General Consultant Discussion

Excel Question from a client - How handy are you with Excel? I have a Profit Sharing file that has thousands of little text boxes. They don't bother me but the slow things up because they are taking up memory or space. Is there any way to delete them all? I can bring them up one at a time and cut or delete but one for the said text box 242530. If I have over 200,000 text boxes it will take me a year to delete them all one at a time. Thought you may have a suggestion. Thanks Client has Excel 2003 with the text boxes all over. My initial thought was to save as a CSV, then reopen back into xls format. Unfortunately, he has formulae. Does anyone know if there is a global delete text boxes functionality in Excel 2003?

Text boxes or check boxes?

Let me check my macro expert....

I'm thinking a macro...

I just had a brain spasm. Since all the text boxes (not check) were in one column (text), I had the client save the spreadsheet as a CSV. Then reopen, delete all the columns that were formula then copy the formulae from the original spreadsheet. That seemed to work. Client also forwarded a link that had a macro with potential. http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=320209 Thanks for the prompt replies.

Make a copy of the file first Then click on a text box (or check box), if you are able to select it press CTRL + A, then all text boxes will be selected press DEL if you are not able to select a text box go to DEVELOPER tab in Ribbon, click on DESIGN mode then click on a text box, press CTRL + A, then all text boxes will be selected press DEL

Robert, do you think this might work in 2003? Yes, it is ancient......

I don't think it will. The Mr. Excel macro would be the best alternative (after your own ingenious solution).

I think it works because of changes in the way the Alt+A works starting with 2007.