Excel XP automatic equals sign when formula bar clicked

[Mike]

In Excel 2000, you could click on a cell, then click on the
formula bar and an equals sign would pop up in anticipation
of a formula to be written. How can you make Excel 2002
duplicate this behavior?

 

[Norman Harker]

Hi Mike!

This was removed from Excel 2002 onwards.

The closest you'll get is:

View > Toolbars > Customize
Under the Insert list you'll find "="
Drag it to a toolbar near the formula bar.

--
Regards
Norman Harker MVP (Excel)
Sydney, Australia
(e-mail address removed)
Excel and Word Function Lists (Classifications, Syntax and Arguments)
available free to good homes.

 

[JulieD]

Hi Norman

i can't get the behaviour to work in 2000 unless i click on the "=" - which
BTW when i click on the 'paste function' icon to the left of the formula bar
i also get a "=" in 2002

how do you get the "=" automatically in ver 2000 - this could be a neat
party trick - i know i go to odd parties

cheers
JulidD

 

[Norman Harker]

Hi JulieD!

In versions Excel 97 and 2000 (and possibly before), there's an =
immediately to the left of the formula bar. When you press that = you
get a formula palette that gives you preliminary results of any
calculation that you're doing.

This was replaced in Excel 2002 with the fx button which is merely a
fast way of getting to the paste function dialog. At the same time, as
you noticed, an = is put in the formula bar.

The = that you can drag up with customizing doesn't have the same
function. It just puts an = in the formula bar.

--
Regards
Norman Harker MVP (Excel)
Sydney, Australia
(e-mail address removed)
Excel and Word Function Lists (Classifications, Syntax and Arguments)
available free to good homes.

 

[JulieD]

Hi Norman

yep i'm back again

oh, i see the difference the fx pops up that paste function dialog thingy
.... where as the old "=" doesn't - but either way you have to click on the
icon, not just click in the formula bar as i understood the OP to say?

Cheers
JulieD