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The watched cell is removed from the Watch Window dialog box in Excel when you cut the contents from another cell and then paste the contents into the watched cell


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This article was previously published under Q282160

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Symptoms

In Microsoft Excel, a watched cell is removed from the Watch Window dialog box. If you click Undo, the watched cell remains removed from the Watch Window dialog box.

This issue occurs when you add a cell to the Watch Window dialog box as the watched cell, use the Cut command to delete the contents from another cell, and then use the Paste command to add the contents into the watched cell,

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Cause

This issue occurs when you use the Cut command on the Edit menu and then paste the data into a watched cell.

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Resolution

To resolve this issue, use the Copy and Paste commands instead of Cut and Paste. You can then delete or cut data from the copied cell, and the pasted cell remains in the Watch Window, as in the following example:
  1. Start Excel and then create the following worksheet:
       A1:    B1: 1
       A2:    B2: 2
       A3:    B3: 3
       A4:    B4: 4
    					
  2. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Watch Window.

    Note In Microsoft Office Excel 2007, click Watch Window in the Formula Auditing group on the Formulas tab.
  3. Select cells A1:A4.
  4. In the Watch Window dialog box, click Add Watch.
  5. In the Add Watch dialog box, click Add.

    Notice that Cells A1:A4 are present in the Watch Window.
  6. Select cell B1.
  7. On the Edit menu, click Copy.

    Note In Excel 2007, click Copy in the Clipboard group on the Home tab.
  8. Select cell A1.
  9. On the Edit menu, click Paste.

    Note In Excel 2007, click Paste in the Clipboard group on the Home tab.

    Notice that the contents of cell B1 are pasted to cell A1, and that cell A1 is still present in the Watch Window.
  10. Select cell B1.
  11. On the Edit menu, point to Clear, and then click Contents.

    In Excel 2007, click Clear Contents on the Quick Access Toolbar.

    Note

    To show the Clear Contents command on the Quick Access Toolbar in Excel 2007, follow these steps:
    1. Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Excel Options.
    2. Click Customize.
    3. In the Choose commands from box, click All Commands.
    4. Click Clear Contents in the list, click Add, and then click OK.
Notice that the cell contents are deleted from cell B1, but that cell A1 is still in the Watch Window.

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Workaround

To work around this issue, add any removed cells back into the Watch Window. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Select the cell or cells that you want to watch.
  2. In the Watch Window dialog box, click Add Watch.
  3. In the Add Watch dialog box, click Add.

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More information

Steps to reproduce the problem

  1. Start Excel and then create the following worksheet:
       A1:    B1: 1
       A2:    B2: 2
       A3:    B3: 3
       A4:    B4: 4
    					
  2. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Watch Window.

    Note In Excel 2007, click Watch Window in the Formula Auditing group on the Formulas tab.
  3. Select cells A1:A4.
  4. In the Watch Window dialog box, click Add Watch.
  5. In the Add Watch dialog box, click Add.

    Notice that Cells A1:A4 are present in the Watch Window.
  6. Select cell B1.
  7. On the Edit menu, click Cut.

    Note In Excel 2007, click Cut in the Clipboard group on the Home tab.
  8. Select cell A1.
  9. On the Edit menu, click Paste.

    Note In Excel 2007, click Paste in the Clipboard group on the Home tab.

    Notice that the contents of cell B1 are pasted to cell A1, and that cell A1 is removed from the Watch Window.
  10. On the Edit menu, click Undo Paste.

    Note In Excel 2007, click Undo on the Quick Access Toolbar.
Notice that the cell contents return to cell B1, but that cell A1 is still removed from the Watch Window.

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Keywords: KB282160, kbprb, kbpending, kbtshoot, kbexpertisebeginner

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Article Info
Article ID : 282160
Revision : 4
Created on : 2/6/2007
Published on : 2/6/2007
Exists online : False
Views : 375