Knowledge Base

XL98: Dropdown Lists Collapse When You Release Mouse Button

Article ID: 178362

Article Last Modified on 9/11/2002

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q178362

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, if you click any of the following items

  • a dropdown list in an AutoFilter
  • the dropdown list of a page field in a PivotTable
  • a combo box (on the Forms toolbar) in a worksheet, dialog box, or UserForm
the list does not remain displayed when you release the mouse button. As a result, it is not possible to select an item in the list by pressing the appropriate letter key on the keyboard.

Note that this problem does not occur in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because of the way in which these lists function when you click them. If you use the keyboard instead of the pointer to activate a dropdown list, the dropdown list behaves differently.

WORKAROUND

To use the keyboard to select an item in an AutoFilter list, a page field dropdown list, or a combo box in a worksheet, follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell that contains the list. Or, select a cell "behind" the combo box.
  2. Press OPTION+DOWN ARROW to activate the list.
  3. Use the arrow keys to move up or down through the list. Or, press the letter key of the first letter of the item you want to select.

    For example, press a to select "alpha." To select the next item that begins with "a," press a again.
  4. After you select the item, press RETURN. Or, press ESC to cancel the operation.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Example

To see an example of this problem, follow these steps:

  1. In Microsoft Excel, create a new workbook. Enter the following data in Sheet1:

    A1: Name
    A2: Andrea
    A3: Bill
    A4: Bob
    A5: Cathy
    A6: Darin

  2. Select cell A2. On the Data menu, point to Filter, and then click AutoFilter.
  3. Click the AutoFilter list in cell A1. Do NOT hold the mouse button down.

    NOTE: In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, the list does not remain displayed. In Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows, the list does remain displayed.
  4. Select cell A1, and then press OPTION+DOWN ARROW.
The list is displayed and remains displayed. You can use the arrow keys or the letter keys to select names in the list. When you are done, press RETURN to accept the selection or ESC to cancel.

Additional query words: XL98 dropped cannot select disappears

Keywords: kbbug kbui KB178362


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