docking the formula bar

[grant104c]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

New MAC user asking: is there a way to dock the Excel (12.1.4) formula bar so it stays on the toolbar? In View i can check Formula Bar, but it floats. I'd very much like it in a fixed position on the top toolbar, just like it is in the Excel i've used for years on that _other_ O/S. I hope this feature hasn't been overlooked, and someone can point me to the way to affix it in one place relative to the rest of the page. I find it fairly discombobulating to have the parts of an app floating freely like that, but the Formula Bar, particularly so.

TIA for any assistance - grant

 

[CyberTaz]

Sorry, that's one of the "improvements" made in 2008 to which general
response has been identical to yours. At present there is no remedy & it's
unlikely we'll see it changed in the 2008 release. To add a bit more
insurance to its return in Office Next please use Help> Send Feedback to
register your comments on the matter.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

New MAC user asking: is there a way to dock the Excel (12.1.4) formula bar so
it stays on the toolbar? In View i can check Formula Bar, but it floats. I'd
very much like it in a fixed position on the top toolbar, just like it is in
the Excel i've used for years on that _other_ O/S. I hope this feature hasn't
been overlooked, and someone can point me to the way to affix it in one place
relative to the rest of the page. I find it fairly discombobulating to have
the parts of an app floating freely like that, but the Formula Bar,
particularly so.

It hasn't been overlooked, but the Formula bar can't be docked in the
workbook window, either.

Of course, it doesn't work that way in WIndows, either. In WInXL, the
bars are docked in the Application Window. The Mac analogue, since Mac
apps don't have separate application windows, is for the Formula bar to
be dockable on any edge of the screen.

There have been many requests for the ability to dock the Formula bar in
a workbook window - you can put your own in using Help/Send Feedback...

However, it would be highly problematic for many users. When, say,
creating a reference between two workbooks, one can start to enter a
formula (say, "=") switch to the other workbook, click on a cell, and
the reference to that cell automatically appears in the formula bar, and
you can repeat it or combine it with other functions without switching
back to the original workbook. That couldn't happen if each workbook
window had a separate instance of the Formula Bar. Alternatively, each
workbook window's formula bar could display the current entry, but I
think that could be even more confusing.

I actually dislike having the Standard toolbar appear in each workbook
window, but at least there's no possibility of confusion as to which
workbook is referred to when clicking the standard toolbar's buttons.

 

[X]

This is my most hatred "new feature". While I understand why it may be better in some cases, this is by far way worse in most cases. At least give us the option! Please, please, please!

 

[grant104c]

Thanks, Bob.

So it's not just me. Well, at least i didn't waste one of my two prepaid $49 queries getting that answer from MS. Seems to me, a vendor would be thankful for that kind of feedback, rather than charge a fellow for it.

Sorry, that's one of the "improvements" made in 2008 to which general
response has been identical to yours. At present there is no remedy & it's
unlikely we'll see it changed in the 2008 release.

Pity. Sigh...

To add a bit more
insurance to its return in Office Next please use Help> Send Feedback to
register your comments on the matter.

Thanks, i will.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hey, perhaps a bit OT, but is there a way to make the [Home] and [end] keys do what they do in a Windows dialog box? I.e. curse to start/end of line? It's patterened into my fingers after a decade or two and it's just driving me nuts on the Mac.

cheers - grant

 

[grant104c]

Hi JE:

Thanks for your reply...

It hasn't been overlooked, but the Formula bar can't be docked in the
workbook window, either.

Hmmm.., sounds like "overlooked" to me ;-)

Of course, it doesn't work that way in WIndows, either. In WInXL, the
bars are docked in the Application Window. The Mac analogue, since Mac
apps don't have separate application windows, is for the Formula bar to
be dockable on any edge of the screen.

Yeah, that feature seems to me a bit unfriendly. Having all the tools and bits of an app kind of free-associating on the screen, is already visually confusing. Then docking one component to the edge of the screen just throws another consideration to distract one from the task.

