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Excel Cell Format Table corruption in XP?

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by tomluoma-22102457214640172187807983539292

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This is a going to be a bit odd but here goes. Just upgraded an older laptop to XP that is running Office 4.2 (I know - I know). Works fine except for one odd thing.
Excel files AND the Format Cells function does not like commas.
In Format Cells, Number the std options such as #,##0 and those that follow are all only # -- the comma and following character are gone.
It is possible to create a Code for one with commas but there is a bug with this -- it adds a comma in front of the first nmber in a cell.
Also when loading old spreadsheets all of the commas have been replaced by a vertical bar graphic.
I have unloaded and reloaded Excel.
Any ideas on what might be causing this and a fix (other than buying anew version)
I can't quite see why how this could be a XP incompatability.
Thanks,Tom

3 replies

by tig2

I had Access break with XP so I get where you are coming from. It isn't the program itself but an incompatibility with the VB that powers macros and cell formatting. But there is a work around.

Download and install Open Office. It will open your Excel files and import your macros. At least it has done that in my testing. You can even save as a .xls file in addition to other formats for portability purposes.

I still have the box of floppies that made up 4.2. I get it. But if you are getting increased functionality from the XP, you are going to have to make a change. The Word analog and Powerpoint analog both support the MS extensions so you don't lose anything by using Open Office. Oh, and Open Office is free.

http://www.openoffice.org/

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