Conditional Formatting not Auto-Updating after running Open Solver

Background - I have created linear optimization spreadsheet for a manufacturing process. Due to the size of the problem (~10K decision variables) I am using "Open Solver" to optimize the solution. Because the vast majority of my decision variables (DVs - cells that solver can change) are 0, I chose to use conditional formatting to highlight any non-zero values. I have 3 sets of decision variables in the problem. In my initial beta-tested version, the conditional formatting worked great. Each time I run solver (with different inputs), it would update the decision variables and the format would correctly change to highlight non-zero values.

Problem - Now I am working on updating the model. However, when I change the input parameter that cause solver to change the values of the decision variables (DV), only the non-zero values that remain the same as before are not highlighted, the DVs that change and are non-zero are correctly highlighted. This is only a problem in one of the DV sets. If I select this set of cells and view properties or almost anything and then hit enter, the cells will correctly auto format.

Things I have checked:
- The cells that are not properly updating format are not locked
- The spreadsheet is not locked
- I have deleted all conditional formatting and the added back the CF and still the problem only exists in a portion of the DVs
- I have copied and pasted the format of the DV set that is acting properly to the set that is not auto updating.
- I don't think it should matter, but all cells/worksheets are set for "auto calculation"
- Going back to the original doesn't seem to help

Anyone have any ideas why a select few cells will not update formatting based on conditional formatting after running solver (open solver)? As I said, it worked before and I don't have the slightest clue what I did to mess it up in that one set of DVs. Thanks in advance for your help.

I have no direct solution to your problem but perhaps I can suggest an alternative one.

If you go to http://www.solver.com/ http://www.solver.com/ (the makers of Excel Solver) you can download one of their more powerful models for free and try this out for a limited time.

If you do have problems with the formatting the makers of Solver would certainly help you (no support on the Excel Solver since they sold it to Microsoft they recons it’s a Microsoft problem) as they whish to sell their more powerful models.

Alf

Originally Posted by Alf

I have no direct solution to your problem but perhaps I can suggest an alternative one.

If you go to http://www.solver.com/ http://www.solver.com/ (the makers of Excel Solver) you can download one of their more powerful models for free and try this out for a limited time.

If you do have problems with the formatting the makers of Solver would certainly help you (no support on the Excel Solver since they sold it to Microsoft they recons it’s a Microsoft problem) as they whish to sell their more powerful models.

Alf

Thanks Alf, but I must use open solver (constraint of problem). I will say that I do not think that open solver is the issue. The conditional formatting was working perfectly with open solver with previous versions of my excel file. I made some sort of options/VBA change somewhere along the way and can't seem to find it. What is baffling is that the conditional formatting is only affected in a select section of cells.