Excel 2016 name box missing 1

[dgallup]

I've searched a good bit and I can not figure this out. I have a number of files where the name box is missing. This is the box that shows the name of the cell you are in or when you start to type a formula it gives you a pull down menu of recently used functions. It should look like this (showing A20 in the pic):

But certain files don't show the name box which makes it really hard to enter formulas. They look like this:

These files are in different windows of the same session. It seems to go with the files. Turning the formula bar off and on does not fix the problem.

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[zelgar]

I would check to see what version of Excel the files are saved as. You may need to save the ones that aren't showing the name box as the most recent version of Excel.

Also, from the View tab, verify that Formula Bar box is checked in the Show area.

 

[dgallup]

It's happening in the same session, some do, some don't. Formula bar box is checked. I can close an offending file without saving, open it again and the name box is back (some times, not every time). Frustrating!

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[rotw]

could you try the workbook repair feature maybe?

https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...workbook-7abfc44d-e9bf-4896-8899-bd10ef4d61ab

 

[dgallup]

I book marked that link for future use although I don't think it's necessarily apropos. None of these spreadsheets give any indication of being corrupted.

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[rotw]

dgallup,
It was not to be taken literally as a repair action on corrupted file. I realize files are probably not corrupted per se.
I thought to misuse repair facility so it may work at deep level of the file structure and maybe, remove/replace the problematic sequence, if any. Just an attempt.

 

[IFRs]

Is there any possibility that your Personal.xlsb file is doing things to some worksheets but not others, or is itself corrupt?

 

[dgallup]

I searched and did not find a personal.xlsb file, where would such a thing normally be located?

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[3DDave]

personal.xlsb seems to be a special case file rather than a fundamental required one -

https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...workbook-aa439b90-f836-4381-97f0-6e4c3f5ee566

 

[JG2828]

My personal.xlsb file is at the following location.
C:\Users\MYUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART
I use it to store a bunch of VBA scripts / macros that I use across various excel files. I think the issue would be if there is a script in there that is automatically running on every excel file you open.

If the file is not there, you can find it using a short command:
On Windows:
Open Excel.
Press alt+F11 to open the VBE.
If the immediate window is not visible, press ctrl+g to make it so.
In the immediate window, type ?Application.StartupPath
Press enter/return

From

https://wheatblog.com/2011/08/where-is-the-excel-personal-macro-workbook-located/

 

[JG2828]

In your first post, there is a button in your quick launch bar with blue, white, blue, and red boxes. What is that? Is it some sort of add-in? Just wondering if it is causing issues.

edit:
Another way to check for plugins is to run Microsoft/Sysinternals Autoruns program.
Click on the Office tab, scroll down to Excel, and it will show you the plugins that will run when excel starts. There will probably be multiple sections for excel.
This program is great to stop programs from auto-starting when windows starts. Just untick the box on the left. You can run the autoruns program again later and re-tick to box if you change your mind.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns

 

[dgallup]

I have C:\Users\MYUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\ but it does not have an XLSTART folder in it.

The quick launch bar button with blue, white, blue, and red boxes is just the page layout/colors command. I find many spreadsheets have hideous colors and I like to reset them to Office 2007-2010. Some things should never change.

Autoruns does not seem to be part of the default Windows 10 install. I found this link to install it.

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The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn't included in this version of Windows.

 

[JG2828]

Autoruns does not seem to be part of the default Windows 10 install. I found this link to install it.

Yes, that is the correct link. Same one I posted above. Sysinternals has a lot of very useful applications.

 

[IFRs]

XLSTART may be a hidden folder inside C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16.

You should be able to get there by typing directly into a folder view of your drive, Windows should go there even if it is hidden but you have to know it is there and type it correctly.

 

[IRstuff]

ran across this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/excel/comments/8qd69i/my_name_box_disappeared/

It suggests that there may be an extra instance of Excel that's interfering.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[dgallup]

I'll give that a try next time it happens.

There are so many background processes running it's amazing any useful work is possible at all.

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The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn't included in this version of Windows.

 

[dgallup]

Just had it happen again. Two files open simultaneously, both came from the same template, both relatively new files created within the last week or two. One file has a name box, the other one does not. Closed them both and task manager shows no excel process running. Opened them both back up and both have a name box. Closing and reopening seems to work about 90% of the time so at least that's a pretty decent work around.

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The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn't included in this version of Windows.

 

[dgallup]

I completely uninstalled MS Office and reinstalled it and the problem has not come back. Less drastic than I expected, all my settings remained.

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The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn't included in this version of Windows.

 

[dgallup]

Well, that worked for awhile but the missing name box came back yesterday. Closing and re-opening the file fixed the problem. Where would we be if we didn't have Bill Gates to curse?

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The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn't included in this version of Windows.