This problem started with the 6.0.2.1. I have columns of cells formatted as number, general no decimal. When I enter new numbers from the keyboard the format of the cell changes to time. Is this a bug? If not, is there a way to prevent this from happening
What exactly do yo enter in the cell, and what’s the language?
Entering a 2 digit number (current pulse rate). If I view the cell properties before making the entry it is General-Number-no decimal places and 1 leading zero English. I enter my two digit number and it displays as 12:00 AM. When I check the cell format it has been changed to Time 1:37 PM English Display example 12:00 AM Format code H:MM AM/PM.
My sheet was working properly before the update to 6.0.2.1. Only some columns have this problem, formatting the entire column is no help
Please can you share a sample file with the issue fot test?
This file is very large, over 7000 rows and it originated as and Excel file. I worked on trying to make a very small test file and discovered that the problem is not what I first though it was. It seems that after the install of the 6.0.2.1 all of the unused rows in the problem columns had the format changed to time - I did not do this. When I first noticed the problem I formatted columns as numeric, However that is what does not work. Thus new entries display as time. Comtinued…
Formatting the cells individually works fine, but formattiing by entire column does not change format from time to numeric. I have a very small test file that fails but I do not see a way to attach. I can sent the test file if you provide a URL.
We don’t need the whole file, I think with a coupe of rows with data it’s enought to test.
That is what I did yesterday but I don’t know where to send it. I don’t see an option to attach a file.
I have fixed my large file by selecting the unused cells and changing the format to number. It appears that the only thing that does not work is changing the cell format of the entire column.
I have upvoted your question so you can attach the file to the question.
Well I just loaded the test file and it does not fail after a save. However the columns that contained data formatted as time, still displayed as time. Doing a column format to numeric does not change the cells that are displaying time. I still do not see a way to attach a file, how do I do that?
You might not need my file. Open a new file, give it a name and save as .XLS. Now open the file and change the entire"A" column to Time 01:37 PM code HH:MM AM/PM. Enter 12 in the first 7 “A” rows and they should display as 12:00 AM. Now format cells A8 through A12 as numeric General no decimal place and enter 12 in A8 through A12. They should display as 12. Now format column A as numeric General no decimal. In my test file the format of cells A1-A7 still display as time, not numeric.
I can’t reproduce your issue.
Any number entered alone in a cell it’s just a number, so in a cell with time format an enter number at much could be considered as number of days, in fact the time never change it’s always 12:00 AM. It needs at least one colon after the hours to be treated as time, and even with a not formatted cell it’s introduced as time. Changing the format show the numbers. If you share a sample to test, fine, in other case not easy for anyone find the issue, if there is one.
Given the latest comment from JohnRB about fragments of a column formatted differently, that’s the problem. The General format is displayed if the number formatter dialog is opened on a selection that has multiple number formats applied and the selection can’t be changed to General in that case. Workaround is to format the selection once to a different format, for example 0, and then on the same selection invoke the dialog again and change the format to General.
However, data entry of plain numbers is not changed to time unless the cell was already formatted as Time. The title and original description of this question doesn’t quite describe the problem.
I agree, title was wrong, I have changed it. I hope that was the proper thing to do.