In Excel 2002 or 2003 (and maybe other versions as well), if you enter a number in a cell and hold down the Ctrl key while you drag the fill handle, each succeeding cell will have a value +1 higher than the preceding cell. Dragging the fill handle without the Ctrl key just replicates the original number, as you said, Linda. Regards, Hutch "Linda F. Johnson" <linda@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 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 ************************************************************* You are receiving this mail because you subscribed to mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or MicrosoftOffice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To send mail to the group, simply address it to mso@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To Unsubscribe from this group, visit the group's homepage and use the dropdown menu at the top. This will allow you to unsubscribe your email address or change your email settings to digest or vacation (no mail). //www.freelists.org/webpage/mso To be able to use the files section for sharing files with the group, send a request to mso-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and you will be sent an invitation with instructions. 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