Old Filter in Numbers impossible to clear in the normal way (clicking the trash sign). Referring column does not exist anymore, but when I add a new column with the same name it does not help. Any suggestions how I could clear this persisting filter in a Numbers table?
MacBook Pro (2017 – 2020)
Sounds like something went wrong. Filters are supposed to delete themselves when the column is deleted. With no way to create the problem here, all I have are suggestions on things to try.
First thing I'd do is make a backup in case something causes a crash or corruption of your document. Here are a few separate ideas to try out:
You referred to the column by "name", not letter. Do you recall what column letter the filter was on? Does that column letter exist in your table? If not, what happens if you add columns so it exists again?
What happens if you try to modify the filter on the non-existent column? Does it let you modify it or does it revert right back or does it go away or does the app crash?
Can you create a new table from your existing table then delete the original? Duplicate it or create a new table and copy/paste to it or select all the columns (you'll have to leave one behind, maybe an extra one you add just for this purpose) and lift them out of the table and drop them onto the sheet to make a new table from them or some other method that works for you to recreate the table. The method you use depends somewhat on whether charts and/or formulas in other tables refer to cells in the table. Personally I think I'd try the lift and move method. Click on the leftmost column letter you want to move, shift click on the rightmost one you want to move to select all columns between, click and hold on any of the selected column letters, the columns will lift from the table and you can drop them somewhere else on the sheet. You have to leave at least one data column behind; you can add a new blank column just for this purpose. If the filter moves with the columns, you can try doing a few columns at a time. You can assemble them into one table. I can provide more info if you haven't done this before.
Sounds like something went wrong. Filters are supposed to delete themselves when the column is deleted. With no way to create the problem here, all I have are suggestions on things to try.
First thing I'd do is make a backup in case something causes a crash or corruption of your document. Here are a few separate ideas to try out:
You referred to the column by "name", not letter. Do you recall what column letter the filter was on? Does that column letter exist in your table? If not, what happens if you add columns so it exists again?
What happens if you try to modify the filter on the non-existent column? Does it let you modify it or does it revert right back or does it go away or does the app crash?
Can you create a new table from your existing table then delete the original? Duplicate it or create a new table and copy/paste to it or select all the columns (you'll have to leave one behind, maybe an extra one you add just for this purpose) and lift them out of the table and drop them onto the sheet to make a new table from them or some other method that works for you to recreate the table. The method you use depends somewhat on whether charts and/or formulas in other tables refer to cells in the table. Personally I think I'd try the lift and move method. Click on the leftmost column letter you want to move, shift click on the rightmost one you want to move to select all columns between, click and hold on any of the selected column letters, the columns will lift from the table and you can drop them somewhere else on the sheet. You have to leave at least one data column behind; you can add a new blank column just for this purpose. If the filter moves with the columns, you can try doing a few columns at a time. You can assemble them into one table. I can provide more info if you haven't done this before.
Clearing old filter in Numbers table
