Auto Fit row height and merged cells

[LarryPDX1]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel I use excel to do complex formatted design spreadsheets for our business. Wrapped, merged cell refuse to autfit row height and it is driving me nuts.

If I open a new workbook and set up a cell to wrap and auto fit. All is right with the world. When I add characters to the cell and hit enter the row height behaves as expected. When I remove characters in the cell it contracts to the appropriate row height.

However, if I simply merge this same cell with its neighbor to the right (an otherwise blank cell) voila. Auto fit no longer works.

Anyone have a clue what this is about? Is it just another incantation of bizarre merged cell formatting behavior?

Thanks for any thoughts or direction. -- Larry

 

[CyberTaz]

Sorry, Larry, I don't mean to sound unsympathetic but if that's the only
problem you have with merged cells you should consider yourself part of a
very fortunate, elite minority.

I'm afraid that once you start merging cells all bets are off with regard to
any default behaviors & expected operations, as is the case with the
structural integrity of the workbook, itself. I doubt there is any way to
resolve an issue of that nature. To quote MVP John McGimpsey:

"Merged cells are the spawn of the devil."

I've used them for printed forms design with reasonable success, but for
working files they're nothing but impending -- if not immediate -- disaster.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Phillip Jones, C.E.T.]

I've used Merged Cells with no problems from Excel 5.0 to Excel 2008 and
never had a problem with them. But then I've never used 50 page work
sheets and 10's of thousands of cells either.

the most complicated thing I currently use merged cells on is a
desktop calendar my mother uses.

Bob Greenblatt helped with the calculations, originally. I had to redo
it this year because for some reason it broke on Feb (would only show 27
days) for this year and some other months were off as well: I've tested
with my changes and it appears good through 2020.

http://www.phillipmjones.net/MasterCalendar.xlsx. its an old timey style
calendar little larger than than those you use to get a Funeral homes.

All the merged cells were meant usually for titles. Merged cells are
used in the cells are used for month titles/formulas.