Comments box wont move

Question

Hello there,

I use Excel for mac 2008 v 12.3.2 and I have a spread sheet I use for record keeping and use comments to explain some of the values and these comments are shown. Somehow 1 of these has lost the link which links it to the entry value, so the value is in the cell and the comment is visible, and it's moved so is covering other entries, which if you click on the cell are still there.... just covered by the comment? This means that I cannot move, delete or edit the comment... any ideas?. My wife is a bit of an excel whizz and she hasn't ever come across this in 15 years of heavy excel use (on windows though) and can't seem to find a way solve this, so any ideas what caused this and a solution would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hey Shane,

It is most definitely a comment as I imputed it, in exactly the same way as all the others. For some unexplained reason the 'link' line between the comment and the cell has gone, and the cell no longer has the red comment indicator.

As per the previous posts clicking on the comment does nothing, and although the hand appears when you go to the comment border, moving the mouse just highlights a cell.

I copied the sheet into a new one, and it was fine, so copied it back and the 'link' dis-appeared again. So I deleted the sheet with the issue, renamed the copied sheet and inserted that into the correct calander place and bingo I'm back in business... my accountant will be delighted. So I guess it was corruption on that worksheet.

Thank you to Bob and Shane for your help;-))

Answer 2

Always good sir.

Yes I meant I had clicked on the cell not the comment itself.

I tried the 'no comment' and all other comments dis-appeared excpet this one, and changed it back and it made no difference.

So those ideas sadly crashed and burned, so I'll try the last tip tomorrow, hopefully that will work.

I have gone back through the spreadsheet for the year and everything else is doing as it should, except this comment losing the link to the cell:-((

Answer 3

Just to make sure we're on the same page:-)

re "Right clicking on the comment...":

I didn't mean right-click the Comment Balloon, itself. If it is a Comment it is 'attached' to a cell of the worksheet. That is the cell which typically contains the data to which the Comment pertains & should have a red indicator in its upper right corner. Right-click that cell, not the Comment Balloon.

re "Yes and it made no difference, other comments are un affected.":

I should have been more specific - If you go to the Preferences & choose the No Comments or Indicators option, what happens to the rogue Comment?

Also:

Hold Shift while launching Excel, then open the file & see if there's any difference in the Comment's behavior, and

Create a new User Account then open the same file in Excel while logged in as that user to see if there's any difference.

Regards,

Bob J.

Answer 4

Hey Bob, 

Thanks for the reply:

Right clicking on the comment lets you add a new comment, it doesn't recognise the existing one.

Going to the edge brings up the hand, but when you move it just highlights the cell and doesn't move the box.

Yes and it made no difference, other comments are un affected.

I have restarted, but the problem remains.

It's a real puzzle eh?

Answer 5

What happens if you right-click the cell the Comment is attached to & select the Edit Comment or Hide Comment command?

Can you click on the edge of the Comment [where the pointer turns into a gloved hand] rather than inside the Comment balloon?

Have you tried going into Excel> Preferences - View to select one of the other Comment options then restoring your preferred setting?

If you restart your Mac does the problem persist when you open the file?

Regards,

Bob J.