Cut/Copy/Paste Behavior - Any option to change?

[Colin Higbie]

In Excel 2002 (SP3), unlike all other Windows programs, if I cut or copy
information, it doesn't stay on the clipboard. It is only available for
pasting until I do something else in Excel (any action that deselects that
moving dotted line that appears when copying also removes it from the
clipboard). I am constantly losing the data and having to go back to the sheet
where I copied the data, copy it again, then go back to where I want to paste.

I assume there is some setting in the Options or someplace to change this
default behavior so it works like older versions of Excel and all other
Windows programs. Is this true? How can I change this?

Thanks,
Colin

 

[Bernie Deitrick]

Colin,

You can't change it - that's just the way Excel works. Microsoft is
constantly being asked to change this behavior, and may change it in future
versions, but that is a long way off.

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP

 

[Frank Kabel]

Hi Colin
this is the way Excel has always worked
It's a 'little' bit annoying but there's no option to change this
behaviour

 

[Colin Higbie]

A "little" annoying? I guess it's a matter of personal preference, but when
you get used to the way the rest of WINDOWS and even MS Office works (also
Microsoft products last time I checked), how does anybody tolerate this?

Just today, I copied a part number and price from my list of parts and prices
(an Excel Workbook). I went to the other workbook where I was preparing a
quote for a client. I typed the Quantity, then tried to paste the data I'd
copied. No luck. When I typed the quantity, it deselected the original data
I'd copied and lost my data from the clipboard. The only way to do it is to
paste before typing anything. I suppose this means that it doesn't really put
the data on the clipboard. Is it really supposed to behave this way?

I swear Excel did not used to do this in previous versions. Is it possible
that I have a buggy install, or does this sound like it's working as designed?

Thanks,
Colin

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

Items stay on the Office Clipboard (Edit>Office Clipboard), and you can
retrieve them from there.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Colin

After you do your cut or copy, go do what you want as in type the Quantity in
another workbook.......then on Edit Toolbar or Edit menu hit "Office
Clipboard".

Your copied data will be there for you to select the material to paste. I
believe up to 24 copy/cut levels can be kept on the Office Clipboard.

Gord Dibben Excel MVP

 

[Dave Hawley]

Hi Colin

What you need to do is this. Go to Edit>Office Clipboard. This MUST be
showing BEFORE you copy. Now do you copying and pasting. You items will
then remain on the clipboard.

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[Debra Dalgleish]

No, the Office Clipboard doesn't need to be visible before copying.

 

[Dave Hawley]

Does on my PC with Excel 2002. Perhaps you misread the users needs??

Try this. Clear all from the Clipboard and ensure the Office Clipboard
is NOT showing. Copy any cell content. Now select any other cell and
type in some text. Now select a destination cell for the paste. Show the
Office Clipboard and you will see it is empty.

Now try the same but show the clipboard BEFORE copying and pasting.

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[Debra Dalgleish]

I did test, before posting my original response. On my PC, with Excel
2002, the results are the same, whether or not the clipboard was visible
when the cell was copied.

 

[Dave Hawley]

Strange, works only as described if the Office Clipboard is visible
*before* the copy, typing into another cell, entering and then pasting.

Perhaps someone else can try?

Hold on found the reason! Under Options there is "Collect without
showing the office clipboard".

There is your fix Colin )

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[Gord Dibben]

I also tested before posting my earlier comments.

Same results as Debra. Clipboard can be opened after the copying.

Gord Dibben Excel MVP

 

[Dave Hawley]

Read the last sentence in my last post. I discovered the reason.

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[Colin Higbie]

Excellent. Thank you all. I also see that I can just press Ctrl-C twice to
make it appear (but not Ctrl-Ins, which normally works the same as Ctrl-C,
interesting...). This is satisfactory.

Thank you very much for the advice on using the Office Clipboard. I can now
happily Excel.

- Colin

 

[joezeppy]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice here. It's very bothersome to be surprised b
this "upgrade". I've been so used to using "Ctrl C" and "Ctrl V
between almost all Windows programs that I have some getting used to t
do.

But in my case, I still can't copy / paste between programs. I'v
followed all the suggestions above.

Should I be using some other key combination to paste in othe
programs? (besides "Ctrl V"?)

The funny thing is that since I've installed this 2003 office program
my Ctrl V key doesn't seem to work like it used to at all. Any idea
appreciated