Excel 2013 not highlighting formula range

[thisisrahul]

I have recently moved to Excel 2013. Apart from its Slow response, I am facing one more issue while writing any range formula.
When I am referring to a range with in the sheet it highlights the range but when I am referring to other workbook, it doesn't highlight anything. Only way to find out which range is in focus is by looking in Formula bar.

Is there some setting to enable it.

 

[thisisrahul]

I am surprised, there is no assistance so far on this. Suggest me is my question is not clear to the forum.

 

[Alex Blakenburg]

To my knowledge it has never highlighted the cells in another workbook.
If you need it to do so you can:-

• In the formula - highlight the full reference to the other workbook and
  • Press F5 (goto) and hit enter (the highlighting of the full reference puts it in the goto box
  • Copy the highlighted reference and paste it into the address bar in the top left corner and hit enter
• Turn on Formula > Trace Precedents.
  Double click on the arrow to the external reference > in the goto box select the reference in the list

To get back to the formula press F5 and hit enter

 

[thisisrahul]

@ Alex - the same is working at my friend's pc. He is also using the same Excel version 2013.
The issue is - if I put "=" and try to refer any cell/range from another worksheet, it is not getting highlighted.

 

[Alex Blakenburg]

I think I know what you mean now.
When I type "=" and then point to another workbook and select 1 or more cells the selection is highlighted by what seems to be commonly referred to as "marching ants".
I think you are saying you don't get that.

Can I just clarify, when you type = and select in the same workbook, you said it highlights but does it both highlight and give you the "marching ants" ?
Also if you Ctrl+C in a cell do you get the "marching ants" on the cell / selection being copied ?

One of the suggestions was to update your display driver but I imaginee if you get the marching ants under the other scenarios that it can't be that.

Another suggestion was to go into windows settings > accessibility and toggle Annimation effects off & on.

Another suggestion was to turn off all Add-Ins and see if that fixes it.

 

[RoryA]

It could also be that the workbooks are in different instances of Excel if the range is not added to your formula when you select it.

 

[Alex Blakenburg]

It could also be that the workbooks are in different instances of Excel if the range is not added to your formula when you select it.

I tried that but then you don't see the selected cell in the formula bar either.

Only way to find out which range is in focus is by looking in Formula bar.

 

[thisisrahul]

I think I know what you mean now.
When I type "=" and then point to another workbook and select 1 or more cells the selection is highlighted by what seems to be commonly referred to as "marching ants".
I think you are saying you don't get that.

Can I just clarify, when you type = and select in the same workbook, you said it highlights but does it both highlight and give you the "marching ants" ?
Also if you Ctrl+C in a cell do you get the "marching ants" on the cell / selection being copied ?

One of the suggestions was to update your display driver but I imaginee if you get the marching ants under the other scenarios that it can't be that.

Another suggestion was to go into windows settings > accessibility and toggle Annimation effects off & on.

Another suggestion was to turn off all Add-Ins and see if that fixes it.

no, I am not getting any "marching ants" either on "Ctrl+C" or when I select cell in the same sheet. I have tried that "Disable Hardware graphics acceleration" but no luck.

 

[Alex Blakenburg]

Do you want to try the other options, to see if one of those changes helps.

• update your display driver
• go into windows settings > accessibility and toggle Annimation effects off & on.
• to turn off all Add-Ins

 

[thisisrahul]

Do you want to try the other options, to see if one of those changes helps.

• update your display driver
• go into windows settings > accessibility and toggle Annimation effects off & on.
• to turn off all Add-Ins

I tried first two options but still facing the same issue. To my surprise, when the number of excel are low, its working fine but when I increase the number of workbook to 5-7 it started creating the issue.