Autofitting a row

G

Guest

Is it just me, or has something changed with Excel 2003?

If I have a cell with wrap text, shouldn't the row size automatically
increase if the text exceeds the cell size?

For some reason, my text just gets squished. I know I can go to
Format-Cells-Autofit, but if I do that, the row could SHRINK if I have too
little text in the cell.

Here's what I want: I want to increase the height of the cell to a decent
size (e.g. 30). IF the text exceeds the cell, then I want it to expand. But
if it doesn't, I want the cell to remain at 30 - not decrease.

Is there a way to do this? Thank you.
 
J

Jim Rech

I don't think anything changed in Excel 2003. Row heights should autofit
with wrap text cells if the row has not had its height adjusted manually.
If it has it loses it autofit capability until you use Format, Row, Autofit
to get it back.

I think the only way to set a minimum row height is to have a cell off
screen on the row that needs a height of 30, say out in column IV.


--
Jim Rech
Excel MVP
| Is it just me, or has something changed with Excel 2003?
|
| If I have a cell with wrap text, shouldn't the row size automatically
| increase if the text exceeds the cell size?
|
| For some reason, my text just gets squished. I know I can go to
| Format-Cells-Autofit, but if I do that, the row could SHRINK if I have too
| little text in the cell.
|
| Here's what I want: I want to increase the height of the cell to a decent
| size (e.g. 30). IF the text exceeds the cell, then I want it to expand.
But
| if it doesn't, I want the cell to remain at 30 - not decrease.
|
| Is there a way to do this? Thank you.
 
D

Dave Peterson

You could even put stuff in a column and then hide that column. (instead of
using Column IV).

xl2002 "respected" the rowheight for cells in a hidden column.
 
J

Josephine

I have the same problem that the excel file could not set a minimumrow height
as in the past excel version. I'm now using the window XP.
Sorry Jim, I couldn't get what you mean about having a cell off screen on
the row.
 
J

Jim Rech

I have the same problem that the excel file could not set a minimum row
I don't know what problem you're referring to here. I have several versions
of Excel installed so if you can give me a simple step-by-step example to
see the difference in various Excel versions that might help me.
I couldn't get what you mean about having a cell off screen on | the row.
Click to expand...

Nothing particularly brilliant. Let's say that you want an autofit of row 5
never to go below a height of 30. And let's say that you never get way out
to the right side of the sheet so it doesn't matter that you have some junk
in cell IV5. So you select that cell and turn on Wrap Text and type
sufficient text so that the row expands to a height of 30. So a subsequent
autofit would never reduce row height below that, but if greater height were
needed by another cell, autofit would expand it.

--
Jim Rech
Excel MVP
|I have the same problem that the excel file could not set a minimumrow
height
| as in the past excel version. I'm now using the window XP.
| Sorry Jim, I couldn't get what you mean about having a cell off screen on
| the row.
|
| "Jim Rech" wrote:
|
| > I don't think anything changed in Excel 2003. Row heights should
autofit
| > with wrap text cells if the row has not had its height adjusted
manually.
| > If it has it loses it autofit capability until you use Format, Row,
Autofit
| > to get it back.
| >
| > I think the only way to set a minimum row height is to have a cell off
| > screen on the row that needs a height of 30, say out in column IV.
| >
| >
| > --
| > Jim Rech
| > Excel MVP
| > | > | Is it just me, or has something changed with Excel 2003?
| > |
| > | If I have a cell with wrap text, shouldn't the row size automatically
| > | increase if the text exceeds the cell size?
| > |
| > | For some reason, my text just gets squished. I know I can go to
| > | Format-Cells-Autofit, but if I do that, the row could SHRINK if I have
too
| > | little text in the cell.
| > |
| > | Here's what I want: I want to increase the height of the cell to a
decent
| > | size (e.g. 30). IF the text exceeds the cell, then I want it to
expand.
| > But
| > | if it doesn't, I want the cell to remain at 30 - not decrease.
| > |
| > | Is there a way to do this? Thank you.
| >
| >
| >
 
J

Josephine

Thanks, Jim.

This is the example.
If you set a table with each row has a minimum height of 30(default is
16.5),all text are wrapped text. You type the text in the cells, some of the
rows, the texts are in one single line, some of rows are in two or more lines
(wrapped text)
As the table has to be pre-printed for some handwriting input off site, the
height for each row has to be at least 30 so that there is enough space for
the handwriting. You could achieve my expected appearance is to set the
whole worksheet to row height 30, then you type your text. For those rows
where the cells only hold little text where there is no wrapping of text ,
the row will have a hight of 30. For those rows where there are wrapping
text, the row will autofit to its desire height.
However, if we update some of the text inside the cell, and want to adjust
the height to what you desire or you've changed your desire height eg 35.
You could only use autofit to let the system to adjust to the best height and
for those rows where there is no wrapping of text, the row height will be
back to 16.5. If you reset the height to 35 again, then some of the wrapped
text could not be seen.

In window98, I forgot the excel version, there is another option after you
select "option" "row" - [minimum height] which allow you to set a minimum
height to an established table so that all the wrapped text could be seen and
also for those row without wrapped text, you could still get a bigger row
height eg 35.


Thanks again.

Josephine
 
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