How to disable Excel's automatic cell reference change after copy/paste?

Question

I\'ve got a massive Excel 2003 spreadsheet I\'m working on. There are a lot of very large formulas with a lot of cell references. Here\'s a simple example.

=         


        

Answer 1

This macro does the whole job.

Sub Absolute_Reference_Copy_Paste()
'By changing "=" in formulas to "#" the content is no longer seen as a formula.
' C+S+e (my keyboard shortcut)

Dim Dummy As Range
Dim FirstSelection As Range
Dim SecondSelection As Range
Dim SheetFirst As Worksheet
Dim SheetSecond As Worksheet

On Error GoTo Whoa

Application.EnableEvents = False

' Set starting selection variable.
Set FirstSelection = Selection
Set SheetFirst = FirstSelection.Worksheet

' Reset the Find function so the scope of the search area is the current worksheet.
Set Dummy = Worksheets(1).Range("A1:A1").Find("Dummy", LookIn:=xlValues)

' Change "=" to "#" in selection.
Selection.Replace What:="=", Replacement:="#", LookAt:=xlPart, _
    SearchOrder:=xlByRows, MatchCase:=False, SearchFormat:=False, ReplaceFormat:=False

' Select the area you want to paste the formulas; must be same size as original
  selection and outside of the original selection.
Set SecondSelection = Application.InputBox("Select a range", "Obtain Range Object", Type:=8)
Set SheetSecond = SecondSelection.Worksheet

' Copy the original selection and paste it into the newly selected area. The active
  selection remains FirstSelection.
FirstSelection.Copy SecondSelection

' Restore "=" in FirstSelection.
Selection.Replace What:="#", Replacement:="=", LookAt:=xlPart, _
SearchOrder:=xlByRows, MatchCase:=False, SearchFormat:=False, ReplaceFormat:=False

' Select SecondSelection.
SheetSecond.Activate
SecondSelection.Select

' Restore "=" in SecondSelection.
Selection.Replace What:="#", Replacement:="=", LookAt:=xlPart, _
SearchOrder:=xlByRows, MatchCase:=False, SearchFormat:=False, ReplaceFormat:=False

' Return active selection to the original area: FirstSelection.
SheetFirst.Activate
FirstSelection.Select

Application.EnableEvents = True

Exit Sub

Whoa:
' If something goes wrong after "=" has been changed in FirstSelection, restore "=".
FirstSelection.Select
Selection.Replace What:="#", Replacement:="=", LookAt:=xlPart, _
    SearchOrder:=xlByRows, MatchCase:=False, SearchFormat:=False, ReplaceFormat:=False

End Sub

Note that you must match the size and shape of the original selection when you make your new selection.