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Selecting all cells with data in Excel

  1. 06-20-2012, 09:10 AM #1
    ndt-excel
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    Question Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    Normally, I press CTRL+A in Excel and it will only select the group of cells with data in them (even if there are a few blank cells within that group of filled cells).

    However, I recently started a new job and on this version of Excel, when I press CTRL+A, it selects every single cell in the sheet.

    I am pretty sure this is the same version of Excel that I've used previously so I don't know why this would be any different.

    Am I missing something? Is there any other shortcut that I can use to select just the cells with data in them?
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  2. 06-20-2012, 09:43 AM #2
    Ron Coderre
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    Are you starting by selecting one of the cells in the data range?
    If no...the entire sheet will be selected.
    If yes..the current region will be selected.

    Does that help?
    Ron
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  3. 06-20-2012, 09:48 AM #3
    martindwilson
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    i dont think ctrl+a ever did that in excel see here
    http://teachr.blogspot.co.uk/2006/07...nk-or-non.html
    even reading rons post i cant get that behaviour in '97
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  4. 06-20-2012, 10:18 AM #4
    Ron Coderre
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    Quote Originally Posted by martindwilson View Post
    i dont think ctrl+a ever did that in excel see here
    http://teachr.blogspot.co.uk/2006/07...nk-or-non.html
    even reading rons post i cant get that behaviour in '97
    I just verified the CTRL+A functionality in Excel 2003:
    I entered values/formulas in most of the cells in G10:K20 in a blank sheet.
    If I select a cell in that range and press CTRL+A...G10:K20 is selected.
    If I select a cell outside that range and press CTRL+A...the entire sheet is selected.
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  5. 06-20-2012, 10:56 AM #5
    martindwilson
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    hmm must try on my other pc with 2007 on it, def doesn't work in '97
    after ctrl a.png
    before ctrl a with cell selected.png
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  6. 06-20-2012, 11:16 AM #6
    Ron Coderre
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    If I recall correctly, the new CTRL+A behavior started with Excel XP. Prior to that it selected the entire worksheet. The new behavior was very welcome. CTRL+A selects the current region...CTRL+A (again) selects the entire sheet.
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  7. 06-20-2012, 11:19 AM #7
    martindwilson
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    i must consign my 97 to history,but then again its helpful for looking at things in a pre 2007 way
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  8. 06-20-2012, 02:30 PM #8
    ndt-excel
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    When I open Excel, and click on Help>About, it tells me I have version 2002, which is weird because I didn't even know there was a 2002 version.

    Unfortunately, CTRL+A does not seem to work for me in this version. I made sure that the cursor was highlighting one of the cells within the data range and it still selects everything.

    For example, I have data from A1 to N9, so I put the cursor in cell A1, press CTRL+A, and it selects every single cell, not just the range with data filled in.
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  9. 06-20-2012, 03:54 PM #9
    Ron Coderre
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    If CTRL+A isn't working, here's the workaround...
    • Select a cell in the data range
    • F5....shortcut to Edit.Goto
    ...Click: Special...
    ...Check: Current Region
    ...Click: OK

    or...the keystroke version of that: [F5]...Alt+S...R...[ENTER]

    I hope that helps.
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  10. 06-20-2012, 04:04 PM #10
    ChemistB
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    I think Excel 2002 is a MAC version.
    ChemistB
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  11. 06-20-2012, 06:19 PM #11
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    Re: Selecting all cells with data in Excel

    Quote Originally Posted by ChemistB View Post
    I think Excel 2002 is a MAC version.
    For a second, I thought "Well, maybe". Then I checked wikipedia:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Excel

    Nope...Excel 2002 is in Office XP
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