Edit and/or copy paste not working - multiple workbooks - workaround: save a workbook

mrwul62

Board Regular
Joined
Jan 3, 2016
Messages
61
Office Version
  1. 365
Platform
  1. Windows
In case of having multiple workbooks open it very regularly occurs that editing or copy pasting is not possible.
For example, when I wish to paste data from one workbook into another workbook, that workbook can not be edited - it is in read only mode then.
I can click anywhere, nothing works, I can't even select a cell. The mouse is blocked.

The workaround I have been using so far is to just click on 'Save' within any or the open workbooks.
Then continue with what I wanted to do.

This has been so for already a long time, also with previous Excel version. Currently using Office 365.
Whilst this 'just one click-workaround' works fine, i I still wonder why this is.

Note: there is personal.xlsb in the \start folder.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.
 

Excel Facts

When did Power Query debut in Excel?
Although it was an add-in in Excel 2010 & Excel 2013, Power Query became a part of Excel in 2016, in Data, Get & Transform Data.
It sounds like it might be dependent on the content of your files and what Excel has stored in available memory. To protect the user from destroying their own work, Excel has a built in safety valve that when the memory load gets to a certain point it will shut down certain user interface functions until some memory is freed up. Your saving a file dumps all the stored memory for that file and frees up enough for you to continue on. As I said, dependent upon what is in your files. For intance if your files contain numerous formulas, expecially volatile formulas and array formulas, they eat a lot of memory, whereas simple text and few formula files are not so prone to high memory usage and you would probably never experience the shut down. Of course, this is just one probability. Not knowing the types of files you have open, it is basically just a guess.
 
Upvote 0
Thanks for getting back on this. They are very straightforward files, without formulas. RAM 32GB.
It strikes me that it usually happens with a number of files open for some time, let's say, an hour or so. Working on one, while some other are also open.
Then, all of a sudden copy paste does not work. The other file can be viewed, not edited. As said, just saving whatever file, any of the open files, solves this, being a temporary solution though.

Wonder whether it might have something to do with Autosave ?
(enabled, set to 5 minutes)
 
Upvote 0
It might just be in sleep mode where all you need to do is hit the space bar and let it go through the wake up process, which takes a second or two. Hard to tell without knowing your system settings and what your files are like. But if you get it back with just doing a save, it can't be too serious.
 
Upvote 0
In Control Panel > System and Security > Power Options: my PC is set to 'high performance' and in the advanced power settings I have disabled all that might go to sleep.
The issue isn't serious, just odd.
When the copy paste doesn't work, I need to save a file and do the copy paste again.
As it happens regularly, it tends to get a bit annoying. Reason for my post, as a kind of last ditch attempt so to say.
Anyway, thanks for your comments.
 
Upvote 0
In Control Panel > System and Security > Power Options: my PC is set to 'high performance' and in the advanced power settings I have disabled all that might go to sleep.
The issue isn't serious, just odd.
When the copy paste doesn't work, I need to save a file and do the copy paste again.
As it happens regularly, it tends to get a bit annoying. Reason for my post, as a kind of last ditch attempt so to say.
Anyway, thanks for your comments.
Those oddball quirks pop up now and then. I have one now with sign in to the forum where my characters do not register as I type in my user name and password. So far nobody else seems to have that problem, and I cannot find a way to stop it from occuring on my end. Like your problem, it is annoying, but not insurmountable.
Regards, JLG
 
Upvote 0

Forum statistics

Threads
1,213,531
Messages
6,114,167
Members
448,554
Latest member
Gleisner2

We've detected that you are using an adblocker.

We have a great community of people providing Excel help here, but the hosting costs are enormous. You can help keep this site running by allowing ads on MrExcel.com.
Allow Ads at MrExcel

Which adblocker are you using?

Disable AdBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Pause on this site" option.
Go back

Disable AdBlock Plus

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock Plus

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the toggle to disable it for "mrexcel.com".
Go back

Disable uBlock Origin

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock Origin

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back

Disable uBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back
Back
Top