Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007 and 2010. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Hiding Graphics when Filtering.

Hiding Graphics when Filtering

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 12, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007 and 2010


1

James has a worksheet that has graphics on top of cells that explain what is in the cells. The graphics sort with the cells just fine, but when he applies filters to the cells, the graphics bunch up at top of cells that are visible. James wonders if there is a way to have graphics hide when filtering data within cells.

The answer has to do with how you have the properties for the graphics set up. You need to make sure that the graphics are set to resize when the row height changes. Here's what you do:

  1. Select the graphic (or graphics) whose properties you want to modify.
  2. Right-click the graphic (or graphics). Excel displays a Context menu.
  3. Choose Size and Properties from the shortcut menu. Excel displays the Size and Properties dialog box.
  4. Make sure the Properties tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)
  5. Figure 1. The Properties tab of the Size and Properties dialog box.

  6. Make sure the Move and Size with Cells check box is selected.
  7. Click OK.

It is step 5 that does the trick here. Since your graphics are sorting properly when you sort the worksheet, chances are good that you had the Move but Don't Size with Cells check box selected. This is what caused the graphics to bunch up—they couldn't resize when filtering hid the rows with which they were associated.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11763) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2010. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Hiding Graphics when Filtering.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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What is 1 + 1?

2012-07-19 10:46:22

Graphic_Filter

I tried this out but it doesn't work. Graphics won't disappear. But then I gave all involved graphics the "in the background" property and: it worked!


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