I have merged/wrapped text in a block of cells (7 cells down x 8
cells), plus specified this is a "text" cell.

However, when I enter the following text "Ellen's sister, as a "sad
sack", is responding to her mother's grandmother's programming in the
same way (disdaining men) but is taking an opposite strategy to
Ellen's.  Her envy of Ellen boils down to the fact that Ellen (by
aggressively pursuing happiness and becoming physically independent
from the family (although not emotionally so)) is one step closer to
solving her problem that she is," all I get is ######## in the cell.

How can I fix this?

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 30 Oct 2005 19:19 PST

prpro-ga,

When you click on the cell with the ### text, what do you see in the
text bar at the top of the spreadsheet, to the right of the equal
sign?

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Clarification of Question by prpro-ga on 30 Oct 2005 23:37 PST

I see the text I had entered... that is what is mystifying me.

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 31 Oct 2005 06:47 PST

Try this:

Click on the cell, and then type Ctrl-X to delete the text.  Then
(still in the same cell), use the Paste Special option from the
pull-down menu, to paste the text as "Text".

Let me know what happens.

paf

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Clarification of Question by prpro-ga on 31 Oct 2005 07:22 PST

It says "Data on the clipboard is not the same size and shape as the
selected area.  Do you want to paste anyway?"  When I say yes, it says
"Cannot change part of a merged cell."

What is weird is that -- when I paste in the text -- I can see the
text in the cell.  It is when I move to another cell is when it
switches to ####; I can never see it as text in the cell again when I
click (except in the upper bar).

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 31 Oct 2005 07:27 PST

This is one of those things where one just has to see the file, before
knowing if a solution can be had.

Any chance you could post the file to an uplink, so I could have a look at it?

paf

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Clarification of Question by prpro-ga on 31 Oct 2005 08:16 PST

Yes; I have uploaded it to YouSendIt.com.  The download link is here:
http://s44.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=19OUZVHUDFJ4K0PTFOZA65ICXN

Thank you!!

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 31 Oct 2005 09:25 PST

Wow!   Glad to hear that respree-ga's simple trick is all it took. 
Nice work, respree-ga.

Let us know if there's anything else you need on this one.  Otherwise,
looks like you got yourself a freebie!

paf

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 31 Oct 2005 12:09 PST

prpro-ga,

Thanks for the offer re: compensation, but it's really not necessary. 
respree-ga is the one who answered the question (elegantly, I might
add)....not me.

respree-ga is not a Google Answers researcher (whose names generally
appear in blue hyperlinked text), so there is no way to direct any
compensation to him/her.


Like I said, looks like you're getting a freebie on this one.


paf

You just need to expand you cell, the problem is the cell has lesser
width then the data, just increase the cell width the problem will be
solved

Sorry -- already tried it.  Expanding it does not change anything.

You have more than 255 characters.  Crappy but true - Excel will only
allow text cells to display the first 255..

Poet

It's formatted wrong.

1. Highlight the cell
2. From the menu, click Tools > Format > General

That should solve the problem.

Holy moley, respree -- that did it!  Does anyone know what the heck
happened here?  I specified it as a text cell, but that didn't work.
So odd...

paf, is there any way I could compensate you even just a little for
your time?  And respree the same?

Thank you both for your graciousness!