Columns moving around

Question

Level 1

11 points

Columns moving around

For the past few months when I move the mouse over the spreadsheet, columns (with figures) move around, often out of sight, especially off to the left of the sheet. This means that if I want to change a number in a particular cell, I often have to chase it around the screen! 😟

I have Numbers '09, version 2.3 (554) and OSX 10.8.5. I am not sure of the timings but I wonder if this started when I upgraded the operating system to 10.8.5. All I know is that it used to behave well - I haven't always had this problem.

It is probably something simple that I have not done, but I cannot find anything that matches what is happening here. As you will realise, I use the program in a very basic way, just for home use.

I would be very grateful if someone could please tell me how to stop the spreadsheet moving around!

Anne Mowlam

iMac (21.5-inch Late 2009), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Dec 1, 2013 5:53 PM

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Answer 1

Anne_in_Fife Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 14, 2017 1:03 PM in response to GueguenC

Hello,

No, I tried all suggestions but was unable to resolve the problem. I gave up in the end. I hardly use Numbers now although I use Pages all the time.

Sorry I do not have the magic answer for you.

Regards,

Anne

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Answer 2

SGIII

Level 8

35,330 points

Dec 1, 2013 6:18 PM in response to Anne_in_Fife

Hi Anne,

Does this also happen in other applications? It might be related to your settings in System Preferences > Mouse.

SG

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Answer 3

Badunit

Level 7

26,044 points

Dec 2, 2013 5:19 AM in response to Anne_in_Fife

That is extremely odd. Are you saying a single column or group of columns in a table will jump out of the table and move around independently from the rest of the table? Or are you saying the entire table moves around? Either way is weird.

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Answer 4

Anne_in_Fife Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 2, 2013 5:25 PM in response to SGIII

I checked the Mouse in System Preferences. None of the boxes were checked so I must have accepted the default when I got the system. I use various accounts programs without any problems. I also use both Word for Mac and Pages and they behave just as I would expect.

Anne

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Answer 5

Anne_in_Fife Author

Level 1

11 points

Dec 2, 2013 5:58 PM in response to Badunit

Badunit - I am sorry I did not explain very well.

All the columns move together, so I lose sight of one or several columns off to the side of the screen (or page). I have spent a lot of time on this spreadsheet over the past few months and I realised today that I have had the problem for around the same time. So I checked another sheet that was fairly similar and it seems that the problem is linked to the spreadsheet I am using a lot. I matched the settings of the two but other than having a different font, they looked the same. Nothing fancy is set up in either of them.

The problem one seems to be extremely sensitive to any movement of the mouse. A slight movement of the mouse can send it off 2 inches to the side. There is no problem vertically.

I know it does not solve the problem but I am now wondering if I should create a new spreadsheet and manually enter the figures in again. Start with a clean slate.

One last thought - I have the Apple wireless mouse but it is about 4 years old now, and used a lot. Could it perhaps be wearing out and causing a problem with the task I am using it for most right now?

Anne

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Answer 6

Badunit

Level 7

26,044 points

Dec 2, 2013 7:00 PM in response to Anne_in_Fife

I've never seen a document get jumpy like that. If it is just that one document, I'd guess something is off with it. My first guess would be an object in the document is not where it is supposed to be. I have seen tables mysteriously move slightly outside the margins, an impossible place to put a table. If you can click on each object and move them one by one away from the edges a little bit, maybe that will fix it. Then you can put them all back where they belong.

Just a guess, though.

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Answer 7

ralucyk

Level 1

5 points

Feb 7, 2016 2:01 PM in response to Anne_in_Fife

I know I'm late to the game on this, but I had the same problem and it was maddening.

It took a bit, but I found that I had to "unfreeze" columns & rows.

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Answer 8

LeonD

Level 1

15 points

Mar 21, 2016 6:42 AM in response to ralucyk

I'm having the same problem as the original poster. Unfreezing the rows/columns didn't help.

It's like the spreadsheet is a table on a white background. I can move the table/white background combination around so that gray shows around it. I'd like to be able to "freeze" the table/white background combination.

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Answer 9

Yellowbox

Level 7

20,383 points

Mar 21, 2016 7:58 AM in response to LeonD

Hi Leon,

Numbers 3.6.1

Perhaps the answer is that you accidentally moved the table into the left (or top) margin of the document.

Use these settings in Numbers > Menu > Preferences > Rulers:

Very useful for arranging objects on a page!

Then Numbers > Menu > View > Show Rulers.

From the left ruler, drag an Alignment Guide to the right to align with zero on the top ruler. You will see a black "lozenge" appear with white text showing the "x" position of the Alignment Guide. A bit fiddly, but release the mouse or trackpad when it shows x: 0 cm (or inches).

From the top ruler, drag an Alignment Guide to align with zero on the left ruler. Just as fiddly!

I dragged the table (by the "bullseye" top left) into the margins on purpose, just to illustrate.

The orange lines are the Alignment Guides. They do not print.

Now drag the table by the "bullseye" into the body of the document (inside the Alignment Guides):

Happy Numbering!

Regards,

Ian.

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Answer 10

GueguenC

Level 1

4 points

Nov 14, 2017 11:10 AM in response to Anne_in_Fife

have you ever had a satisfying response to your issue,..many years later Im experiencing the same thing, and none of the answers you received helped me?

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