[mso] Re: excel question

Actually, I'm not sure which version of Excel you are using, but in Excel
2003, if I type a 6 in a cell and drag it with the fill handle, I get 6's
all the way down the column.  However, if I type a 6 in row 1 and a 7 in row
2 and highlight BOTH of them and drag THAT with the fill handle, I'll get 8,
9, 10, etc. (unless you have it set up as a Custom List ... Then just typing
one will work.)  I thought this worked the same way in previous versions,
but I can't remember for sure....but I thought you always had to type two
values and highlight them both for Excel to see a pattern for the fill.
But, my memory is el-stinko, so it's possible this came in a later version.

It's my opinion that people who are good typists prefer keyboard shortcuts,
cuz they don't have to take their hands off the "anchor keys"....however, in
my case, I'm pretty good at typing the regular characters, but when it comes
to keys like Ctrl, and the Function keys, I always have to look at the
keyboard anyway, so I prefer the mouse.


Linda F. Johnson
Linda's Computer Stop
Author, MOS: Excel 2003 Study Guide, published by John Wiley and Sons
http://personal-computer-tutor.com

-----Original Message-----
From: mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mso-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Beth Lee
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 7:58 AM
To: mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [mso] Re: excel question

Actually, I just now realized that there is a substantive difference
between Ctrl+D and the handle -- but only in the case of values, not
formulas.

If I want to place the number 6 in a stack of 10 cells, I can put the
number in the top cell, click and drag down to the bottom cell, and press
Ctrl+D. All the cells will have the same number in them. (Good for marking
the month cleared in my checking spreadsheet, for instance.) But if
instead I grab the handle and drag it down those 9 remaining cells, I'll
get a series 6,7,8,etc.

For formulas, though, Ctrl+D and handle-dragging produce identical
results: the formula is copied but the references are adjusted each row.

I'm always surprised at how divided people are philosophically on the
mouse/keyboard. I think it's partially an abstract vs. concrete issue. To
use one of those SAT analogies we love to hate: The mouse is to the
Etch-a-Sketch as the keyboard is to the typewriter. We move the mouse
around on a mousepad which bears a virtual relationship to the cursor
moving on the screen. But with the keyboard, when we want an A, we look at
the keyboard and hit the discrete button marked A. Hmm, that analogy may
be about as good as most SAT analogies.

Regards,

Beth Lee


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