Alt Tab not Working in Excel

[gartonc]

Hey, hopefully someone can give me a hand here. Alt+Tab just stopped
working to switch between sheets in excel. I DO have
Tools>>Options>>View>>Windows in Taskbar checked. I do see multiple
sheets in the windows taskbar so this isn't the problem. Additionally,
I'm aware of Ctrl+Tab and Ctrl+F6 (and their reverse "shift"
capabilities). I really need to be able to have the little window pop
up (with Alt+Tab) to be able to select the correct file without going
through them all like you have to with Ctrl+Tab.

Additionally, switching between other windows works fine, and if I
start from another window (such as firefox) I can switch INTO any of
the open excel files I wish. Once Excel is open, I can switch out of
excel to any other open window using alt tab. When I try to switch
from an excel file to another, the file's taskbar entry flickers like
it's trying to get there, but immediately goes back to the currently
open file.

Any Ideas? Thanks in advance. I'm running Win XP SP2 on a Dell
Inspiron with Excel 2002.

Thanks in Advance
Chris

 

[Guest]

This is NOT a solution to your problem, just a workaround until you find a
solution:

Bring down Window from the Menu bar and select the desired workbook from
there. You can either use the mouse or ALT-w

 

[Jim Rech]

Nice 'bug report'. You covered all the questions we'd otherwise have to
ask. Alt-tab 'should' work of course. Works here, also of course. If you
haven't rebooted I'd try that. No idea what's wrong otherwise.

 

[gartonc]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond. I'm still struggling
with this issue, additionally, I've discovered that CTRL+SHIFT+UP (or
other directional) ARROW key has stopped working to select cells.
These are major problems for me and any ideas at all are greatly
appreciated. I've definitely tried restarting and such. I hate to go
to the trouble of re-installing MS Office if I can help it.

Many thanks,
Chris

 

[gartonc]

Actually, CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT/RIGHT ARROW works to select cells going
horizontally, only UP and DOWN arrows don't work. This is so confusing
and frustrating !!! Does anyone think it could be a virus or something
outside Excel? Everything else on my computer seems to work fine and
I've run a scan. ARG!

 

[Guest]

I'm having this same problem. I'm currently running Excel 2003 (Office SP3)

 

[Jim Rech]

Sorry, Chris, don't do anything desperate, ok?<g> Have you tried starting
Excel in safe mode (Start->Run "Excel.exe /s" [no quotes, there is a space
before the slash]) just to see if it's anything you're loading? Not likely
of course, especially the Alt-Tab problem since that's at the system level.


--
Jim
| Actually, CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT/RIGHT ARROW works to select cells going
| horizontally, only UP and DOWN arrows don't work. This is so confusing
| and frustrating !!! Does anyone think it could be a virus or something
| outside Excel? Everything else on my computer seems to work fine and
| I've run a scan. ARG!
|
| On Oct 1, 11:17 am, (e-mail address removed) wrote:
| > Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond. I'm still struggling
| > with this issue, additionally, I've discovered that CTRL+SHIFT+UP (or
| > other directional) ARROW key has stopped working to select cells.
| > These are major problems for me and any ideas at all are greatly
| > appreciated. I've definitely tried restarting and such. I hate to go
| > to the trouble of re-installing MS Office if I can help it.
| >
| > Many thanks,
| > Chris
|
|

 

[Jim Rech]

Sorry, Kristi. Odd both you and Chris are using Dell laptops...

--
Jim
| I'm having this same problem. I'm currently running Excel 2003 (Office
SP3)
| on windows xp sp2 on a Dell Latitude D820.
|
| "Jim Rech" wrote:
|
| > Nice 'bug report'. You covered all the questions we'd otherwise have to
| > ask. Alt-tab 'should' work of course. Works here, also of course. If
you
| > haven't rebooted I'd try that. No idea what's wrong otherwise.
| >
| > --
| > Jim
| > | > > Hey, hopefully someone can give me a hand here. Alt+Tab just stopped
| > > working to switch between sheets in excel. I DO have
| > > Tools>>Options>>View>>Windows in Taskbar checked. I do see multiple
| > > sheets in the windows taskbar so this isn't the problem. Additionally,
| > > I'm aware of Ctrl+Tab and Ctrl+F6 (and their reverse "shift"
| > > capabilities). I really need to be able to have the little window pop
| > > up (with Alt+Tab) to be able to select the correct file without going
| > > through them all like you have to with Ctrl+Tab.
| > >
| > > Additionally, switching between other windows works fine, and if I
| > > start from another window (such as firefox) I can switch INTO any of
| > > the open excel files I wish. Once Excel is open, I can switch out of
| > > excel to any other open window using alt tab. When I try to switch
| > > from an excel file to another, the file's taskbar entry flickers like
| > > it's trying to get there, but immediately goes back to the currently
| > > open file.
| > >
| > > Any Ideas? Thanks in advance. I'm running Win XP SP2 on a Dell
| > > Inspiron with Excel 2002.
| > >
| > > Thanks in Advance
| > > Chris
| > >
| >
| >
| >

 

[gartonc]

Well, thanks guys for your help. I'm noticing new problems now as
well. I have to hit ALT twice to access the dropdown menus, CTRL
+Directional Keys have started taking me to random places in the
sheet. It looks like something bigger is going on here. I'm going to
try re-installing Office. Anyway, thanks again.

-Chris

 

[Dave Peterson]

Have you checked to see if your keyboard is programmable?

 

[Guest]

I am getting this too! The symptoms are exactly what I am experiencing...
alt-tab seems to stop working for Excel (with multiple worksheets), but works
fine for anything else currently running. I have a IBM ThinkPad T43 laptop
running XP SP2 and Office 2007. On a second (alternate) hard drive I have
Vista and Office 2007 and am getting the same problem there. On a third
(alternate) hard drive I have XP SP2 and Office 2003. This is only happening
when I am using Office (Excel 2007).

This is really causing some problems.

The suggestion in this thread to use the "Switch Windows" functionality
works, but is sooo kludgy I cannot consider it a valid workaround.

Thanks!

Kurt
(e-mail address removed)

 

[JP]

Hello,

Check to make sure SCROLL LOCK isn't on.

Also, CTRL-TAB can be used to switch between open workbooks.


Hope this helps,
JP

 

[sybmathics]

have you unchecked all options on sheet transition (tools --> options)

hth

sybolt

 

[Pete_UK]

Which "same issue" are you talking about?

Pete