spreadsheet stuck

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

christi - 18 May 2007 01:00 GMT

this is hard to explain but I have Excel 2003. When I open a spreadsheet and
then click on a cell with my mouse, the "+" appears, highlights anywhere I go
on the page and I cannot get it turned off. can someone tell me how to get it
turned off?

Signature

thanks

Reply to this Message

Dave Peterson - 18 May 2007 01:20 GMT

Maybe...

Do you see Ext in the status bar (at the bottom right in the embossed boxes
area)? If yes, then hit the F8 key.

F8 puts excel into (and out of) "extend the range" mode.

If that's not it, maybe it's a sticky mouse key. Try gently banging on the
mouse buttons--including the wheel mouse button if you have one.

> this is hard to explain but I have Excel 2003. When I open a spreadsheet and
> then click on a cell with my mouse, the "+" appears, highlights anywhere I go
> on the page and I cannot get it turned off. can someone tell me how to get it
> turned off?
> --
> thanks

Signature

Dave Peterson

Reply to this Message

christi - 18 May 2007 02:12 GMT

unfortunately that didn't do it and the mouse works fine. once I click in a
cell the "+" sign appears and I cannot even get out of the program. I have
to go to task mgr to exit. It happened to me once before but I can't
remember what I did to cause it or what I did to resolve it.

Signature

thanks

> Maybe...
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> > --
> > thanks

Reply to this Message

Dave Peterson - 18 May 2007 02:35 GMT

I don't have another guess.

Good luck.

> unfortunately that didn't do it and the mouse works fine. once I click in a
> cell the "+" sign appears and I cannot even get out of the program. I have
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> >
> > Dave Peterson

Signature

Dave Peterson

Reply to this Message

christi - 18 May 2007 02:57 GMT

thanks anyway. how can I word this problem so I can search for an answer
somewhere else?

Signature

thanks

> I don't have another guess.
>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> > >
> > > Dave Peterson

Reply to this Message

Dave Peterson - 18 May 2007 04:07 GMT

Maybe searching within the excel newsgroups:
http://groups.google.co.uk/advanced_group_search?q=group:*excel*
for keywords:
highlight range extended

I got 27 hits. I didn't check all of them, but I did see the F8 key mentioned
in some.

ps. Do you have another mouse you could use--even if it's just temporary?

> thanks anyway. how can I word this problem so I can search for an answer
> somewhere else?
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> >
> > Dave Peterson

Signature

Dave Peterson

Reply to this Message

christi - 18 May 2007 04:45 GMT

Thanks Dave,

Nothing seems to work. F8 doesn't work either. It may be the mouse as my
wheel hasn't worked in ages. Will try another mouse or clean the one I have.
I'll keep searching.

Signature

thanks

> Maybe searching within the excel newsgroups:
> http://groups.google.co.uk/advanced_group_search?q=group:*excel*
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
> > >
> > > Dave Peterson

Reply to this Message

Dave Peterson - 18 May 2007 12:50 GMT

It's always the hardware (until proven wrong!!!)

Good luck.

ps. Please post back so the google knows if bad hardware can cause problems
like this.

> Thanks Dave,
>
[quoted text clipped - 58 lines]
> >
> > Dave Peterson

Signature

Dave Peterson

Reply to this Message