Update references in other worksheets while deleting blank columns and rows in a worksheet

When you delete blank columns and rows in a worksheet, its references in other worksheets become invalid. If you want to avoid this behavior and have those references to the current worksheet in other worksheets also updated, please use the DeleteOptions.UpdateReference property and set it to true.

Update references in other worksheets while deleting blank columns and rows in a worksheet

Please see the following sample code and its console output. The cell E3 in the second worksheet has a formula =Sheet1!C3 which refers to cell C3 in the first worksheet. If you set DeleteOptions.UpdateReference property to true, this formula will be updated and become =Sheet1!A1 after deleting blank columns and rows in the first worksheet. However, if you set the property to false, the formula in cell E3 of the second worksheet will remain =Sheet1!C3 and become invalid.

Programming Sample

Console Output

This is the console output of the above sample code when DeleteOptions.UpdateReference property has been set to true.

 Cell E3 before deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Cell Formula: =Sheet1!C1

Cell Value: 4


Cell E3 after deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Cell Formula: =Sheet1!A1

Cell Value: 4

This is the console output of the above sample code when DeleteOptions.UpdateReference property has been set to false. As you can see, the formula in cell E3 of the second worksheet is not updated and its cell value is now 0 instead of 4, which is invalid.

 Cell E3 before deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Cell Formula: =Sheet1!C1

Cell Value: 4


Cell E3 after deleting blank columns and rows in Sheet1.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Cell Formula: =Sheet1!C1

Cell Value: 0