
I suspect there will be formulae in that column that should not be
overwritten by you, otherwise other parts of the sheet won't work.

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Regards

Roger Govier

>I have a workbook on the network that is shared by three people and
> myself and it consists of four worksheets. When I open the workbook
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> Thanks.
> - jc -

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jcridgeway@gmail.com - 02 Jan 2007 18:26 GMT

Thanks for responding, however, there are no hidden columns; it is as
if the column is deleted - I see it while the spreadsheet is loading
but then the column disappears and everything shifts left as soon as it
is through loading.
bizarre -

- jc -

> Hi
>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> > Thanks.
> > - jc -

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Lisa Beach - 03 Jan 2007 00:04 GMT

Could there be a macro running that deletes the columns instead of hides
them? Maybe disable all macros and see if it still happens.

Thanks for responding, however, there are no hidden columns; it is as
if the column is deleted - I see it while the spreadsheet is loading
but then the column disappears and everything shifts left as soon as it
is through loading.
bizarre -

- jc -

Roger Govier wrote:

> Hi
>
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> > Thanks.
> > - jc -

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jcridgeway@gmail.com - 03 Jan 2007 14:55 GMT

There are no macros running at all. I set macro security to the
highest setting and it does not even give me a warning. When I open
Tools/Macros, it shows no macros either globally or locally.

This is driving me up a wall - I NEED that disappearing column.
- jc -

> Could there be a macro running that deletes the columns instead of hides
> them? Maybe disable all macros and see if it still happens.
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
> > > Thanks.
> > > - jc -

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Dave Peterson - 03 Jan 2007 15:12 GMT

I'd try opening excel in safe mode.

Close excel
windows start button|Run
excel /safe

The file|Open your workbook.

Does the problem continue?

If no, then you may have missed a macro--maybe it's in an addin. Maybe it's
behind an object you didn't check (ThisWorkbook or a sheet module).

> There are no macros running at all. I set macro security to the
> highest setting and it does not even give me a warning. When I open
[quoted text clipped - 48 lines]
> > > > Thanks.
> > > > - jc -

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Dave Peterson

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KC Rippstein - 03 Jan 2007 15:49 GMT

Dave,
What an invaluable tip. Thanks so much for sharing that gem. I hope
Vista's pearl button keeps the Run functionality so that we may continue to
invoke a manual safe mode like you suggest here.
- KC

> I'd try opening excel in safe mode.
>
[quoted text clipped - 69 lines]
>> > > > Thanks.
>> > > > - jc -

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jcridgeway@gmail.com - 09 Jan 2007 11:19 GMT

Thanks Dave - that is a good tip to remember in the future, but for
this particular case it did not help.
I am thinking that it may have something to do with how it was shared.
This is a copy of the file that was on the network. When I go into
Tools/Share Workbook I see several names under "Who has this workbook
open now" even though it is just a copy and it is located on my
personal computer and nothing on my computer is shared. I have tried
removing the share, but all that does is save the workbook and when I
reopen it, the column that I only see for a brief second or two (the
one that I NEED) no longer shows up on loadup of the spreadsheet.
If anyone has knowledge of how these spreadsheets are shared and
insight into this problem, I would sure appreciate some insight.
Thanks.
- jc -

> I'd try opening excel in safe mode.
>
[quoted text clipped - 61 lines]
> > > > > Thanks.
> > > > > - jc -

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Dave Peterson - 09 Jan 2007 12:38 GMT

I don't have any other guesses.

I've never seen anything like this.

> Thanks Dave - that is a good tip to remember in the future, but for
> this particular case it did not help.
[quoted text clipped - 80 lines]
> >
> > Dave Peterson

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Dave Peterson

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