# Excel2000 question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658 "2002-05-24T14:25:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658/1 "2002-05-24T14:25:44Z")
I have Excel2000 on my machine. I have a spread sheet that I need to print WITH gridlines. I go to “Page SetUp,” click on the “Sheet” tab and then, under “Print,” I select “Gridlines.” After that, I save the spreadsheet and then print it. No gridlines. I have tried printing from the “Print” menu as well as from the printer icon. Something somewhere is deciding “We don’t need no stinking gridlines” but I don’t know what. I NEED those gridlines and would greatly appreciate any help in getting them. Thank you. P.S. Please don’t tell me to get a different OS or a different spread sheet program because I ain’t gonna do either one. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Qeue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/b5ac83/32.png) [@Qeue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qeue)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658/2 "2002-05-24T14:45:17Z")
Gridlines are not printable. You need to go to “Borders” and create borders where your gridlines are currently displayed. It is the border icon called “All Borders” and looks like four small boxes within a box. Select the area of your spreadsheet and then click that border icon. ---
**Author:** ![Qeue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/b5ac83/32.png) [@Qeue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qeue)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658/3 "2002-05-24T14:50:55Z")
Gridlines are not printable. You need to go to “Borders” and create borders where your gridlines are currently displayed. It is the border icon called “All Borders” and looks like four small boxes within a box. Select the area of your spreadsheet and then click that border icon. ---
**Author:** ![dreamlab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8dc957/32.png) [@dreamlab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamlab)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658/4 "2002-05-24T15:43:44Z")
Well I tried it on page setup for my Excel 2000 and the gridlines print, except where I have patterns formatted in particular cells. I removed those pattern formats and the gridlines are plain as day. Check to see if your sheet has any patterns formatted, or just highlight the whole sheet, click format/cells and click on the patterns tab and choose “No Color.” Hope it helps. ---
**Author:** ![Tattva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@Tattva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tattva)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658/5 "2002-05-24T16:25:43Z")
Gridlines are printable, **Qeue**. But your solution is an easy way to get them to print for the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Qeue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/b5ac83/32.png) [@Qeue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qeue)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658/6 "2002-05-24T16:41:07Z")
Tattva Hmmm. You’re right, gridlines _are_ supposed to print. Yet, mine do not as well. It only seems to print using borders. Perhaps it’s a printer related problem ?? ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658/7 "2002-05-24T16:48:25Z")
**LouisB** , do those gridlines appear in Print Preview mode. If they do, and they still don’t print, then there’s something wrong with your printer driver or hardware. ---
**Author:** ![Victor\_1100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b3f665/32.png) [@Victor\_1100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victor_1100)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658/8 "2002-05-24T20:46:17Z")
Is the “Draft Quality” checkbox selected on the “Sheet” tab in the “Page Setup” dialog box? Printing in “Draft Quality” turns off formatting (including gridlines). If the “Draft Quality” is not selected then I would vote for a printer driver problem. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel2000-question/110658/9 "2002-05-24T23:05:57Z")
**dreamland** hit the nail on the head. I highlighted the entire sheet, selected “No Borders” and “No colors.” Sure enough, the gridlines printed. **Victor 1100,** thanks for the tip. I didn’t know that. Thanks to all for the input. This is the third time I have attempted to make this response, by the way. I haven’t been ignoring those who responded.