XL: Line Object Is Missing When Printed or in Print Preview

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

If you create a line, arrow, or connector line with the Drawing toolbar, and then move it to a cell boundary by using the Snap To Grid tool or by pressing the ALT key, the line may not appear when you print it or when you view it in print preview.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when following conditions are true:

• You move a line, arrow, or connector to the edge of a cell by pressing the ALT key or by using the Snap To Grid tool on the Drawing toolbar.

  -and-

• You align the line, arrow, or connector horizontally.

  NOTE: The problem also occurs if you align the object vertically on a vertical page break.

  -and-

• There are no other objects on the worksheet.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, try adding lines or data to the worksheet. When you do this, the lines may appear when you print the worksheet or when you view the worksheet in print preview. You can insert another kind of graphic object on the same worksheet and set the object properties so that it is not printed. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Toolbars on the View menu and click Drawing if the Drawing toolbar is not selected.

2. Click the Rectangle tool on the Drawing toolbar.

3. Position the insertion point on the worksheet that contains the line object, and then drag the pointer to insert a rectangle on the worksheet.

   NOTE: The size of the rectangle doesn't matter.

4. With the rectangle selected, click AutoShape on the Format menu.

5. Click the Colors And Lines tab.

6. Under Fill, click No Fill in the Color list.

7. Under Line, click No Color in the Color list.

8. Click OK.

STATUS

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