Microsoft KB Archive/106390

= XL: Unlocked Cells Not Underlined with Protection Enabled =

Article ID: 106390

Article Last Modified on 10/11/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0a for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 95a
 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh

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This article was previously published under Q106390





SUMMARY
In Microsoft Excel versions earlier than 5.0, while worksheet protection is enabled and gridlines are turned off, unlocked cells appear underlined. This underline identifies the cells that you can edit.

Although this feature is not available in Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and later, this article shows how you can create a macro that allows you to simulate this behavior.



MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements. The following Visual Basic macro places a bottom border on all unlocked cells in a worksheet. The macro also removes any bottom border from locked cells. To create the macro:  In Microsoft Excel 97 and Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, point to Macro on the Tools menu, and then click Visual Basic Editor. On the Insert menu, click Module.

In earlier versions of Excel, point to Macro on the Insert menu, and then click Module.  In the module, type the following macro code: Sub Format_Unlocked_Cells 'Declare procedure-level variables Dim x As Range, lastcell As Range 'Prevent screen redraw to speed up the macro Application.ScreenUpdating = False 'Unprotect the worksheet to allow editing ActiveSheet.Unprotect ("my_password") 'Set lastcell to point to the last cell on the sheet Set lastcell = Selection.SpecialCells(xlLastCell)

'Place bottom borders on unlocked cells and remove any bottom 'borders from locked cells For Each x In Range("A1", lastcell) With x.Borders(xlBottom) If x.Locked = False Then .Weight = xlHairline .ColorIndex = xlAutomatic Else .LineStyle = xlNone End If             End With Next x

'Re-apply worksheet protection. ActiveSheet.Protect ("my_password")

End Sub 

NOTE: If you want to format a specific cell range, replace Range("A1", lastcell) with the range you want to format, for example, Range("A1:G100").

To use the macro:
 * 1) Switch to the worksheet that you want to format.
 * 2) In Microsoft Excel 97 and Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, point to Macro on the Tools menu, and then click Macros.

In earlier versions of Excel, click Macro on the Tools menu.
 * 1) In the list of macros, click the Format_Unlocked_Cells macro. Click Run.

