Excel, weird inversion of text

Tom_Murphy0612 

It's certainly unusual for Excel to display all text in cells backwards and upside down. While such an occurrence might seem perplexing, there are a few potential explanations and solutions you can explore:

1. Text Encoding Issue:

The most likely cause is an encoding issue between the software used to create the file and the version of Excel you're using. Different software programs can use different ways to encode text, and inconsistencies can lead to garbled characters or display issues.

Here's what you can do:

• Try opening the file with a different text editor: Open the file with a simple text editor like Notepad or TextEdit. If the text appears correctly there, it confirms an encoding issue within Excel.
• Use the "Open and Repair" option: In Excel, go to File > Open. Click the arrow next to "Open" and select "Open and Repair". Choose the option "Recover Data" and see if it recovers the text correctly.
• Change the file encoding: In Excel, go to Data > Text to Columns. In Step 1, choose "Delimited" and click "Next". In Step 2, under "Original data type", choose the encoding that might match the source software (e.g., "Unicode (UTF-8)" or "Western (Windows-1252)"). Click "Next" and "Finish" to see if it resolves the issue.

2. Corrupted File:

In rare cases, the downloaded file might be corrupted, leading to display problems.

Here's what you can do:

• Request a fresh copy: Ask your colleague to resend the file or provide a different version to see if the issue persists.
• Try file recovery software: If the file is crucial, consider using file recovery software to attempt recovering a non-corrupted version.

3. Graphics Card Issue:

While less likely, display issues on your computer's graphics card could potentially cause text to appear inverted.

Here's what you can do:

• Update graphics drivers: Check for and install any available updates for your graphics card drivers.
• Restart your computer: A simple restart can sometimes resolve temporary glitches that might be affecting the display.

Additional Tips:

• If none of these solutions work, consider contacting your colleague for further assistance. They might have insights into the software used to create the file or specific instructions for handling it correctly.
• It's always a good practice to back up your files before attempting any recovery or repair procedures.