Excel 2008 error message: "You can't do that!!!!! So quit trying!!!"

[gregjsp]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) Processor: Intel This might be the weirdest software bug I've ever seen. It looks like maybe a programmer for Microsoft was having some fun. Here is what happens:
A spreadsheet that a coworker uses for purchase order requests has several cells in a column with a SUM field that calculates the number of units to purchase multiplied by the unit price (not sure why they use SUM for just a multiplication, but I don't know if that matters). If you delete the contents of one of these cells and type in something else (or just type something else without deleting first), then exit the cell, an error message pops up that says, "You can't do that!!!!! So quit trying!!!" with options Cancel and Retry. Retry doesn't do anything, Cancel clears what you put in the cell. Copying and pasting the cells into a different row creates the same issue.

If there is a manner for me to upload the spreadsheet, please inform.

 

[CyberTaz]

Data Validation has been applied to those cells. The alert is triggered if
the entry violates the Validation rule. 'Retry' does do something... It
leaves you at the cell with the content selected so you can enter something
that does comply with the rule, whereas 'Cancel" essentially Undoes the
invalid entry & leaves the content as it was before the attempt was made.

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

 

[John_McGhie_[MVP]]

Check the data validation applied to those cells.

It's "some programmer" playing around, but not one from Microsoft

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) Processor: Intel This
might be the weirdest software bug I've ever seen. It looks like maybe a
programmer for Microsoft was having some fun. Here is what happens:
A spreadsheet that a coworker uses for purchase order requests has several
cells in a column with a SUM field that calculates the number of units to
purchase multiplied by the unit price (not sure why they use SUM for just a
multiplication, but I don't know if that matters). If you delete the contents
of one of these cells and type in something else (or just type something else
without deleting first), then exit the cell, an error message pops up that
says, "You can't do that!!!!! So quit trying!!!" with options Cancel and
Retry. Retry doesn't do anything, Cancel clears what you put in the cell.
Copying and pasting the cells into a different row creates the same issue.

If there is a manner for me to upload the spreadsheet, please inform.

--

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John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:[email protected]