Excel: Gridlines Not Displayed in Picture of Copied Cells

ID: Q119271

2.x 3.00 4.00 5.00 WINDOWS

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0

SYMPTOMS

When you copy a range of cells as a picture (hold down the SHIFT key and choose Copy Picture from the Edit menu), the gridlines in the pasted picture may not be displayed on your screen (this problem also occurs in print preview). This problem occurs even when the Gridlines option is selected in the Page Setup dialog box.

Note that even though the gridlines are not displayed correctly on the screen, they are visible in the printed document.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because Microsoft Windows cannot handle lines in metafiles if the lines are a quarter of the width of a screen pixel.

WORKAROUND

To see the gridlines, resize the pasted picture.

STATUS

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Windows.

REFERENCES

For more information about copying pictures, choose the Search button in Help and type:

   copying

KBCategory: KBSubcategory: xlwin

Additional reference words: 2.00 3.00 4.00 4.00a 5.00 show appear border borders

Keywords          : xlwin 
Version           : 2.x 3.00 4.00 5.00
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: September 15, 1996