Hiding Graphics

If you are preparing worksheets that contain graphics, you may want to print the graphics on one version of the worksheet, but not print them on another. For example, you might be preparing a test for students, and the test requires them to draw a graph. You would want the printout of the student version of the test to leave space for drawing a graph, but the printout of the answer sheet should include the graphic showing how the students should answer.

The easiest way to handle this in Excel is to just turn off display of the graphics when you need to print the student test. In order to do this, create a single file that contains the questions and the answers. Assuming the answers are graphic files, follow these steps if you are using Excel 97 through Excel 2003:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Excel displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the View tab is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Make sure the Hide All radio button is selected.
4. Click on OK. The graphics disappear from the screen. (They are still there; they are simply invisible.)

If you are using Excel 2007, the steps are slightly different:

1. Click on the Office button, then choose Excel Options. Excel displays the Excel Options dialog box.
2. Click the Advanced option at the left of the dialog box.
3. Scroll through the options available, until you see the Display Options for this Workbook area. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. If necessary, use the drop-down list to specify which workbook for which you want to change options.
5. Select the Nothing (Hide Objects) radio button.
6. Click on OK. The graphics disappear from the screen. (They are still there; they are simply invisible.)

You can now print your document, as normal. (Excel prints it very quickly since it doesn't need to send the graphics to the printer.) When you later want to see the graphics, repeat the steps, but make sure the Show All radio button is selected in step 3.