Back to Newsletter Archives
Back to The Software Pro Home
============================================================
Smart & Easy Software Tips, Tricks & Techniques July 2004 - Issue 1
Publisher: Dawn Bjork Buzbee mailto:Dawn@SoftwarePro.com
The Software Pro(TM)
Microsoft Certified Office Expert
http://www.SoftwarePro.com
If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and want
your own subscription, visit
http://www.SoftwarePro.com/subscribe.htm
Geek Speak Becomes People Friendly(TM)
============================================================
IN THIS ISSUE - SELECTING SECRETS: STOP THE "RUNAWAY MOUSE"
============================================================
1. Stop the "runaway mouse"
2. Easy keyboard selection secret
3. How to highlight multiple items
4. Selecting tricks in Word with the selection bar
5. Easy select all
6. Handouts: Selecting shortcuts in Word & Excel
NEXT ISSUE: Tons of Tips for Editing & Formatting
=====================================================
1. Stop the "runaway mouse"
=====================================================
What's the "runaway mouse?" You've seen it...you may have even
yelled at your computer when it happened. All you want to
do is select (highlight) some text or data by dragging your
mouse. Suddenly, your mouse has a mind of it's own and moves too
far too fast. I've even heard people shout out "Whoa!" as they
try to handle the out of control mouse.
What should you do? First, stop dragging your mouse! To stop
the "runaway mouse" add some keyboard shortcuts. To begin, move
to the top of the area you want to highlight. Then, press and
hold down [Shift]. Move to the end of the area by pressing any
directional keys such as the [Down] arrow or [Page Down]. Keep
holding down [Shift] and continue moving to the end of text or
data that you want to highlight. When you have the area you
want then perform the next action: formatting, editing, etc.
Still like the mouse? Press and hold [Shift] and click to pick
the end of the selection area even if it is at the end of the
document. The key is not to drag; use the scroll bar if you need
to make big moves.
Excel bonus: Okay, I admit there is a dragging trick in Excel.
Instead of pulling harder on the mouse to move to the end of the
selection, stop on the scroll bar. If you hop on and ride the
scroll bar and gently pull the mouse, you can easily maintain
control.
=====================================================
2. Easy keyboard selection secret-[F8]
=====================================================
Even better than the [Shift] key is a hidden selection trick. I
compare this to taking the measurements of a large room--it's
much easier with a friend holding the measuring tape at one end
while you take your time to move to the other end. Ever have a
measuring tape snap back when you try this yourself? The hidden
trick is the [F8] function key.
Simply 1) move to beginning of the selection area, 2) press
[F8] once, 3) look in the bottom center or left corner of your
status bar for EXT; don't expect anything to flash or pop up;
EXT stands for Extend Selection, 4) take your time moving to
the end of the selection area with your keyboard and/or the
mouse, 5) perform the action to the selected area such as
formatting, cut, copy, etc. The EXT mode turns off as soon as
you do an action. Just move anywhere to clear the highlight.
What if you change your mind and you want to turn off the
Extend Selection without continuing? In Excel, press [F8] again
or press [Esc]. In Word, press [Esc] to cancel. Move anywhere to
clear the highlight.
=====================================================
3. How to highlight multiple items
=====================================================
To select more than one item such as 2 different paragraphs in
Word, 4 cells in Excel, 3 graphics in PowerPoint, or 10 files in
Windows Explorer, choose either [Shift] or [Ctrl]. The basic
steps work in Microsoft Office, Windows Explorer, and many
other Windows programs.
To select a contiguous (touching) area use [Shift]: 1) click
once on the first item, 2) press and hold [Shift], 3) click on
the last item that you want to highlight and everything in
between will also be selected, 4) perform an action such as
formatting.
To select non-contiguous (unrelated) items use [Ctrl]: 1) click
one on the first item, 2) press and hold [Ctrl] and, 3) click on
each of the other items, press [Ctrl] again to unselect, 4)
perform the action to finish working with the highlighted area.
Some ideas for these options:
* Pick files from File > Open to open all of these at the same
time in your Microsoft Office program.
* Choose multiple slides in the PowerPoint slide sorter to
apply a transition.
* Highlight groups of cells or sections of text and apply
formatting.
* Select drawing objects to group, move, or change formatting.
=====================================================
4. Selecting tricks in Word with the selection bar
=====================================================
Have you ever used the selection bar? Just think of this as the
left margin of your Word document. To locate the selection bar
area, move your mouse to the left of text until it changes from
an upper case "I" to a white arrow.
Selection tricks to try with the selection bar:
* Click once to highlight entire line.
* Double-click to select the whole paragraph.
* Triple-click (can you do it?) to highlight the entire
document (great for overall changes such as font formatting).
=====================================================
5. Easy select all
=====================================================
To make changes to an entire document or file, press [Ctrl] + A
to Select All or choose File > Select All (if available).
=====================================================
6. Handouts: Selecting shortcuts in Word & Excel
=====================================================
Want more ways to use the Word selection bar, the [F8] extend
selection key, and other tricks to highlight your data? For
instance, did you know that [Ctrl + a mouse click will highlight
an entire sentence? Check out these handouts:
Microsoft Word - Selecting Text Tricks
http://www.SoftwarePro.com/tips/word.htm#wordhandouts
Microsoft Excel - Moving & Selecting Shortcuts
http://www.SoftwarePro.com/tips/excel.htm#excelhandouts
------------------------------------------------------------
Please pass this along to others who may appreciate it!
------------------------------------------------------------
For Website or e-zine questions: mailto:Dawn@SoftwarePro.com
Privacy Policy - We hate receiving spam as much as
you do. Therefore, we never rent, trade, or sell
our e-mail lists to anyone for any reason. You or
someone you know subscribed you to this e-zine list.
We never add names to our list until you voluntarily
subscribe.
(c) 2004 The Software Pro (TM)
All rights reserved.
http://www.SoftwarePro.com
To Subscribe go to:
http://www.SoftwarePro.com/subscribe.htm
or e-mail any message to mailto:join-softwarepro@mh.databack.com
============================================================
Geek Speak Becomes People Friendly(TM)
The Software Pro(TM)
Post Office Box 5319
Englewood, CO 80155-5319 USA
(303) 699-6868, Fax (303) 766-0886
Dawn@SoftwarePro.com
http://www.SoftwarePro.com