All Data Validation Message Boxes Appear in Same Location Despite Cell Selected

[emarineli]

Hello:

Here is chronicle of problem. Excel 2007. I have seven cells each with a different data type. For each cell I want to have a message that appears when the cell is selected. Therefore I select the first cell of interest (C1) and select data validation. I fill out only the Message title and the text of the message. I do not restrict the data in any way (i.e. no list box, no data type restriction and no error message). I position the message box close to the Cell C1. Now I go to cell G1 and use the data validation to create a message box for the cell G1 , which has a different title and different text. I positioned the message box close to Cell G1. When I am finished I closed the data validation. Now: Selection of cell C1 gives the appropriate message box for Cell C1 but the message box pops up in the location near cell G1. If I selected Cell G1 the appropriate message box for G1 appears near G1. It appears that Excel 2007 correctly 'remembers' the text assigned for the message box for the particular cell but not the physical location; instead the last physical location where a data validation box was created is the location where all will pop up. Has anyone observed this rather unusual behavior?
Thanks in advance for any insight on this.

[Excel Fox]

Yes. An annoying issue indeed. I'll check if this is the same for subsequent versions of Excel.

Assuming you are looking for a solution to this?

[rollis13]

Yes, it's still the same in Excel 2010.

[emarineli]

Hello Excel Fox:

Thanks for your prompt reply. Yes I am looking for a solution for the problem. I had also thought of using Comments but then one has the red triangle in the upper right hand corner of the cell, which is distracting when there are lots of cells that need messages. It appears that Excel has a bug in re keeping the tether for a Data Validation message box to the particular cell. Waaay back (probably in 2002 or so) I has this problem but in that case the sheet was such that one did not have to mover around to see different sections : In that case I created a 'Message Area' in a specific location in order to direct the users attention any messages that would be associated with a particular cell. In this case I can't do that due to the need for navigation within the sheet (Hmmm, I suppose I could freeze a row or column and use the 'Message area' technique, but really! Best regards.

[emarineli]

Hello Rollis13:

Thanks for you effort demonstrating the persistence of the problem in Excel 2010. I'm going to try to look at Excel 2013 and see if it persists there. Best regards.

[mramazan]

Hello:

I fill out only the Message title and the text of the message. I do not restrict the data in any way (i.e. no list box, no data type restriction and no error message). I position the message box close to the Cell C1. Now I go to cell G1 and use the data validation to create a message box for the cell G1 , which has a different title and different text. I positioned the message box close to Cell G1.

Hi emarineli,

Have you tried the default behaviour i.e. without manually changing the position of message ?. I have tried it in Excel 2013 using default way i.e. let it display near selected cell and it shows appropriately as per cell selection. Seems no problem.

However, if I manually change message display position by dragging, it changes the position for both cells. :)