Undo

[Guest]

1. In my opinion, it's very problematic that the actions in the Undo button
disappear each time an Auto-save is performed. Auto-save is involuntary, as
opposed to a Save action the user performs. I also must add that I didn't
notice this phenomenon happen in other Office applications.
2. Also, there should be a way of setting the number of Undo actions Excel
should keep, with an option of saving an "endless" number of actions. If my
computer can't handle it, I wouldn't mind if at some point a task pane will
appear, informing me that the system free resources are getting low and
allowing me to delete some of the Undo actions that were saved.
3. Furthermore, suppose that I'm in the middle of working on an Office file
while suddenly I have to go. Wouldn't it be nice if I could save an Office
file together with its Undo actions?

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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...a-ca375745f968&dg=microsoft.public.excel.misc

 

[Guest]

These are really good suggestion. I've been lucky enough never to run into
the problem you mention in the first suggestion, though. I like your second
suggestion a lot. I hate when I make several changes to something and it
turns out I don't like the result, but I find out I made too many changes to
get back to where I was.

Also, it would be really nice if you save a document, and it also saves your
recent changes, so you can undo them if need be when you re-open the
document. Good suggestions. You got an "I Agree" vote from me. I hope
Microsoft is reading this.

--
Have a nice day!

~Paul
Express Scripts,
Charting the future of pharmacy

 

[Dave Peterson]

Just #2...

Undo has a limit of 16 actions, but it's resizable by tweaking a registry
setting.

xl2k and above
XL: How to Modify the Number of Undo Levels
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=211922

xl97
XL97: How to Modify the Number of Undo Levels
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=162944

 

[Gord Dibben]

yarp

1. Auto-save is not involuntary. It is an add-in that can be unchecked in
Tools>Add-ins in versions 2000 and earlier.

The Autorecovery feature of Excel 2002 and 2003 does not delete the undo
stack.

2. Read this KB article to learn how to increase the number of undos.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q211922#top

3. Maybe a good idea, but a potential resource hog IMO.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP

 

[Guest]

Gord,
my answers are below.
yarp.

yarp

1. Auto-save is not involuntary. It is an add-in that can be unchecked in
Tools>Add-ins in versions 2000 and earlier.

It is involuntary beause you never expect it, and you're not asked about it.
Also, it is set to "on" by default (and so it should be). Many users don't
even know they can change it, not to mention that they don't know how.

The Autorecovery feature of Excel 2002 and 2003 does not delete the undo
stack.

It sure does. I just re-checked it. Maybe you should try working on a fresh
installation or something like that.
This is really a serious problem. You make changes to a document, and
suddenly, when everything's going OK, something happens really quick and then
you find your Undo button disabled. It took me some time before I realized it
was the Auto-save.

2. Read this KB article to learn how to increase the number of undos.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q211922#top

I just did. I followed it and it helped. Thank you (and Dave Peterson above).
However, I think that the common user would like to have control over the
number of Undo actions in history through the Tools-Options dialog box.
My father, for example doesn't even know what the registry is. He needs
Excel to be reliable. So if the number of Undo actions in history is not
"endless", then it must be allowed to be changed through the application.

3. Maybe a good idea, but a potential resource hog IMO.

OK, so the default of this option should be "off". Moreover, in MS-Word's
"Save As" dialog box, the "Save" button has a drop-list of options. This can
be a nice way of enabling this option while still keeping it quite hidden, so
that not everyone who saves a document will save all the Undo history along
with it.

 

[Guest]

Wow! You are full of good ideas, because I have to say I like your answer of
saying it could be an option with Save As. I think your suggestions are a
good idea, especially when they are made an option, and not the default.

--
Have a nice day!

~Paul
Express Scripts,
Charting the future of pharmacy

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