XL97: Copied and Pasted Chart Appears as Gray Rectangle

ID: Q161218

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you copy a chart in Microsoft Excel 97 and paste it into a document in another program (for example, Microsoft Word 97 or Microsoft WordPad), the chart you pasted appears as a gray rectangle.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you select the Show Placeholders option in Microsoft Excel 97 before you copy the chart.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Activate Microsoft Excel 97

1. Double-click the pasted chart. This activates Microsoft Excel 97 and

   displays the chart.

2. When the chart appears correctly, click anywhere in the document to

   deactivate Microsoft Excel.

Method 2: Clear the Show Placeholders Check Box

If the Show Placeholders option is enabled, use the following steps before you copy the chart:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Click the View tab.

3. Click Show All, and then click OK.

STATUS

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

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel 97, you can control the appearance of objects in a worksheet. To access the options that allow you to control the appearance of objects, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Click the View tab.

The following table lists the options and how they affect the appearance of objects in the worksheet.

 Option              Effect
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Show All            All objects are displayed normally.

 Show Placeholders   A gray object appears in the place of each object in
                     the worksheet. Details for each object are not
                     visible.

 Hide All            All objects are not displayed.

If you select the Show Placeholders option, all drawing objects, AutoShapes, and charts in the worksheet are displayed as gray objects. If you select a chart, the chart appears normally for as long as it remains selected; when you deselect the chart, it appears as a gray rectangle.

If you copy a chart in Microsoft Excel 97 when the Show Placeholders option is selected, and then paste the chart into another program, the chart may not be pasted correctly. This behavior may occur even when the chart appears correctly when you copy it. This problem may occur when you paste a chart in Microsoft Word 97 or Microsoft WordPad.

Additional query words: XL97 grey rectangle

Keywords          : kbualink97 kbchart
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: February 12, 1999