Is there any way to make cell editing work like it does when you hit F2 by
default?

If you just start typing in a cell and then want to use the standard cursor
controls for text (e.g., Ctrl-arrow keys to move forward or back a word, home
or end to jump to beginning or end of formula or text), Excel instead
intercepts these and moves the selection to another cell, forcibly stopping
you from editing the cell.

On the other hand, if you hit F2 first, everything works as it should. You can
also hit F2 mid-edit to toggle the behavior, but if you can't remember which
mode it's in, you may be toggling back to the cell controls when you hit F2.

I never want it to work as it now defaults. If I want to switch cells, I can
hit tab or enter. I don't want the cursor controls to jump cells while I'm
editing a cell. I couldn't find any settings in the Options pages to control
this. Am I just looking in the wrong place? Please tell me there's a way to
adjust this.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Colin

Colin,

As far as I know, there is no way to do this. You have to hit the
F2 key.

--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com


"Colin Higbie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Is there any way to make cell editing work like it does when
you hit F2 by
> default?
>
> If you just start typing in a cell and then want to use the
standard cursor
> controls for text (e.g., Ctrl-arrow keys to move forward or
back a word, home
> or end to jump to beginning or end of formula or text), Excel
instead
> intercepts these and moves the selection to another cell,
forcibly stopping
> you from editing the cell.
>
> On the other hand, if you hit F2 first, everything works as it
should. You can
> also hit F2 mid-edit to toggle the behavior, but if you can't
remember which
> mode it's in, you may be toggling back to the cell controls
when you hit F2.
>
> I never want it to work as it now defaults. If I want to switch
cells, I can
> hit tab or enter. I don't want the cursor controls to jump
cells while I'm
> editing a cell. I couldn't find any settings in the Options
pages to control
> this. Am I just looking in the wrong place? Please tell me
there's a way to
> adjust this.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
> Colin
>
>

....and if it's any comfort, Colin, note that the Status bar will tell you if
you're in the Edit mode (cursor doesn't jump cells) or the Enter mode
(cursor jumps cells). Pressing F2, of course, toggles between the two.

--
DDM
"DDM's Microsoft Office Tips and Tricks"
Visit us at www.ddmcomputing.com


"Colin Higbie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Is there any way to make cell editing work like it does when you hit F2 by
> default?
>
> If you just start typing in a cell and then want to use the standard
cursor
> controls for text (e.g., Ctrl-arrow keys to move forward or back a word,
home
> or end to jump to beginning or end of formula or text), Excel instead
> intercepts these and moves the selection to another cell, forcibly
stopping
> you from editing the cell.
>
> On the other hand, if you hit F2 first, everything works as it should. You
can
> also hit F2 mid-edit to toggle the behavior, but if you can't remember
which
> mode it's in, you may be toggling back to the cell controls when you hit
F2.
>
> I never want it to work as it now defaults. If I want to switch cells, I
can
> hit tab or enter. I don't want the cursor controls to jump cells while I'm
> editing a cell. I couldn't find any settings in the Options pages to
control
> this. Am I just looking in the wrong place? Please tell me there's a way
to
> adjust this.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
> Colin
>
>

"Colin Higbie" <(E-Mail Removed)> schreef in bericht
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Is there any way to make cell editing work like it does when you hit F2 by
> default?
>
> If you just start typing in a cell and then want to use the standard
cursor
> controls for text (e.g., Ctrl-arrow keys to move forward or back a word,
home
> or end to jump to beginning or end of formula or text), Excel instead
> intercepts these and moves the selection to another cell, forcibly
stopping
> you from editing the cell.
>
> On the other hand, if you hit F2 first, everything works as it should. You
can
> also hit F2 mid-edit to toggle the behavior, but if you can't remember
which
> mode it's in, you may be toggling back to the cell controls when you hit
F2.
>
> I never want it to work as it now defaults. If I want to switch cells, I
can
> hit tab or enter. I don't want the cursor controls to jump cells while I'm
> editing a cell. I couldn't find any settings in the Options pages to
control
> this. Am I just looking in the wrong place? Please tell me there's a way
to
> adjust this.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
> Colin
>
>
>

Maybe you should try, Tools/Options/Edit and remove the check at 'Edit
direct in cell'
this is the only change possible in Excel with regard of editing cells
(afaik)

Thanks, I'd never noticed that! Not quite what I was hoping for, but that's a
lot better than nothing.

Much appreciated,
Colin


"DDM" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> ...and if it's any comfort, Colin, note that the Status bar will tell you if
> you're in the Edit mode (cursor doesn't jump cells) or the Enter mode
> (cursor jumps cells). Pressing F2, of course, toggles between the two.
>
> --
> DDM
> "DDM's Microsoft Office Tips and Tricks"
> Visit us at www.ddmcomputing.com
>
>
> "Colin Higbie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Is there any way to make cell editing work like it does when you hit F2 by
> > default?
> >
> > If you just start typing in a cell and then want to use the standard
> cursor
> > controls for text (e.g., Ctrl-arrow keys to move forward or back a word,
> home
> > or end to jump to beginning or end of formula or text), Excel instead
> > intercepts these and moves the selection to another cell, forcibly
> stopping
> > you from editing the cell.
> >
> > On the other hand, if you hit F2 first, everything works as it should. You
> can
> > also hit F2 mid-edit to toggle the behavior, but if you can't remember
> which
> > mode it's in, you may be toggling back to the cell controls when you hit
> F2.
> >
> > I never want it to work as it now defaults. If I want to switch cells, I
> can
> > hit tab or enter. I don't want the cursor controls to jump cells while I'm
> > editing a cell. I couldn't find any settings in the Options pages to
> control
> > this. Am I just looking in the wrong place? Please tell me there's a way
> to
> > adjust this.
> >
> > Thanks for any suggestions,
> > Colin
> >
> >
>
>

Thanks. That actually doesn't change whether or not the arrow keys move the
cell or the cursor within the cell. By default, unless you press F2, the arrow
keys and other cursor controls (home, end, Ctrl-left, Ctrl-right) change cells
instead of move within the cell. Disabling editing directly in the cell does
not change that behavior.

- Colin


"wie.niet" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:40b0dd16$0$357$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Colin Higbie" <(E-Mail Removed)> schreef in bericht
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Is there any way to make cell editing work like it does when you hit F2 by
> > default?
> >
> > If you just start typing in a cell and then want to use the standard
> cursor
> > controls for text (e.g., Ctrl-arrow keys to move forward or back a word,
> home
> > or end to jump to beginning or end of formula or text), Excel instead
> > intercepts these and moves the selection to another cell, forcibly
> stopping
> > you from editing the cell.
> >
> > On the other hand, if you hit F2 first, everything works as it should. You
> can
> > also hit F2 mid-edit to toggle the behavior, but if you can't remember
> which
> > mode it's in, you may be toggling back to the cell controls when you hit
> F2.
> >
> > I never want it to work as it now defaults. If I want to switch cells, I
> can
> > hit tab or enter. I don't want the cursor controls to jump cells while I'm
> > editing a cell. I couldn't find any settings in the Options pages to
> control
> > this. Am I just looking in the wrong place? Please tell me there's a way
> to
> > adjust this.
> >
> > Thanks for any suggestions,
> > Colin
> >
> >
> >
>
> Maybe you should try, Tools/Options/Edit and remove the check at 'Edit
> direct in cell'
> this is the only change possible in Excel with regard of editing cells
> (afaik)
>
>
>