XL2000: AutoFilter Command Is Unavailable After Using the Hide All Objects Option

When you point to Filter on the Data menu, the AutoFilter command is unavailable (appears dimmed).

This behavior occurs when you select the Hide all option, which hides all objects. (To see the Hide all option, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the View tab. Hide all is under Objects.)

The drop-down arrows used in AutoFilter are objects that are hidden when the Hide all option is selected. Because Microsoft Excel is unable to display the arrows, the AutoFilter command is unavailable.

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the View tab, under Objects, click Show all.

For more information about filtering a list using AutoFilter, click Microsoft Excel Help on the Help menu, type display a subset of rows in a list by using filters in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.