Some shortcut keys are a nuisance

[David Walker]

In Excel 2000, 2003, and 2007, some shortcut key combinations don't seem
to be editable -- as far as I have found.

When I'm typing a formula like

= "(" & a2 & "),"

into a cell, I often find that I am holding the Shift key down while
pressing the Space bar. Shift/Space, however, selects the whole row that
the cursor is in -- even if you're in the middle of typing a formula.
So, Excel selects the whole row AND sticks "a:a" into the middle of the
formula.

Selecting the whole row that the cursor is in, is something I have never
used, in 10 years of using Excel. (Selecting the whole column is
much more useful.) The shortcut takes two keystrokes, and it has NO use
while I'm typing a formula. (Typing "a:a" is only three keystrokes
anyway.)

I have found ways to change and turn off the various Alt/whatever
shortcut keys (or command accelerators), but I haven't found how to turn
off Shift/Space. I don't want Shift/Space to be a shortcut to anything;
I would like it to enter a space.

Can this be done?

Thanks.


David Walker

 

[macropod]

Hi David,

Perhaps not inserting unnecessary spaces would help. With your formula, for example, you'd get exactly the same result with:
="("&A2&"),"

 

[Jim Rech]

While I find Shift-spacebar occasionally useful, from your point of view
unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to change what any Excel
keystroke does when you are in Enter or Edit modes, which is what you're in
when entering or changing a formula. You can use a macro to reassign keys
(using Application.Onkey) but it is only effective when in Ready mode. The
"mode" btw appears in Excel's lower left corner.

 

[Harlan Grove]

While I find Shift-spacebar occasionally useful, from your point of view
unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to change what any Excel
keystroke does when you are in Enter or Edit modes, which is what you're in
when entering or changing a formula.  You can use a macro to reassign keys
(using Application.Onkey) but it is only effective when in Ready mode.  The
"mode" btw appears in Excel's lower left corner.

....

One possible option would be outside keystroke macro programs which
process keystrokes before they're passed to the active application.
Using such a utility you could assign [Shift]+[Space] to [Space] no
matter what mode Excel (or any other application) may be in.