There have been many requests for the ability to dock the Formula bar in
a workbook window - you can put your own in using Help/Send Feedback...

However, it would be highly problematic for many users. When, say,
creating a reference between two workbooks, one can start to enter a
formula (say, "=") switch to the other workbook, click on a cell, and
the reference to that cell automatically appears in the formula bar, and
you can repeat it or combine it with other functions without switching
back to the original workbook. That couldn't happen if each workbook
window had a separate instance of the Formula Bar. Alternatively, each
workbook window's formula bar could display the current entry, but I
think that could be even more confusing.

Well, in a way one could raise that point for any of the tools on the toolbar. Perhaps a better way to get the best of both, would be a "local" formula bar that docks on the workbook's toolbar, and a "global" one that free-floats and works as u describe above.

cheers - grant

 

[JE McGimpsey]

It hasn't been overlooked, but the Formula bar can't be docked in the
workbook window, either.

Hmmm.., sounds like "overlooked" to me ;-)[/QUOTE]

Well, I don't consider the result of a design decision to mean
"overlooked", but you're using the word differently than I am,
certainly...

Yeah, that feature seems to me a bit unfriendly. Having all the tools and
bits of an app kind of free-associating on the screen, is already visually
confusing. Then docking one component to the edge of the screen just throws
another consideration to distract one from the task.

I guess I don't see what's so confusing. I hate the Standard Toolbar
being docked in the workbook windows, but that's a reflection of the way
that Apple apps are headed - putting controls that apply only to one
window in the window's toolbar.

Even Apple's Numbers spreadsheet doesn't have a docked formula bar. The
formula bar in Numbers is, perhaps, even worse, because it's not only
free-floating, it can't even be moved off the grid, and doesn't retain
its position if it IS moved.

OpenOffice.org *does* have the formula bar docked in the workbook
window, but you can't click in a different window to enter cell
references - you have to enter them manually.

Well, in a way one could raise that point for any of the tools on the
toolbar.

Not any way I know of. None of the dockable toolbars have controls that
affect other workbooks, so you never have a control that changes
something in one workbook changing something on a second one.

Perhaps a better way to get the best of both, would be a "local"
formula bar that docks on the workbook's toolbar, and a "global" one that
free-floats and works as u describe above.

Gee, that sounds like Standard/Formatting Toolbars ("local"), and the
Formula Bar ("global").

Seems like a good idea to me...

 

[CyberTaz]

I'm not sure what you mean by your reference to a "Windows dialog box".

Home & End work the same as the PC version when working in a sheet...

When in Ready mode Home sends the selector to the beginning (Column A) of
the row, End requires pressing an arrow key afterward to indicate what "end"
you want the selector to travel to. If editing in a cell or the Formula Bar
(Edit or Enter mode), Home sends the insertion point to the beginning of the
line, End sends it to the end of the line. If the cell has wrapped content
Control+Home & Control+End send the insertion point to the very
beginning/end of the cell's content.

[Note that if you're using a laptop you need to also use the fn key to
elicit the Home/End key behavior - otherwise those keys are simply Left &
Right Arrow keys.]

If this doesn't answer what you're asking please be a bit more descriptive
of the specific circumstances.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Thanks, Bob.

So it's not just me. Well, at least i didn't waste one of my two prepaid $49
queries getting that answer from MS. Seems to me, a vendor would be thankful
for that kind of feedback, rather than charge a fellow for it.

Sorry, that's one of the "improvements" made in 2008 to which general
response has been identical to yours. At present there is no remedy & it's
unlikely we'll see it changed in the 2008 release.

Pity. Sigh...

To add a bit more
insurance to its return in Office Next please use Help> Send Feedback to
register your comments on the matter.

Thanks, i will.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hey, perhaps a bit OT, but is there a way to make the [Home] and [end] keys do
what they do in a Windows dialog box? I.e. curse to start/end of line? It's
patterened into my fingers after a decade or two and it's just driving me nuts
on the Mac.

cheers - grant