WD95: Mouse Click Selects Multiple Cells in Embedded Spreadsheet

• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a

SYMPTOMS

In Word, if you select a cell in an embedded Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, multiple cells are selected. Repeatedly clicking in other cells continues to select cells instead of clearing the current selection.

This action is similar to holding down the SHIFT key while you use the left mouse button to click in a different section of the spreadsheet.

Other symptoms include loss of characters and characters changing case.

CAUSE

The possible causes for this problem include the following:

• The SHIFT key is "stuck" in the down position.

      -or-
  

• The extend selection is turned on.

      -or-
  

• All Caps formatting is turned on.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use the method appropriate to your situation.

Method 1: "Stuck" SHIFT key

Check to see if the SHIFT key is "stuck" in the down position on your keyboard.

Method 2: Turn Off Extend Selection

If the EXT is bold on the Status bar, press the ESC key on your keyboard and then click somewhere in your document to de-select any selection.

Method 3: Turn Off All Caps Formatting

To turn off All Caps formatting, follow these steps:

1. Select any words that are in all capital letters.

2. On the Format menu, click Font.

3. Check to clear the All Caps check box.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

The following table lists ways you can extend a selection.

   To do this                             Press this key
   -------------------------------------------------------------------

   Turn extend mode on                    F8

   Select the nearest character           F8, and then press LEFT ARROW or
                                          RIGHT ARROW

   Increase the size of a selection       F8 (press once to select a
                                          word, twice to select a sentence,
                                          and so forth)

   Reduce the size of a selection         SHIFT+F8

   Turn extend mode off                   ESC