XL98: Shadows on Drawing Objects May Not Appear Correctly

• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you create a drawing object in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, if you apply a shadow to the drawing object, the shadow may look different from a shadow created in an earlier version of Microsoft Excel.

CAUSE

This problem will occur if all the following conditions are true:

• The drawing object was created in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.

  -and-

• The drawing object is not filled (it is transparent).

  -and-

• The workbook containing the drawing object has not been saved or has been saved in the Microsoft Excel 98 workbook format, closed, and then reopened.

WORKAROUND

If you create a drawing object in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition and it needs to have a solid shadow, you must apply a fill to the drawing object. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Select the drawing object.

2. On the Format menu, click AutoShape.

3. Select the Colors And Lines tab.

4. In the Fill list in the Color section, select a color, or click Fill Effects and select a fill effect.

5. Click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel, drawing objects that you create can be filled or unfilled. Filled objects are opaque. Unfilled objects are transparent, and you can see cells or other objects through them.

In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, when you create a drawing object, such as a rectangle, and then apply a shadow to the object, the shadow may not appear to be solid; instead it will look like a line. This behavior will occur if the drawing object is not filled (it is transparent).

Shadows applied to drawing objects should appear correctly if any of the following conditions are true:

• The drawing object was created in an earlier version of Microsoft Excel.

  -or-

• The drawing object is filled.

  -or-

• The workbook that contains the drawing object is not saved in the Microsoft Excel 98 workbook format.