Copy/Cut -> Paste special... turns into something unfamiliar... with Source as starting option!?

[Nino0415]

Following Dialog Box appears when Paste Special... Source: Paste As: Unicode Text or Text

The appearance of Paste special... not only in Excel but also in other Office applications which occurred at once

... usually the GUI was as depicted below with many different options:

Paste Special... as it used to appear......

The error appears in either Excel or Word, maybe other MS Office applications (not checked) too.

On Office 2016 or Office 365 as well...

What might be the cause of the changed interface?

Of course Office is activated and licensed:

Product Information

[#2]

Are you copying from a excel sheet that was generated by Sage?

[#3]

No. This is the general problem which occurs on several PCs and on any/own excel workbooks/sheets.

[#4]

Hi

I receive it when I copy data from a Sage generated sheet sometimes. WHat happens if you just paste, do you then get the chance to use import wizard ? I'd test it, but I'm just not sitting at the right place today

[#5]

When Cut or Copy then it's visible that the Clipboard is filled in. But, when try to Paste with Paste Special... options the first Screenshot appears. Ordinary Copy/Paste from keyboard Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V works, but the same interestingly happens with Ctrl-X/Ctrl-V. Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V and Enter in another cell does not work since the dashed moving border does not persist around copied/cut cell.
Mouse right click actions are not persistent too... Sometimes have been performed, sometimes focus just jumps to another empty cell. All the time Clipboard is regularly filled-in.

[#6]

Hi

You have probably checked this, but what is the original source data type? Do you think that might be the root cause?

[#7]

Hi Nino

So I found the following link https://groups.google.com/g/microsoft.public.excel.misc/c/uHgHk0Q6f74

Here they describe the same problem and have identified the Skype to Call function, and goes on to say that it is the auto calling function not the whole of Skype.

Have a look ....

[#8]

Skype was completely removed from the PC... There isn't any trace of it...
That was the first "cure" we've undertaken, but without positive outcome! 😞

[#9]

And there is nothing strange in the data being copied e.g. odd characters, perhaps hyperlinks etc?

[#10]

@Nino0415 

This is a clipboard problem. Typically, you'll see the paste as unicode when the clipboard is not gathering the selection properly.

I'd start by opening the clipboard and click copy.  If the clipboard gathers it with the green Excel icon, the paste special will work as intended.  If the icon on the clipboard is a generic white sheet of paper, the clipboard has not gathered it properly.  Clear the clipboard and click Copy until the clipboard gathers the selection properly.  Restart computer, if needed.

[#11]

@Paul_Aberdeen 

There isn't any strange character in copied content. There is only a quick/short dashed encirclement of the cell(s) to be copied (it doesn't stay permanently until content is really copied). Content is stored on the clipboard as might be noticed on the attached screenshot. Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V works but irregularly and not as usual. Past Special... starting dialog box stays the same as it was when problem occurred.
There is not improvement after clearing the clipboard and restart of the PC.

[#12]

@Patrick2788

Thanks for suggestion but it doesn't work at all even after clearing the clipboard
and restarting PC... Clipboard is cleared several times but there isn't any change or improvement...

[#13]

It looks like a few of those selections were copied successfully. Where are you copying from?

[#14]

... they are copied from an opened Excel sheet selected cells filled with content formatted as General!
But, fortunately today in the morning I've tried again on the same Excel worksheet and the result was as expected.
What might happen that things went bad/wrong for some time? Despite trying to correct it,
nothing could cure bad behaviour. And then suddenly, everything comes back to normal again!?
There isn't any explanation of the problem except some wizard(wizardry) from the background... 🙂

[#15]

@Nino0415  Did you find a solution please ? I'm having the same solution and I tried nearly every thing still the issue persists.